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COMMENTARY, 


CKITICAL,  EXPOSITORY,  AND  PRACTICAL, 
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ON  TILB 


GOSPELS  OF  MATTHEW  AND  MARK, 


FOR  THE   USE   OP 


MINISTERS,  THEOLOGICAL  STUDENTS,  PRIVATE  CHRISTIANS, 
BIBLE  CLASSES,  AND  SABBATH  SCHOOLS. 


BY 


JOHN  J.  OWEN,  D.D. 


WITH    A    MAP,    SYNOPTICAL    INDEX,   ETC. 


NEW    YOEK: 
LEAVITT     &    ALLEN,    879    BROADWAY. 

1857. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  CoDifress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

JOHN  J.  OWEN, 

In  the  Clerk's  OfiRce  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of 

New  York. 


JOHN  F.  TEOW, 

Pkintek,  stereottpek,  and  eleotrottper, 

377  &  379  Broadway, 

New  York. 


PREFACE. 

The  series  to  which  the  present  vokime  belongs,  >is  designed  to 
embrace  the  four  Gospels  and  the  Acts,  to  be  followed  by  a  Greek 
edition  of  the  same  portion  of  the  New  Testament,  for  the  use  of 
those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  original  language.  The  re- 
maining volumes  will  be  issued  without  any  further  delay,  than 
may  result  from  the  official  labors  of  the  author,  which  leave  but 
a  small  portion  of  daily  time  or  strength  for  extra  labors  of  this 
kind. 

The  text  of  this  volume  is  an  exact  reprint  of  the  recent  emen- 
dation of  the  American  Bible  Society,  which  approaches,  perhaps, 
as  near  to  the  standard  of  accuracy  as  any  edition  of  the  English 
Bible  extant. 

In  preparing  the  Commentary,  I  have  derived  much  valuable 
assistance  from  Doddridge,  Bloomfield,  Alford,  Meyer,  Stier, 
Trench,  Drummond,  Stuart,  Barnes  and  others,  whose  works  are 
so  well  known  and  accessible  to  the  student  of  God's  Word. 
Especially  does  the  commentary  of  Olshausen,  now  in  process  of 
republication  by  Messrs.  Sheldon,  Blakeman  &  Co.,  deserve  particu- 
lar mention,  as  constituting  a  vast  storehouse  of  valuable  criticism 
on  the  New  Testament,  mingled  it  is  true  with  much  that  savors 
of  German  vagueness  and  mysticism,  yet  furnishing  the  most 
complete  apparatus  for  the  study  of  that  portion  of  the  sacred 
word,  which  has  hitherto  been  given  to  the  religious  public.  The 
works  of  Trench  and  Drummond,  republished,  the  former  by 
Messrs.  Appletons,  the  latter  by  Messrs.  Carters  of  this  city,  are 
so  well  known  and  appreciated,  as  to  require  in  this  connection  no 
special  notice.     To  Dr.  Robinson's  EngUsh  Harmony  of  the  Gos- 


pels,  I  aclcnowledge  my  obligations  for  the  data  of  the  "  Sj-nopsis 
of  the  Life  of  Jesus,"  following  this  preface,  and  for  the  headings 
of  the  subjects  interspersed  through  the  Notes,  which  were  taken 
by  permission,  with  hardly  any  alteration,  from  that  valuable  work. 

But  with  all  these  helps,  and  others  which  might  be  named,  I 
feel  it  due  to  myself  to  state,  that  my  main  dependence,  under 
God,  has  been  upon  the  familiarity,  which  the  critical  study  of  the 
Greek  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  given  me,  with  the 
original  language  of  the  New  Testament.  Principles  of  interpre- 
tation, established  and  tested  m^  the  preparation  of  my  editions 
of  the  Greek  classics,  have  been  rigidly  and  faithfully  applied  to 
the  elucidation  of  the  sacred  pages,  and  as  I  hoj^e  not  without 
practical  utility.  Mucli  attention  has  been  given  to  the  precise 
shades  of  thought,  imparted  by  particular  words  and  idiomatic 
jDhrases,  which  the  definitions  of  the  Lexicon  often  fail  to  reach  in 
all  their  beauty  and  significancy.  Apj^arent  discrepancies  between 
the  statements  of  the  Evangelists  have  been  hannonized,  not  by 
claiming  for  them  exact  verbal  resemblances,  but  by  showing 
their  essential  unity.  The  labors  and  journeys  of  our  Lord  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  ministry,  I  have  aimed  so  to  present,  that  the 
reader  may  a2)i)rehend  them,  in  the  chronological  order  m  which 
they  actually  took  place.  The  Sj-nopsis  of  the  events  in  his  min- 
istry will,  it  is  hoped,  jirove  a  valuable  aid,  in  the  way  of  refer- 
ence, to  the  general  reader. 

In  giving  my  own  views  of  obscure  and  difficult  passages,  I 
have  adverted,  as  far  as  was  consistent  with  brevity,  to  the  opin- 
ions of  others,  in  order  that  the  reader  may  have  before  him  the 
various  interpretations,  and  judge  for  himself  which  is  worthy  of 
adoption.  All  technicalities  have  been  generally  avoided,  in  order 
to  render  the  comments  easy  of  comprehension  to  all.  The  Com- 
mentary is  designed  for  general  use,  and  to  this  my  attention  has 
been  imiformly  directed  in  its  preparation.  The  wants  of  Bible 
classes  and  Sabbath  schools  have  not  been  overlooked,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  teachers  and  scholars,  who  aim  at  a  thorough  know- 
ledge of  the  Scriptures,  will  find  in  this  volume  a  valuable  aid  to 
their  investigations  of  God's  Word.  Although  it  has  been  my 
principal  object  to  evolve  the  meaning  of  the  text,  yet  many  prac- 


tical  observations,  and  applications  of  truth  to  the  common  duties 
of  Hfe,  will  be  found  interspersed  in  the  Commentary. 

The  mechanical  portion  of  the  work  leaves  nothing  further  to 
be  desired.  The  pages  have  been  electrotyped  by  Mr.  John  F. 
Trow,  and  the  beauty  and  clearness  of  the  letter  show  how  faith- 
fully he  has  a2:)plied  this  new  and  valuable  improvement  to  the 
present  volume.  The  Map  has  been  engraved  expressly  for  this 
work  by  Mr.  Geo.  E.  Sherman,  and  is  essentially  that  of  Kiepert, 
Bib.  Atlas,  Berlin,  1854. 

With  these  remarks  I  commit  my  work  to  the  Christian  pub- 
lic, hoping  that  it  may  assist  those  who  love  to  resort  to  the  "  law 
and  testimony,"  in  rightly  understanding  and  applying  the  truth, 
"  which  is  able  to  make  them  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith 
which  is  in  Jesus  Christ." 

JOHN  J.  OWEN. 

New  York,  March  2Sth,  185Y. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  JESUS. 


I. 

HIS  BIRTH  AND  CHILDHOOD. 

Time:  About  thirteen  and  a  half  years. 

An  angel  appears  to  Mary,  Luke  1:  26-38;  also  to  Joseph,  JIatt.  1:  18-25;  Jesus 
born  at  Bethlehem,  Luke  2:  1-7;  his  circumcision  and  presentation  in  the  temple, 
Luke  2 :  21-38  ;  the  visit  of  the  Magi,  Matt.  2  :  1-12  ;  flight  into  Egypt,  Matt.  2  :  13-23  ; 
at  twelve  years  of  age  Jesus  goes  to  the  Passover,  Luke  2 :  41-52 ;  his  genealogy  oa 
the  side  of  Joseph,  Matt.  1 :  1-17  ;  on  that  of  his  mother,  Luke  3  :  22-38. 

II. 
ANNOUNCEMENT  AND  INTRODUCTION  OF  OUR  LORD'S  PUBLIC  MINISTRY. 

Time  :  About  one  year. 

Jesus  comes  to  John  to  be  baptized.  Matt.  3  :  13-17  ;  Mark  1 :  9-11 ;  Luke  3  :  21-23  ; 
is  tempted  of  the  devil,  Matt.  4:  1-11 ;  Mark  1 :  12-13;  Luke  4:  1-13;  is  testified  to 
by  John,  John  1 :  19-34 ;  gains  disciples,  John  1 :  85-51 ;  attends  a  marriage  at  Cana, 
\vhere  he  performs  his  first  miracle,  John  2 : 1-11 ;  goes  down  to  Capernaum,  John  2 :  12. 

III. 

OUR   LORD'S  FIRST   PASSOVER,   AND   THE  EVENTS  OF  HIS  MINISTRY 
UNTIL  THE  SECOND. 

Time  :   One  year. 

Jesus  attends  the  Passover,  and  drives  the  traders  out  of  the  temple,  John  2 :  13-25 ; 
discourses  with  Nicodemus,  John  3 :  1-21 ;  remains  in  Judea  and  baptizes,  John  3 : 
22-24 ;  is  further  testified  to  by  John  the  Baptist,  John  3  :  25-36  ;  departs  into  Galilee, 
Matt.  4:  12;  Mark  1 :  14 ;  Luke  4 :  14;  John  4:  1-3;  discourses  with  the  woman  of 
Samaria,  John  4:  4-42;  teaches  in  Galilee,  Matt.  4 :  17 ;  Mark  1 :  14, 15;  Luke  4:  14, 
15;  John  4:  43-45;  heals  the  son  of  a  nobleman  at  Cana,  John  4:  46-54;  is  rejected 
by  his  fellow  townsmen  of  Nazareth,  Luke  4:  16-29;  takes  up  his  abode  at  Caperna- 
um, Matt.  4:  13-16;   Luke  4:  30,31;   calls  Peter,  Andrew,  James  and  John,  at  the 
time  of  the  miraculous  draught  of  fi.shes.  Matt.  4:  18-22;  Mark  1 :  16-20;  Luke  5: 
1-11 ;  heals  a  demoniac  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum,  Mark  1 :  21-28 ;  Luke  4 
81-37  ;  heals  Peter's  wife's  mother  and  many  others.  Matt.  8  :  14-17  ;  Mark  \--2\\--?>A 
Luke  4:  3S-41 ;  goes  with  his  disciples  throughout  Galilee,  Matt.  4:  23-25;  Mark  1 
35-39;  Luke  4:42-44;  heals  a  leper.  Matt.  8:  2-4;  Mark  1  :  40-f5 ;  Luke  6:  1^-1'"' 
returns  to  Caj)ernaum,  where  he  heals  a  paralytic.  Matt.  9  ;  2-8  ;  Mark  2 :  1-12 ;  Luke 
5 :  17-20 :  calls  Matthew,  Matt.  9:9;  Mark  2  :"l3, 14 ;  Luke  5 :  27,  28. 


VIU  SYNOPSIS    OF   THE   LIFE    OF   JESUS. 

IV. 

FROM  OUR  LORD'S  SECOND  PASSOVER  UNTIL  THE  THIRD. 

Time  :   One  year. 

Jesus  goes  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the  feast  of  the  passover,  John  .5:1;  heals  an  infirm 
man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  John  5 :  2-0 ;  his  discourse  with  the  Jews  consequent 
thereon,  John  5 :  10— iT ;  on  his  way  back  to  Galilee,  his  disciples  pluck  ears  of  grain 
on  the  sabbath,  for  which  act  he  justifies  them  against  the  charge  of  the  Pharisees, 
Matt  12  :  1-8 ;  Mark  2  :  23-28  ;  Luke  6  :  1-5 ;  heals  a  man  with  a  withered  hand  on  the 
sabbath,  Matt.  12  :  9-14;  Mark  3  :  1-6  ;  Luke  0  :  6-11 :  withdraws  to  the  sea  of  Tibe- 
rias, whither  he  is  followed  by  multitudes,  Matt.  12:  15-21 ;  Mark  3  :  7-12;  ascends  a 
mountain  and  spends  the  whole  night  in  praj-er,  Luke  6  :  12 ;  chooses  and  ordains  the 
twelve,  Matt,  lo:  2-4;  Mark  3 :  13-19;  Luke  6:  13-19;  delivers  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  Matt.  ch.  v-vii. ;  Luke  6 :  20—49  ;  heals  the  centurion's  servant  at  Capernaum, 
Matt.  8  :  5-13 ;  Luke  6  :  1-lU  ;  raises  the  widow's  son  at  Nain,  Luke  7  :  11-17  ;  receives 
a  message  from  John  the  Baptist,  Matt.  11 :  2-6  ;  Luke  7  :  18-23  ;  discourses  with  the 
multitude  respecting  John,  Matt.  11 :  7-19  ;  Luke  7  :  24-35  ;  upbraids  Chorazin,  Beth- 
saida  and  Capernaum,  Matt.  11 :  20-30;  sits  at  meat  with  a  Pharisee,  when  his  feet 
are  anointed  by  a  woman  who  had  been  a  sinner,  Luke  7 :  36-50 ;  makes  with  the 
Twelve  a  second  circuit  in  Galilee,  Luke  8  :  1-3  ;  heals  a  demoniac,  at  which  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  blaspheme,  Matt.  12:  22-37;  Mark  3:  19-30;  Luke  11  :  14,  15,  17-23; 
refuses  a  sign  to  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  reproves  them  for  their  unbelief,  Matt. 
12  :  38-45 ;  Luke  11 :  16,  24-36  ;  is  sought  by  his  mother  and  brethren.  Matt.  12  :  46-50 ; 
Mark  3  :  31-35  ;  Luke  8  :  19-21 ;  dines  with  a  Pharisee,  Luke  11 :  37  ;  and  reproves  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  for  their  hypocrisy,  Luke  11:  38-54;  warns  his  disciples  and 
the  multitude  against  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  Luke  12:  1-12;  refuses  to  act  as 
umpire  in  secular  disputes,  Luke  12 :  13-15 ;  pronounces  the  parable  of  the  rich  fool, 
Luke  12 :  16-21 ;  exhorts  to  reliance  upon  God,  and  to  watchfulness,  Luke  12 :  22-53 ; 
reproves  the  people  for  their  unbelief,  Luke  12 :  54-59  ;  pronounces  the  parable  of  the 
barren  fig  tree,  Luke  13  :  6-9  ;  and  of  the  sower,  Matt.  13  :  1-23  ;  Mark  4 :  1-25  ;  Luke 
8  :  4-18  ;  and  of  the  tares,  Matt.  13  :  24^30  ;  and  other  parables,  Matt.  13  :  31-53  ;  Mark 
4:  26-34;  crosses  the  lake  and  stills  the  tempest,  Matt.  8:  18-27;  Mark  4:  35-41; 
Luke  8 :  22-25  ;  9  :  57-61 ;  heals  the  two  demoniacs  of  Gadara,  Matt.  8  :  28-34 ;  9:1; 
Mark  5  :  1-21 ;  Luke  8  :  26-40  ;  is  entertained  by  Levi,  Matt.  9  :  10-17  ;  Mark  2  :  15-22 ; 
Luke  5  :  29-39  ;  raises  Jairus'  daughter  and  heals  the  woman  with  a  bloody  flux,  Matt. 
9 :  18-26  ;  Mark  5  :  22-43  ;  Luke  8  :  41-56  ;  heals  two  blind  men  and  casts  out  a  dumb 
spirit,  Matt.  9:  27-34;  is  again  rejected  at  Nazareth,  Matt.  13:  54-58;  Mark  6:  1-6; 
makes  a  third  circuit  in  Galilee  and  commissions  and  sends  forth  the  Twelve,  Matt.  9  : 
35-38  ;  10  :  1,  5-42  ;  11:1;  Mark  6  :  6-13  ;  Luke  9  :  1-6  ;  retires  with  the  Twelve  across 
the  lake,  and  feeds  five  thousand.  Matt.  14:  13-21;  Mark  6 :  30^4;  Luke  9:  10-17; 
John  6  :  1-14 ;  walks  upon  the  water,  Matt.  14 :  22-36  ;  Mark  6  :  45-56  ;  John  6  :  15-21 ; 
discourses  with  the  multitude  on  the  true  bread  of  life,  John  6 :  22-71 ;  7  :  1. 


FROM  OUR  LORD'S  THIRD   PASSOVER  UNTIL  HIS  FINAL  DEPARTURE 
FROM  GALILEE  AT  THE  FESTIVAL  OF  TABERNACLES. 

Time  :  Six  Months. 

Jesus  justifies  his  disciples  for  eating  with  unwashen  hands.  Matt.  15:  1-20; 
Maik  7  :  1-23;  goes  into  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  where  he  heals  the  daughter 
of  the  Syrophenician  woman.  Matt.  15:  21~2s;  Mark  7  :  24-30;  returns  to  Dccapo- 
lis  and  heals  a  deaf  and  dumb  man,  and  feeds  four  thousand.  Matt.  15:  29-38; 
Mark  7  :  31-37  ;  8  :  1-9  ;  refuses  a  sign  to  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  Matt.  15  :  39  ; 
Iti:  1-4;  Marks:  10-12;  cautions  the  disciples  against  tlic  leaven  of  the  Pharisees, 
Jlalt.  16  :  4-12  ;  Maik  8 :  13-21 ;  heals  a  blind  man  at  Bcthsaida,  Mark  S  ;  22-26  ;  de- 
parts to  the  region  of  C;esai'ea  Philippi,  and  receives  from  I'etoi-  and  tin-  disciples  the 
profession  of  their  faith.  Matt.  16:  1.1  l'o;  Mark  S:  27-30;  Luke  9:  Is  -Jl;  foretells 
Ills  own  death  and  resurrection.  Matt.  1 6  :  2l~2s  ;  Mark  S  :  31-3s  ;  ;• :  1  ;  I,uke  ;i :  •_"_'-27  ; 
is  tr;insligun'(l.  Matt.  17  :  1-13 ;  Mark  9:2-1.'.;  Luke  9:  28-36;  heals  a  demoniac 
whom  liis  disciples  could  uot  cure,  Matt.  17  :  14-21 ;  Mark  t) ;  14-29;  Luke  9  :  37-43; 


SYNOPSIS    OF    THE    LIFE    OF   JESUS.  IX 

again  foretells  his  own  death  and  resurrection,  Matt.  17  :  22,  23  ;  Mark  9  :  30-32 ;  Lnke 
0  :  40-4.) ;  retiiru.s  to  L'apernaum  and  miraculously  provides  tribute-money,  Matt.  17  : 
24-27  ;  Mark  9  :  33  ;  exliorts  his  disciples  to  humility  and  brotherly  love.  Matt.  IS : 
1-35 ;  Mark  D :  33-5U ;  Luke  1) :  46-00 ;  instructs  and  sends  forth  tlie  Seventy,  Luke 
10:  1-10;  takes  his  final  departure  from  Galilee  and  goes  up  to  the  feast  of  taberna- 
cles, John  7  :  2-10  ;  Luke  'J  :  51-50 ;  passes  through  ISamaria  where  he  cleanses  ten 
lepers,  Luke  17  :  11-19. 

VI. 

FEAST  OF  TABERNACLES  AND  OUR  LORD'S  SUBSEQUENT  ACTS  UNTIL 

HIS  ARRIVAL  AT  BETHANY,  SIX  DAYS  BEFORE  THE 

FOURTH  PASSOVER. 

Time  :  Six.  montlis  wanting  six  days. 

Jesus  attends  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and  teaches  publicly,  John  7  :  11-53 ;  8 :  1 ; 
takes  occasion  from  their  charge  against  the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  to  rebuke  the 
Pharisees,  John  8 :  2-11 ;  reproves  in  a  further  discourse  the  Jews,  who  in  conse- 
quence attempt  to  stone  him,  John  8 :  12-59 ;  pronounces  the  parable  of  the  good 
Samaritan,  Luke  10 :  25-37 ;  visits  Martha  and  Mary  at  Bethany,  Luke  10 :  38-42 ; 
teaches  his  disciples  again  how  to  pray,  Luke  11 :  1-13  ;  receives  the  Seventy  on  their 
return  and  rejoices  in  their  spiritual  knowledge,  Luke  10:  17-24;  heals  at  Jerusalem 
on  the  sabbath  a  man  who  was  born  blind,  at  which  the  Pharisees  are  highly  dis- 
pleased, John  9  :  1-41 ;  10  :  1-21 ;  is  present  in  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  of  dedication, 
after  which  he  retires  beyond  Jordan,  Jolin  10  :  22-42 ;  raises  Lazarus  from  tlie  dead 
at  Bethany,  John  11 :  1-46  ;  again  retires  from  Jerusalem  in  consequence  of  the  mur- 
derous designs  of  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees,  John  11:  47-54;  is  followed  by 
multitudes  beyond  Jordan,  and  heals  an  infirm  woman  on  the  sabbath,  Matt.  19:  1, 
2;  Mark  10:  l";  Luke  13:  10-21;  teaches  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  Luke  13:  22-35; 
dines  with  a  chief  Pharisee  on  the  sabbath,  Luke  14 :  1-24 ;  shows  what  is  required 
of  true  disciples,  Luke  14:  25-35;  pronounces  the  parables  of  the  lost  sheep,  the  pro- 
digal son,  the  unjust  steward,  and  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  Luke  15  :  1-32  ;  16  :  1-31 ; 
inculcates  forbearance  and  faith,  Luke  17  :  1-10;  predicts  the  suddenness  of  his  final 
coming,  Luke  17  :  20-37  ;  pronounces  the  parables  of  the  importunate  widow,  and  the 
Pharisee  and  publican,  Luke  18:  1-14;  gives  precepts  respecting  divorce.  Matt.  19: 
3-12  ;  Mark  10  :  2-12  ;  receives  and  blesses  little  children.  Matt.  19  :  13-15  ;  Mark  10  : 
13-16  ;  Luke  18  :  15-17  ;  answers  the  inquiry  of  the  rich  young  man,  and  pronounces 
the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the  vineyard.  Matt.  19:  16-30;  20:  1-10;  Mark  10: 
17-31 ;  Luke  18:  18-30;  foretells  a  third  time  his  death  and  resurrection.  Matt.  20: 
17-19;  Mark  10:  32-34;  Luke  18 :  31-34 ;  replies  to  the  ambitious  request  of  James 
and  John,  Matt.  20 :  20-28 ;  Mark  10  :  35-45 ;  heals  two  blind  men  near  Jericho,  Matt. 
20:  29-34;  Mark  10:  46-52;  Luke  18:  35-43;  19:  1;  visits  Zaccheus  and  utters  the 
parable  of  the  ten  pounds,  Luke  19 :  2-28;  arrives  at  Bethany  six  days  before  the 
Passover,  John  11 :  55-57  ;  12 :  1,  9-11. 

VII. 

OUR  LORD'S  PUBLIC  ENTRY  INTO  JERUSALEM,  AND  THE  SUBSEQUENT 
TRANSACTIONS  BEFORE  THE  FOURTH  PASSOVER. 

Time  :  Four  days. 

Jesus  makes  his  public  entry  into  Jerusalem,  Matt.  21 :  1-11,  14-17 ;  Mark  11 : 
1-11;  Luke  19:  29-44;  John  12:  12-19;  curses  the  barren  fig  tree  and  cleanses  a 
second  time  the  temple.  Matt.  21:  12,  13,  18,  19;  Mark  11:  12-19;  Luke  19:  45-48; 
his  authority  que.stioned  by  the  chief  priests,  on  which  he  pronounces  the  parable  of 
the  two  sons.  Matt.  21 :  23-32 ;  Mark  11 :  27-33  ;  Luke  20 :  1-8 ;  and  of  the  wicked 
husbandmen,  Matt.  21:  33-46;  Mark  12:  1-12;  Luke  20:  9-19;  and  of  the  marriage 
of  the  king's  son,  Matt.  22:  1-14;  replies  to  the  question  of  the  lawfulness  of  giving 
tribute  to  Cresar,  Matt.  22  :  15-22  ;  Mark  12  :  13-17  ;  Luke  20  :  20-26  ;  teaches  the  Sad- 
ducees  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  Matt.  22 :  23-33  ;  Mark  12  :  18-27  ;  Luke  20 : 
27-40 ;  is  questioned  by  a  lawyer  as  to  what  is  the  great  commandment  of  the  law, 
Matt.  22:  34-40;  Mark  12:  2s,  34;  proposes  a  question  to  the  Pharisees  respecting 
the  relation  of  Christ  to  David,  Matt.  22:  41-46;  Mark  12:  35-37:  Luke  20:  41-44; 
pronounces  woes  upon  the  Pharisees  and  laments  over  Jerusalem,  Matt.  23 :  1-39 ; 


X  SYNOPSIS    OF   THE   LIPK    OF    JESUS, 

Mark  12 :  38-40 ;  Luke  20  :  45-47 ;  commends  the  widow  who  cast  two  mites  into  the 
treasury,  Mark  12  :  41-44 ;  Luke  21 :  1-4  ;  foretells  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  Matt. 
24 :  1-42  ;  Mark  13  :  1-37  ;  Luke  21 :  5-36  ;  exhorts  to  watchfulness  in  reference  to  his 
final  coming,  Matt.  24 :  43-51 ;  pronounces  the  parables  of  the  ten  virgins  and  five 
talents.  Matt.  25:  1-80;  describes  the  scenes  of  the  last  judgment.  Matt.  25:  13-40; 
sups  at  Bethany,  Matt.  26  :  1-16  ;  Mark  14  :  1-9  ;  Luke  22  :  l.'l;  John  12  :  2-8  ;  is  be- 
trayed by  Judas  Iscariot,  Matt.  26:  14-16;  Mark  14:  10,  11 ;  Luke  21 :  3-6;  prepares 
to  eat  the  passover,  Matt.  26  :  17-19 ;  Mark  14 :  12-16 ;  Luke  22 :  7-13. 

VIII. 

FOURTH  PASSOVER ;    OUR  LORD'S  PASSION,  AND  THE  ACCOMPANYING 
CIRCUMSTANCES  UNTIL  THE  END  OP  THE  JEWISH  SABBATH. 

Time  :   Two  days. 

Jesus  eats  the  passover  with  his  disciples.  Matt.  26 :  20 ;  Mark  14 :  17  ;  Luke  22  • 
14-18  ;  washes  their  feet,  John  13  :  1-20  ;  points  out  Judas  as  the  traitor.  Matt.  26  : 
21-35  ;  Mark  14  :  18-21 ;  Luke  22  :  21-23  ;  John  13  :  21-35  ;  foretells  Peter's  fall.  Matt. 
26  :  31-35  ;  Mark  14  :  27-31 ;  Luke  22  :  31-38  ;  John  13  :  36-38  ;  institutes  the  Lord's 
Supper,  Matt.  26  :  26-29  :  Mark  14  :  22-25  ;  Luke  22  :  19,  20  ;  1  Cor.  11 :  23-25  ;  com- 
forts his  disciples,  John  14  :  1-31 ;  declares  himself  to  be  the  true  Vine,  John  15  :  1-27  ; 
promises  the  Comforter,  John  16  :  1-33  ;  pra_ys  for  his  disciples  and  other  believers, 
John  17  :  1-26  ;  goes  forth  to  Gethsemane  where  he  is  in  a  dreadful  agony.  Matt.  26  : 
30,  36-46  ;  Mark  14  :  26  :  32^2  ;  Luke  22  :  89-46  ;  John  18  :  1  ;\is  betrayed  and  made 

Erisoner,  Matt.  26:  47-56;  Mark  14:  43-52;  Luke  22:  47-53;  John  18:  2-12;  is 
rought  before  Caiaphas  and  denied  by  Peter,  Matt.  26  :  57,  58,  69-75  ;  Mark  14 :  53,  54, 
66-72  ;  Luke  22  :  54-62  ;  John  18  :  13-18,  25-27  ;  is  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim  and 
condemned  and  mocked.  Matt.  26  :  59-68  ;  Mark  14  :  55-65  ;  Luke  22  :  63-71 ;  John  18  : 
19-24  ;  is  led  away  to  Pilate,  Matt.  27  :  1,  2, 11-14  ;  Mark  15  :  1-5  ;  Luke  23  :  1-5  ;  John 
18:  28-38;  is  sent  to  Herod,  Luke  23:  6-12;  is  delivered  by  Pilate  to  be  crucified, 
Matt.  27:  26-30;  Mark  15:  15-19;  John  19:  1-3;  is  led  away  to  Calvary,  Matt.  27: 
31-34;  Mark  15:20-23;  Luke  23:26-33;  John  19:16,17;  is  crucified,  Matt.  27: 
35-38;  Mark  15:  24-28;  Luke  23:  33-38;  John  19:  18-24;  is  mocked  on  the  cross, 
Matt.  27:  39-44;  Mark  15:  29-32;  Luke  23:  35^3;  expires  on  the  cross,  Matt.  27: 
45-50 ;  Mark  15 :  33-37  ;  Luke  23  :  44-46 ;  is  taken  down  from  the  cross  and  buried, 
Matt.  27  :  57-61 ;  Mark  15  :  42^7  ;  Luke  23  :  50-56 ;  John  19  :  31^2. 

IX.  / 

OUR  LORD'S  RESURRECTION,  SUBSEQUENT  APPEARANCES  AND 
ASCENSION. 

Time  :  Forty  days. 

The  women  visit  the  sepulchre.  Matt.  28 :  1 ;  Mark  16:  2-4;  Luke  24:  1-3;  John 
20 :  1,  2 ;  vision  of  angels  in  the  sepulchre.  Matt.  28  :  5-7  ;  Mark  16  :  5-7  ;  Luke  24 : 
4-8 ;  Jesus  meets  the  women  on  their  way  back  to  the  city.  Matt.  28  :  8-10  ;  Maik  16: 
8  ;  Peter  and  John  run  to  the  sepulchre,  Luke  24  :  12  ;  John  20  :  3-10  ;  Jesus  shows 
himself  to  Mary  Magdalene  at  the  sepulchre,  Mark  16  :  9-11 ;  John  20  :  11-18  ;  the  re- 
port of  the  watch,  Matt.  28  :  11-15 ;  Jesus  is  seen  by  Peter,  1  Cor.  15  :  5  ;  and  by  the 
two  disciples  on  their  way  to  Emmaus,  Mark  16  :  12,  13  ;  Luke  24  :  13-35  ;  shows  him- 
self the  same  evening  to  the  disciples,  Thomas  being  absent,  Mark  16:  14-18;  Luke 
24 :  36-40 ;  John  20 :  19-23 ;  1  Cor.  15 :  5 ;  and  again  one  week  after,  Thomas  being 
present,  John  20  :  24^29  ;  shows  himself  to  seven  of  them  at  the  Sea  of  Tiberias,  John 
21 :  1-24;  meets  above  500  brethren  on  a  mountain  in  Galilee,  Matt.  28  :  16,  20;  1  Cor. 
15 :  6 ;  is  seen  of  James,  and  then  of  all  the  apostles,  1  Cor.  15:7;  Acts  1 :  3-8 ;  as- 
cends to  heaven,  Mark  16 :  19,  20 ;  Luke  24 :  50-53 ;  Acts  1 :  9-12. 


PEEFACE  TO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  MATTHEW. 


Matthew,  called  also  Levi,  the  son  of  Alplieus  (Mark  2 :  14; 
Luke  3:  57,  29),  \\'as  a  iiublican  or  toll-gatherer  under  the  Ro- 
mans, He  was  a  Galilean,  but  of  what  city  or  tribe  of  Israel  it  is 
unknown.  He  was  tirst  called  by  Jesus,  while  he  abode  in  Caper- 
naum (Matt,  9  :  9).  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that  he  Ibllowed 
Jesus  continuously,  until  he  had  settled  his  accounts  with  those  by 
wliom  he  had  been  employed  (see  N.  on  Matt.  9:  9).  The  field 
of  his  labors,  after  the  apostles  went  abroad  to  preach  to  the 
Gentiles,  is  quite  uncertain.  Later  writers  say  that  he  Avent  to 
Ethiopia,  where  he  is  supposed  to  have  died  a  martyr's  death. 
Tills,  however,  is  denied  by  Pleracleon,  as  cited  by  Clement  of 
Alexandria. 

Various  dates  are  assigned  to  the  publication  of  Matthew's 
Gospel,  It  was  beyond  all  question  the  first  of  the  four  Synoptic 
Gospels,  and  written  probably  some  30  years  after  the  death  of 
Christ,  As  it  regards  the  language  in  which  it  was  written,  there 
has  been  much  dis2:>ute.  It  is  the  almost  unanimous  testimony  of 
the  early  Fathers,  that  it  was  originally  composed  in  the  Hebrew 
language,  as  spoken  then  by  the  inhabitants  of  Palestine,  There 
is  no  question  that  it  was  written  for  the  Hebrew  Christians  in 
Palestine,  but  this  does  not  preclude  its  composition  in  Greek, 
since  that  was  the  prevalent  language  throughout  the  East,  at  the 
time  when  his  gospel  was  probably  written.  The  early  Fathers 
might  well  and  naturally  imagine  that,  inasmuch  as  it  was  written 
for  the  Hebrew  Christians,  it  was  written  in  Hebrew.  But  it  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  no  citations  have  been  made  from  this  suj)- 
posed  Hebrew  gospel,  nor  was  it  used  by  those  very  Fathers  on 
whose  testimony  it  is  supposed  to  have  existed.  The  internal 
evidence  in  favor  of  a  Greek  original  is  so  strong,  that  the  best 
modern  critics  regard  it  as  an  incontrovertible  fact  that  the  gospel 
was  written  in  that  language  by  Matthew  himself     Olshausen,  in 


Xll  PREFACE    TO    THE    GOSPEL    OF    MATTHEW. 

order  to  harmonize  these  two  conflicting  views,  conjectures  that 
Matthew,  previously  to  the  publication  of  his  Greek  gospel,  had 
written  a  gospel  in  Hebrew  for  the  churches  in  Palestine. 

Matthew  rehearses  more  fully  than  the  other  Evangelists  the 
acts  of  Jesus,  and  also  some  of  his  discourses,  as  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  and  the  parables  and  discourses  relating  to  his  coming 
to  destroy  Jerusalem  and  to  judge  the  world.  He  groups  inci- 
dents together  with  little  or  no  regard  to  their  chronological  or- 
der. His  style  is  simple  and  perspicuous.  His  eye  is  ever  on  the 
fultilment  in  Christ  of  ancient  prophecies.  He  dwells  on  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  birth  of  Jesus,  and  the  progressive  establishment 
of  the  Messianic  kingdom.  He  has  not  the  graphic  power  of 
JMark,  or  the  sijiritual  perceptions  of  John,  but  in  the  clearness, 
simplicity  and  fulness  of  details,  he  is  perhaps  superior  to  either, 
and  equal  to  Luke,  whose  gospel  may  be  regarded  as  complemen- 
tal  to  Matthew's,  the  one  being  adapted  particularly  to  the  Jew- 
ish, the  other  to  the  Gentile  mind. 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MATTHEW. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  book  of   the    "generation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  '  the   son  of 
David, "  the  son  of  Abraham. 

2  ''  Abraham  begat  Isaac  ;  and 
'Isaac  begat  Jacob;  and  ■'^  Jacob 
begat  Judas  and  his  brethren; 

aLu.  3:23.  6  Ps.  132:11;  Is.  11:1;  Je.23: 
5.  ch.  22:  42;  John  7:  42;  Ac.  2:  30;  &  13:  23; 
Ko.  1:3.  c  Ge.  12:  3,  &  22:  IS.  Ga.  3:  16. 
d  Ge.  21 :  2,  3.        e  Ge.  25 :  26.       /Ge.  29 :  35. 


CHAPTER  I. 
1.  This  verse  announces  the  subject 
of  vs.  2-17,  after  which  the  Evangelist 
proceeds  to  speak  more  directly  of  the 
birth  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  book,  i.  e. 
table,  record.  Generation  has  here  the 
sense  of  genealogy,  and  in  connexion 
with  book  may  be  interpreted  the  gene- 
alogical record,  or  family  register.  Je- 
sus Christ,  the  proper  name  of  our 
Savior,  given  to  him  by  divine  appoint- 
ment (v.  21).  Jesus,  derived  from  aHeb. 
word,  signifying  Jehovah  his  help,  or 
salvation,  denotes  a  savior,  one  who  will 
save,  and  is  the  name  of  three  persons 
in  the  New  Testament,  JESUS,  the 
Savior  of  men ;  Joshua  (called  Jesus  in 
Heb.  4:8);  and  Jesus,  surnamed  Justus, 
a  fellow-laborer  of  Paul  (Col.  4:  11). 
The  word  Christ,  Heb.  Messiah,  which 
signifies  the  anointed,  a  name  given  to 
the  Hebrew  kings,  from  their  being 
anointed  to  the  royal  office  (1  Sam.  16 : 
6;  24:  6,  10;  26:  9,  16;  2  Sam.  1  : 
14  ;  19  :  21  ;  Lam.  4  :  20),  and  also  to 
the  high  priests,  who  were  also  anoint- 
ed, is  by  way  of  eminence  applied  to 
our  Savior,  the  anointed  of  the  Lord 
(Ps.  2 :  2).  From  having  been  an  ap- 
pellation of  his  kingly  and  priestly 
office,  it  became  a  proper  name,  some- 
times used  by  itself,  and  sometimes  in 
the  connexion,  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  never 
affixed  to  Jesus  in  the  Gospels,  but 
only  in  their  prefaces.  In  the  Acts 
and  Epistles,  the  combination  Jesus 
Vol.  I.— 1. 


3  And  ^  Judas  begat  Phares  and 
Zara  of  Tliamar  ;  and  *  Phares 
begat  Esrom  ;  and  Esrom  begat 
Aram  ; 

4  And  Aram  begat  Aminadab  ; 
and  Aminadab  begat  Naasson  ; 
and  Naasson  begat  Salmon  ; 

g  Ge.  38 :  27.  ^  Ru.  4 :  18,  &c.  1  Ch.  2,  5, 9,  Ac- 


Christ  is  often  found.  The  other  ap- 
pellations of  our  Lord,  as  Son  of  God, 
Son  of  man,  &c.  will  be  explained 
in  the  connexions  in  which  they 
stand.  The  son  of  David,  the  son  of 
Abraham,  i.  e.  the  so7i  of  David  and 
of  Abraham,  for  the  word  son,  in  both 
cases,  refers  to  Jesus  Christ.  The  proof 
of  this  is  contained  in  the  genealogical 
record  which  follows.  Christ,  according 
to  prophecy,  was  to  descend  from  David 
and  Abraham.  In  proving  his  Messiah- 
ship,  it  became  necessary,  therefore,  to 
trace  back  his  origin,  in  an  unbroken 
hne,  to  these  ancestors.  Matthew  fol- 
lowed the  male  line,  because  his  gospel 
was  primarily  written  for  the  Jews,  and 
such  a  lineage  only  with  them  was  legal. 
Luke,  on  the  other  hand,  who  wrote  his 
gospel  for  the  Gentiles,  traced  our  Sa- 
vior's pedigree  upward  from  Ileli,  the 
father  of  Mary.  This  catalogue  of 
names  in  Matthew  is  intended  to  furnish 
legal  proof  of  the  assertion,  that  Jesu3 
Christ  was  "  the  son  of  David,  the  son 
of  Abraham." 

As  it  respects  this  genealogical  table, 
three  series  of  fourteen  are  adopted  as 
a  kind  of  technical  mode  of  reckoning 
for  the  sake  of  convenience,  by  way  of 
reference,  and  to  assist  the  memory. 
These  are  made  from  Abraham  to  David; 
and  from  David  to  Josiah,  or  the  epoch 
of  the  Babylonish  captivity  ;  and  irom 
Jechonias  to  Jesus,  including  the  ex- 
tremes, with  the  exception  that  Jecho- 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  M.  4000. 


5  And  Salmon  begat  Booz  of 
Rachab ;  and  Booz  begat  Obed 
of  Ruth;  and  Obed  begat  Jesse; 

6  And  'Jesse  begat  David  the 
king  ;  and  *  David  the  king  begat 
Solomon  of  her  that  had  been  the 
wife  of  Urias ; 

7  And  'Solomon  begat  Roboam; 
and  Roboam  begat  Abia  ;  and 
Abia  begat  Asa ; 

8  And  Asa  begat  Josaphat ; 
and  Josaphat  begat  Joram ;  and 
Jorani  begat  Ozias ; 

9  And  Ozias  begat  Joatham ; 
and  Joatham  begat  Achaz  ;  and 
Achaz  begat  Ezekias ; 

10  And  '"  Ezekias  begat  Manas- 
ses ;  and  Manasses  begat  Amon  ; 
and  Amon  begat  Josias ; 

11  And  II"  Josias  begat  Jecho- 
nias  and  his  brethren,  about  the 

il  8a.  16:1,  &  IT:  12.  ;fc2Sa.l2:24.  l\ 
Ch.  3 :  10,  &c.  m  2  Ki.  20 :  21 ;  1  Cb.  3 :  13. 
II  Some  read,  Josias  begat  Jakiin,  and  Jalcim 
hegat  Jechonias.       n  See  1  Ch.  3:    15,  16. 


nias,  who  was  coeval  with  the  epoch  of 
the  Babylonish  captivity,  is  not  reck- 
oned before  it,  although  he  commences 
the  third  period.  Naasson  was  cotem- 
porary  with  Moses,  and  from  him  to 
David  was  about  492  years.  Including 
the  extremes,  there  were  six  genera- 
tions, which  gives  82  years  for  each. 
This  is  evidently  too  large,  and  we  must 
conclude  that  some  Unks  are  omitted  in 
the  enumeration.  In  like  manner,  be- 
tween Phares  and  Aminadab,  reckoning, 
as  usual,  the  extremes,  are  four  gene- 
rations, which  comprise  the  space  of 
240  years,  giving  60  years  to  each, 
which  is  manifestly  too  large  a  space  of 
time.  At  least  one-half,  if  not  two- 
thirds,  of  the  links  are  passed  over,  but 
this  does  not  invaUdate  the  evidence  of 
the  record.  In  the  second  series,  we 
find  omitted  the  names  of  three  kings, 
Ahaziah,  Joash,  and  Amaziah,  not  for 
the  reason,  as  some  think,  of  their  con- 
nexion, through  Athaliah,  with  the 
idolatrous  house  of  Ahab,  but  in  order 


time  they  were  "  carried  away  to 
Babylon  : 

12  And  after  they  were  brought 
to  Babylon,  ''  Jechonias  begat 
Salathiel ;  and  Salathiel  begat 
"  Zorobabel ; 

13  And  Zorobabel  begat  Abiud; 
and  Abiud  begat  Eliakim ;  and 
Eliakim  begat  Azor ; 

14  And  Azor  begat  Sadoc  ;  and 
Sadoc  begat  Achim ;  and  Achim 
begat  Eliud ; 

15  And  Eliud  begat  Eleazar ; 
and  Eleazar  begat  Matthan  ;  and 
Matthan  begat  Jacob ; 

16  And  Jacob  begat  Joseph  the 
husband  of  Mary,  of  whom  was 
born  Jesus,  who  is  called  Christ. 

17  So  all  the  generations  from 
Abraham  to  David  are  fourteen 
generations  ;  and  from  David  un- 

o  2  Ki.  2-t :  14, 15,  1 6,  &  25, 11 ;  2  Ch.  36 :  10, 
20;  Je.  2T:  20,&39:  9,  &  52;  11, 15,  2S,  29,30; 
Da.  1:  2.  p\  Ch.  3:  IT,  19.  ^Ezra.  3: 
2,  &  5 :  2 ;   Ne.  12 :  1 ;  Hag.  1 : 1. 


to  reduce  each  series  to  the  number 
fourteen^  or  twice  that  of  the  sacred 
number  seven. 

6.  Of  her  that  had  been  the  wife  of 
Urias,  literally,  of  her  (who  was) 
Urias's.  So  we  speak  of  Luther'' s  Catlie- 
rine,  StandisKs  Rose,  &c.  by  the  same 
possessive  construction. 

11.  About  the  tinu,  &c.  Reference 
is  had  not  to  any  one  captivity,  but  to 
all  that  took  place  in  the  time  of  Ne- 
buchadnezzar. The  greater  or  princi- 
pal captivities  took  place  in  the  first, 
eighth,  and  nineteenth  years  ;  the 
minor  captivities,  in  the  seventh,  eigh- 
teenth, and  twenty-third  years  of  his 
reign. 

lY.  Generations.  This  word  here 
denotes  the  single  descent  between 
father  and  son.  It  was  reckoned  by 
the  ancient  Hebrews  at  lOO  years  (Gen. 
15  :  13,  16  ;  Ex.  12  :  40),  but  afterwards 
at  30  or  40  years,  or  three  generations 
for  each  hundred  years  (Deut.  1  :  35 ; 
I  2 :  14).     Sometimes,  as  in  Luke  1  :  50  ; 


A.  M.  4000.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


til  the  carrying  away  into  Baby- 
lon are  fourteen  generations  ;  and 
from  the  carrying  away  into 
Babylon  unto  Christ  are  fourteen 
generations. 

18  11  Now  the  'birth  of  Jesus 
Christ  was  on  this  wise  :  When 
as  his  mother  Mary  was  espoused 
to  Joseph,  before  they  came  toge- 
ther, she  was  found  with  child 
'  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

19  Then  Joseph  her  husband, 
being  a  just  man,  and  not  willing 

rLu.  1:  27.        sLu.  1:  35. 

Acts  14:  16,  the  word  generation  is 
used  for  a  period,  or  age  ;  and  some- 
times, as  in  Matt.  11  :  16  ;  12:  39,  41 ; 
17  :  17,  for  the  men  of  an  age  or  period 
of  time. 

1 8.  27ie  birth,  i.  e.  the  circumstances 
of  the  birth  or  nativity.  Such  con- 
densed expressions  are  common  in 
every  language.  On  this  wise.  In  the 
following  manner.  Was  espoused.  Be- 
tween the  time  of  betrothal  and  mar- 
riage celebration,  was  commonly  an 
interval  of  ten  or  twelve  months  (I)eut. 
20:  7).  During  this  period  they  were 
spoken  of  as  man  and  wife,  although 
there  was  no  intercourse  between  them, 
not  even  an  interchange  of  conversa- 
tion. Any  violation  of  the  vow  of  fidel- 
ity was  punished,  as  though  the  mar- 
riage relation  had  been  consummated  ; 
and  if  the  bridegroom  was  unwilling  to 
fulfil  his  engagement,  he  had  to  be  ab- 
solved from  his  promise,  by  giving  a 
bill  of  divorce,  as  though  to  his  wife. 
Came  together,  in  the  full  marriage  rela- 
tion of  man  and  wife.  She  was  found, 
i.  e.  was  discovered  to  be.  Of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  i.  e.  through  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  This  was  the  true  state 
of  the  case,  but  not  known  to  Joseph 
or  her  friends.  She  had  kept  the  vision 
of  the  angel  (Luke  1  :  26)  to  herself 

19.  Husband.  See  N.  on  the  pre- 
ceding verse.  Just  man.  One  who 
was  disposed  to  do  what  was  right  and 
proper.     Some   take  just  here   in  the 


'  to  make  her  a  public  example, 
was  minded  to  put  her  away 
privily. 

20  But  while  he  thought  on 
these  things,  behold,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a 
dream,  saying,  Joseph,  thou  son 
of  David,  fear  not  to  take  unto 
thee  Mary  thy  wife:  "for  that 
which  is  t  conceived  in  her  is  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

21  "  And  she  shall  bring  forth 
a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 

t  De.  24 :  1.        u  Lu.  1 :  85.        +  Gr.  hegotten. 
O!  Lu.  1 :  31. 

sense  of  kind,  benignant  (see  John,  17  : 
25  ;  1  John  1  :  9).  The  two  ideas  of 
the  word  may  here  be  combined.  Jo 
make  her  a  public  example,  by  repudi- 
ating her  publicly,  or  by  giving  her  up 
to  the  punishment  inflicted  upon  such 
as  broke  the  marriage  vow  (Levit.  20  : 
10  ;  John  8  :  5).  Was  minded,  i.  e. 
intended,  purposed.  Mere  inclination 
is  not  here  meant.  To  put  her  away 
privily.  Provision  for  this  form  of  di- 
vorce was  made  in  Deut.  24 :  1. 

20.  But  while  he  thought  on  these 
things,  i.  e.  was  reflecting  in  his  mind 
what  course  to  pursue.  Behold.  This 
interjectional  word  serves  to  call  atten- 
tion more  particularly  to  what  follows, 
especially  if,  as  here,  it  is  something 
wonderful.  TJie  a»(<jre/;  literally,  «»(««- 
senger,  but  here,  as  is  in  similar  connex- 
ions, an  angel,  one  of  the  messengers  of 
Jehovah,  employed  on  errands  and 
agencies  connected  with  the  affairs  of 
men.  These  celestial  messengers  are 
represented  in  the  Bible  as  great,  glo- 
rious, happy,  and  innumerable,  standing 
in  God's  presence,  and  swift  to  do  His 
will.  In  the  trial  of  their  obedience, 
some  of  the  angels  fell  from  their  first 
estate  (2  Pet.  2:4;  Jude  6),  and  are 
1  now  the  subtle,  malignant  foes  of  God, 
j  and  all  good  beings,  striving  to  destroy 
or  impair  the  happiness  of  all  over  whom 
they  are  permitted  to  have  any  influ- 
euce.  In  a  dream.  A  very  common 
mode,  in  ancient  times,  of  communica- 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  M.  4000. 


JESUS  :    for    '■>  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sius. 

22.  Now  all  this  was  done,  that 
it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  pro- 
pliet,  saying, 

y  Ac.  4:12,  &  5  :  31,  &  13  :  23,  38. 


tion  from  God  to  man.  See  Gen.  20  '• 
3  ;  28  :  12  ;  31  :  11,  24  ;  Num.  12:6; 
1  Kings  3  :  5.  Joseph  son  of  David.  A 
most  honorable  appellation,  and  of  Mes- 
sianic import,  since  Christ  was  to  spring 
from  this  most  illustrious  of  Jewish 
kings.  Fear  not.  Do  not  doubt  or 
hesitate.  To  take  unto  tliee,  in  the  full 
marriage  relation.  Thy  wife,  i.  e.  thy 
espoused  wife.  See  N.  on  v.  18.  Is  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  of  divine  procre- 
ative  influence.  Being  thus  formed  by 
the  power  of  God,  he  became  the  Son 
of  God,  free  from  that  corrupt  and  sin- 
ful nature,  which  all  possess  who  are 
descended  from  Adam  by  ordinary  gen- 
eration. He  was  thus  prepared  to  be  a 
Lamb  without  spot  or  blemish,  a  lit 
offering  for  the  sins  of  man,  and  ac- 
cepted of  God,  as  a  substitute  for  those 
wliom  he  came  to  redeem. 

21.  Jesus.  The  reason  wliy  he  was 
thus  called  is  given  in  the  next  clause, 
for  he  shall  sane  his  peojile  from  their 
sins.  By  this  latter  term  is  meant  the 
dominion  of  sin  over  the  soul,  and  its 
penalty,  from  both  of  which  Christ,  as 
the  Redeemer  of  man,  saves  all  who 
believe  in  him.  ffis  people.  God's 
chosen  people,  the  Jews ;  but  in  its 
highest  sense,  his  spiritual  children, 
chosen  out  of  every  people  or  nation 
where  the  gospel  has  been  preached. 
Rom.  9  :  25  ;  2  Cor.  6  :  16. 

22.  All  this  was  done,  i.  e.  all  these 
circumstances  of  Christ's  conception  and 
birth  took  place.  That  it  7night  be  ful- 
filled. We  ai-e  not  to  suppose  from  this, 
that  the  event  here  spoken  of  took 
place  merely  or  principally  to  fulfil  this 
prophecy.  Joseph  did  not  remain  in 
Egypt  (2  :  1,5),  in  order  to  secure  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  prophecy  there  referred 
to.  Nor  did  Jesus  dwell  in  Capernaum 
(4  :  14),  for  the  purpose  of  accomplish- 


23.  '  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  be 
with  child,  and  shall  bring  forth 
a  son,  and  ||  they  shall  call  his 
name  Emmanuel,  which  being  in- 
terpreted is,  God  with  us. 

2-1.  Then  Joseph  being  raised 


s  Is.  7  :  14. 


I  Or  his  naine  s7i.all  be  called: 


ing  the  prediction  of  Isaiah.  There  was, 
however,  a  moral  necessity  that  all  the 
predictions  respecting  Jesus  Christ 
should  be  fulfilled.  What  God  declares 
shall  take  place,  must  of  necessity  have 
a  fulfillment.  See  Luke  22  :  3*7.  There 
is  in  this  sense,  then,  no  objection  to 
the  usual  interpretation  {in  order  that), 
which  Alford  most  strenuously  main- 
tains. But  it  answers  equally  well  to 
the  original  Greek,  to  render  the  words, 
So  there  was  a  fulfillment,  i.  e.  in  the 
birth  of  Christ,  the  Scripture  referred 
to  in  Isaiah  had  a  fulfillment.  There 
was  an  agreement  between  the  event, 
and  the  prophetic  declaration  of  the 
Scripture  respecting  it.  Of  the  Lord  by 
the  prophet.  See  2  Pet.  1:21.  "No 
Scripture  proceeds  from  a  private  (i.  e. 
human)  interpretation  of  the  divine  will, 
for  prophecy  came  not  of  old  by  the 
will  of  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake 
as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

23.  Behold  a  virgin,  &c.  The  pro- 
phecy here  referred  to  is  in  Isa.  7  :  14. 
A  reference  to  the  chapter  in  which  it 
is  found,  will  show  that  typical  names 
were  given  to  children,  in  token  of  de- 
liverance from  the  kings  of  Israel  and 
Syria.  These  names  are  evidently  sym- 
bolical of  the  greater  deliverance  from 
sin  effected  by  our  Savior.  The  whole 
circumstances  of  their  birth,  their  sym- 
bolic names,  and  the  pledged  deliver- 
ance, stood  forth  as  prophetic  of  the 
more  marvellous  birth,  the  name  in  its 
highest  and  most  literal  import,  and  the 
salvation  greater  than  any  or  all  tem- 
poral deliverances,  which  should  be 
realized  in  the  birth  of  the  true  Em- 
manuel, the  Savior  of  the  world.  The 
prediction  lies  in  the  event  referred  to 
in  Isaiah,  with  its  attending  circum- 
stances, and  not  simply  in  the  words. 


A.  M.  4000.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


from  sleep  did  as  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  had  bidden  him,  and  took 
unto  him  his  wife  : 

25.  And  knew  her  not  till  she 
had  brought  forth  "  her  first  born 
son :  and  he  called  his  name 
JESUS. 

aEx.  13:2;  Lu.  2:7,  21. 


So  in  2:  15,  "Out  of  Egypt  have  I 
called  my  Son,"  the  redemption  of  Israel 
from  Egyptian  bondage  is  typical  of  the 
calling  of  God's  Son  from  the  same  re- 
gion, whither  he  had  been  carried  to 
escape  the  wrath  of  Herod.  In  like 
manner,  the  passover  was  symbolical  of 
"  Christ  our  passover."  God  can  as 
easily  and  clearly  predict  or  symboHze 
a  future  event,  by  some  wondrous 
transaction  in  the  history  of  his  people, 
as  in  direct  language.  No  one  should 
stumble  at  this  symbolical  or  typical 
mode  of  prophecy,  especially  when  God 
declares  that  in  certain  events  such  pro- 
phetic symbols  find  their  fulfillment. 
They  shall  call.  The  subject  of  the  verb 
is  left  indefinite  in  the  original:  men 
shall  call.  Such  shall  be  his  universal 
appellation.  The  prophecy  was  fulfilled, 
not  from  his  having  simply  been  named 
Emmanuel,  but  because  he  was  really 
God  with  us.  In  the  original  prophecy 
it  is,  "  thou  shalt  call,"  but  is  here 
changed  to  suit  its  greater  and  final  ful- 
fillment. The  symbolic  name  JUmmau- 
uel,  was  first  given  to  the  child  referred 
to  in  Isa.  7  :  14;  8  :  10,  and  is  here,  and 
in  a  higher  and  more  appropriate  sense, 
given  to  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God  and 
Savior  of  the  world.  The  word  being 
Hebrew,  the  Evangelist  gives  its  inter- 
pretation, a  very  clear  evidence  that 
the  gospel  was  not  written  in  that  lan- 
guage, unless  it  was  interpolated  by 
some  translator,  which  is  not  at  all  pro- 
bable. The  Hebrews  often  gave  names 
to  their  children,  indicative  of  some 
event,  or  compounded  in  some  way  from 
the  name  of  God. 

24.  Being  raised  from  sleep.  Hav- 
ing fully  awoke.  Did  as  the  angel 
of  the  Lord,  &c.  The  marriage,  pro- 
bably, was  consummated  immediately, 


CHAPTER  II. 
1VT0W  when  "  Jesus  was  born 
W  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea  in  the 
days  of  Herod  the  king,  behold, 
there  came  wise  men  *  from  the 
east  to  Jerusalem, 


a  Lu.  2 :  4,  6,  T. 


i»Ge.  10:30,  &25:6; 
4:30. 


IKi. 


or  very  soon  after  the  dream.  The 
word  translated  then,  is  not  here  a 
particle  of  time,  but  the  simple  con- 
nective and,  so. 

25.  And  knew  her  not  till,  &c.  The 
virginity  of  Mary  before  the  birth  of 
Jesus  is  directly  asserted.  But  the 
limitation  of  time  to  that  event,  toge- 
ther with  the  expression  Jirst  born  son, 
while  it  furnishes  no  positive  proof  that 
she  had  children  afterwards,  strongly 
implies  that  such  was  the  fact.  This  is 
rendered  still  more  probable  by  what  is 
stated  in  13  :  55.  JHe  called.  The  verb 
has  no  expressed  subject  in  the  original, 
but  V.  21  shows  that  it  must  be  referred 
to  Joseph. 

CHAPTER  II. 

1-12.  The  reader,  who  would  fol- 
low in  chronological  order  the  events 
in  the  life  of  Jesus,  should  turn  to  Luke 
2 :  1-38,  and  read  the  incidents  of  his 
birth,  the  appearance  of  the  angels 
to  the  shepherds,  the  circumcision  of 
Jesus,  and  his  presentation  in  the  Tem- 
ple. Then  follows  the  Visit  op  the 
Magi  at  Bethlehem,  as  here  related  by 
Matthew. 

1.  Bethlehem.  A  city  of  Judah,  situ- 
ated about  six  miles  S.  by  W.  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  celebrated  as  the  birth-place 
of  David,  whence  its  appellation,  "  city 
of  David,"  Luke  2 :  4.  It  was  called 
sometimes  Bethlehem-Judah,  to  distin- 
guish it  from  another  Bethlehem  in 
Zebulon  (Josh.  19:15;  Judges  12  :  10), 
and  sometimes  Ephratah  (Gen.  35  :  19  ; 
Micah  5  :  2).  The  names  Bethlehem, 
house  of  bread,  and  Ephratah,  fruitful, 
were  doubtless  given  it  from  the  fertil- 
ity of  the  surrounding  country.  Its 
present  population  is  computed  at  from 
two  to  three  thousand.  Judea,  pro- 
perly the  territory  which,  in  the  division 


6 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  1. 


2.  Saying,  '  Where  is  be  that  is 
boru  King  of  the  Jews  ?  for  we 
have  seen  ''  his  star  in  the  east, 
and  are  come  to  worship  him. 

cLu.2:ll.      <?Nu.  24:1T;  Is.  60:3. 

of  the  land,  fell  to  the  tribe  of  Judah. 
In  the  time  of  our  Savior  it  was  em- 
ployed in  a  more  extensive  sense,  to 
include  the  whole  southern  portion  of 
Palestine  W.  of  the  Jordan.  In  the 
days  (i.  e.  during  the  reign)  of  Herod 
the  king.  This  was  Herod  surnanied 
the  Great,  to  distinguish  hiin  from  three 
others  of  the  same  name,  who  subse- 
quently reigned  in  whole,  or  part,  over 
the  Jewish  nation.  He  rebuilt  and 
adorned  the  temple,  devised  and  perfect- 
ed many  public  works,  and  raised  Jeru- 
salem to  a  high  pitch  of  magnificence, 
but  was  cruel,  jealous  and  tyrannical. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  70,  about  four 
years  before  the  beginning  of  our  era, 
which  was  fixed  in  the  sixth  century, 
and  erroneously  made  between  four  and 
five  years  too  late.  Wise  men  from  the 
east  (i.  e.  living  in  the  east).  These 
were  Magi,  a  name  given  by  the  Medes, 
Persians,  and  Babylonians,  to  their 
priests  and  wise  men.  They  were 
learned  in  astrology  and  magic,  and 
exercised  great  authority  over  the 
princes,  nobles,  and  common  people. 
The  word  itself  signifies  great,  po)vcrfuL 
In  some  respects,  they  corresponded  to 
the  Levites  of  the  Israelitish  nation. 
The  word  Ji^ast,  as  denoting  locality,  is 
used  in  the  Bible  in  general  of  any 
country  east  of  Judea.  These  Magi 
were  probably  Persians  or  Arabians. 
Jerusalem,  the  capital  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  celebrated  for  its  temple,  its 
beauty  and  strength  of  situation,  its 
memorable  siege  and  destruction  by 
Xebuchadnezzar,  and  afterwards  by  Ti- 
tus, and  especially  as  being  the  place 
where  our  blessed  Lord  was  condemned 
and  crucified.  It  was  originally  called 
Salem  (Gen.  14  :  8),  and  afterwards  Je- 
bus  (Josh.  18  :  28),  of  which  names 
Jerusalem  is  compounded.  As  it  was 
the  capital  of  God's  ancient  visible 
church,  it  is  often  taken  in  the  figurative 
sense  of  the  church,   the  Eedeemer's 


3  When  Herod  the  king  had 
heard  these  things,  he  was  trou- 
bled, and  all  Jerusalem  with  him. 

4  And  when  he  had  gathered 


kingdom,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  (Gal. 
4 :  26  ;  Heb.  12  :  22  ;  Kev.  3:12;  21 : 
2,  10). 

2.  Where  is  he,  &c.  The  inquiry 
naturally  arises,  how  the  Magi  knew 
that  a  child  was  born  in  Judea,  who 
was  to  be  king  of  the  Jews.  They 
could  not  have  learned  it  from  magic 
or  astrology.  There  was  indeed  a  gene- 
ral impression  at  that  time  throughout 
the  civilized  world,  that  a  remarkable 
personage  was  soon  to  appear,  who 
should  bring  back  the  golden  age,  and 
restore  men  to  their  primitive  purity 
and  happiness.  But  this  general  notion 
was  too  vague  to  account  for  the  de- 
finite knowledge  possessed  by  these 
Magi,  as  to  the  time  and  place  of  the 
birth  of  this  expected  person,  and  es- 
pecially the  relation  which  he  was  to 
sustain  to  the  Jews  as  their  king.  It 
is  no  adequate  reason  for  this  remark- 
able journey  and  its  attendant  circum- 
stances, that  Balaam,  many  hundred 
years  previously,  had  predicted  that  a 
Star  should  come  out  of  Jacob,  and  a 
Sceptre  rise  out  of  Israel  (Num.  24 :  17) ; 
or  that  Daniel  predicted  the  seventy 
heptades  of  years  before  the  coming  of 
Messiah  (Dan.  9  :  24-26).  These  pre- 
dictions might  account  for  the  general 
impression  that  a  distinguished  person 
was  about  to  appear,  but  not  for  the 
definite  knowledge  implied  in  the  ques- 
tion, "Where  is  he  that  is  born  King 
of  the  Jews?"  They  must  have  acted 
under  a  divine  impulse  in  taking  so 
long  a  journey,  and  for  so  definite  an 
object.  He  who  inspired  Balaam  to 
uttsr  so  remarkable  a  prediction  re- 
specting the  Messiah,  could  easily  in- 
cite these  Magi  to  go  and  do  homage 
to  that  same  Messiah  at  his  appearance. 
Born  King  of  the  Jews.  Not  obtain- 
ing regal  power  by  conquest  or  political 
craft,  but  appointed  to  his  sovereignty 
by  God,  being  king  from  his  very  birth. 
The  term  Jews  in  the  New  Testament,'' 


A.  D.  1.] 


CHAl'TEK  II. 


all  '  the  chief  priests  and  -^scribes 
of  the  people    together,   ''he   de- 

«2Ch.  36:14.       /2Cli.84:13.        grMal.  2:T. 

is  applied  to  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Palestine,  although  properly  belonging 
to  those  only  of  the  country  of  Juda. 
For  we  have  seen.  This  sentence  stands 
as  the  reason  why  they  make  the  in- 
quiry :  He  must  be  born,  for  we  have 
seen,  &c.  The  better  order  of  the 
words  would  be :  we  in  the  East  (i.  e. 
dwelling  in  the  East),  have  seen  his  star. 
We  have  no  means  of  knowing  whether 
this  was  a  comet,  meteor,  or  some 
other  luminous  appearance.  It  was 
evidently  a  divinely  appointed  sign  to 
guide  them  to  the  place  where  Jesus 
lay,  and  well  adapted  to  arrest  their 
attention  as  astrologers.  They  call  the 
star  his,  not  so  much  from  the  general 
notion  of  astrology,  that  every  person 
is  born  under  some  planet  which  con- 
trols his  destiny,  as  from  its  office 
work  of  guiding  them  westward  to  the 
place  of  the  child's  birth. 

From  nice  astronomical  calculations, 
some  have  maintained,  that  a  conjunc- 
tion took  place  that  year,  the  20th  of 
May,  between  Saturn  and  Jupiter,  and 
another,  on  the  27  th  of  October,  be- 
tween the  same  planets,  which  caused 
them  to  appear  as  one  star  of  great 
brightness.  The  time  between  these 
conjunctions,  or  about  five  months, 
would  suffice  for  their  journey  from 
Chaldea  to  Jerusalem,  including  the 
time  necessary  to  make  preparations 
for  it.  Thus  the  two  appearances  of 
the  star  are  accounted  for.  On  their 
route  from  Jerusalem  to  Bethlehem, 
these  planets  in  this  conjunction,  would 
be  in  the  direction  of  Bethlehem.  In 
respect  to  this  astronomical  calculation, 
it  may  be  remarked  that  while  no 
miraculous  interposition  need  be  sup- 
posed, when  a  satisfactory  ex})lanation 
may  be  obtained  from  natural  causes, 
yet  on  the  face  of  this  narration,  there 
is  evidently  something  supernatui'al  in 
the  appearance  of  the  star,  which 
directed  these  Magi  to  Jerusalem,  and 
especially  to  Bethlehem,  with  such  pre- 
cision as  to  enable  them  to  find,  with- 
out any  inquiry,  so  far  as  we  know, 


nianded    of    them    where    Christ 
should  be  born. 

5  And  they  said  unto  him,   In 


the  very  house  in  which  was  the  infant 
Savior.  To  worship  him.  Not  reli- 
gious worship,  but  the  homage  render- 
ed to  a  superior,  usually  accompanied 
with  kneehng  or  prostration.  See  v. 
11  ;  Mark  15  :  19. 

3.  He  was  troubled.  Although  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  having  therefore  no 
cause  of  personal  fear  from  one,  who 
was  yet  an  infant,  yet  such  was  his 
jealousy  and  apprehension  of  evil, 
either  to  himself  or  his  children,  that 
he  was  thrown  by  this  inquiry  of  the 
Magi  into  a  state  of  extreme  trepida- 
tion. Perhaps  he  feared  that  the  com- 
mon people,  if  it  were  noised  abroad 
that  a  child  of  so  remarkable  a  charac- 
ter was  born  at  Bethlehem,  would  be- 
come so  excited  as  to  endeavor  to  sub- 
vert his  authority,  even  while  their 
Messiah  was  yet  a  child.  He  dreaded 
more  the  natural  turbulence  of  the 
Jews,  than  any  immediate  danger  from 
the  child  itself.  Jerusalem,  i.  e.  its 
inhabitants.  If  this  refers  to  Herod's 
courtiers,  as  some  think,  there  would 
be  the  same  cause  of  alarm  to  them  as 
to  him.  But  if,  as  is  more  likely,  re- 
ference is  had  to  the  citizens  in  gene- 
ral, their  alarm  must  be  attributed  to 
their  fear  of  the  renewal  of  Herod's 
cruelties,  the  effect  of  which  they  had 
so  often  experienced. 

4.  Chief  2)riests  and  scribes.  These 
persons  composed  the  Sanhedrim,  or 
supreme  council  of  the  Jews.  It  con- 
sisted of  seventy  members,  of  which 
the  high  priest  was  president,  and  grew 
out  of  the  institution  of  the  council  of 
seventy  elders,  appointed  by  Moses 
(Num.  11  :  16).  In  the  term  chief 
priests,  are  included,  besides  the  high 
priest,  and  those  of  his  immediate  con- 
nexion, the  heads  of  the  twenty-four 
classes  of  priests  (1  Chron.  24  :  1-19). 
With  these  were  joined  the  most  learn- 
ed and  influential  of  the  scribes,  who 
were  the  transcribers  of  the  Jewish  law, 
and  decided  cases  which  grew  out  of  its 
doubtful  application.  This  class  are 
often  referred  to  in  connexion  with  the 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  1. 


Bethlehem  of  Judea :  for  thus  it 
is  writteu  by  the  prophet, 

6  ''  And  thou  Bethlehem,  in  the 
land  of  Judah,  art  not  the  least 
among  the  princes  of  Judah :  for 
out  of  thee  shall  come  a  Governor, 

A  Mi.  5:2;  John  7:  42. 

elders  and  chief  priests.  They  had  be- 
come so  wicked  and  hypocritical,  that 
our  Savior  denounced  upon  them  the 
severest  woes  and  judgments.  He  de- 
manded; more  literally,  he  made  in- 
quiry. Where  Christ  should  be  born, 
i.  e.  the  predicted  birth-place  of  the 
Messiah.  This  question  shows  how 
very  imperfect  was  his  knowledge  of 
the  Hebrew  Scriptures.  Any  member 
of  the  grand  council  could  have  answer- 
ed his  inquiry,  and  yet  from  his  gross 
ignorance  of  the  Scriptures,  he  re- 
garded the  question  so  difficult,  that  he 
referred  it  to  the  whole  Sanhedrim. 
His  is  not  the  only  example,  however, 
of  a  ruler,  able  and  politic  in  holding 
the  reins  of  government,  and  yet  total- 
ly ignorant  of  God's  word  and  require- 
ments. 

5.  In  Bethlehem,  of  Judea.  Some 
think  that  these  words  comprise  the 
reply  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  that  the 
citation  from  Micah  which  follows,  is 
made  by  the  Evangelist.  It  is  better, 
however,  to  regard  the  quotation  as 
made  by  the  Sanhedrim,  in  proof  of 
what  they  had  told  Herod,  in  respect 
to  the  birth-place  of  the  expected 
Messiah. 

6.  And  thou  Bethlehem,  &c.  This 
prophecy  found  in  Micah  5  :  2,  is  pro- 
bably quoted  from  the  Septuagint,  and 
varies  slightly  in  language,  though  not 
in  sense,  from  the  original.  The  sense 
of  the  original  prophecy  is  this  :  Thou 
Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  now  small 
of  influence,  yet  by  being  the  birth- 
place of  the  Messiah,  shalt  be  highly 
honored.  The  sense  of  the  quotation 
in  Matthew,  is  that  Bethlehem  by  this 
event  would  be  reckoned  among  the 
first  of  the  cities  of  Juda.  There  is 
no  essential  difference  between  the 
two.  The  word  in  Micah  translated, 
thousands,  means  also  leaders,  princes, 


'  that  shall  ||  rule  my  people  Israel. 

7  Then  Herod,  when  he  had 
privily  called  the  wise  men,  in- 
quired of  them  diligently  what 
time  the  star  appeared. 

8  And  he  sent  them  to  Bethle-  y 

iEe.  2:2T.  \\  Or,  feed. 


which  accounts  for  this  term  in  Matthew. 
/?i  the  land  of  Judah  ;  literally,  land  of 
Judah,  an  appositional  clause  denoting 
a  district  or  canton  of  Judah.  This  is 
expressed  in  v.  16,  by  the  words  "  Beth- 
lehem and  all  its  coasts."  Art  not  the 
least  is  put,  by  a  common  figure  of 
speech,  for  art  among  the  greatest.  Shall 
rule  ;  literally,  shall  feed  as  a  shepherd 
his  flock.  Kings  and  princes  in  ancient 
times  were  often  referred  to  in  the 
character  of  shepherds  of  their  people. 
In  a  higher  sense,  God  is  styled  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  (Ps.  80  :  1).  Israel, 
I.  e.  IsraeHtes.  After  the  captivity, 
those  who  remained  of  the  tribes  were 
generally  denominated  Jews. 

7.  Then.  A  diifprent  word  from  that 
in  1  :  24  (on  which  see  note),  signify- 
ing here  sequency  of  time.  Herod's 
inquiry  of  the  wise  men,  as  to  the  time 
of  the  appearance  of  the  star,  followed 
immediately  upon  the  dismissal  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  He  lost  no  time  in  his 
efforts  to  remove  the  cause  of  his 
alarm.  His  cruel  project  to  destroy 
the  male  infants  of  Bethlehem,  was 
formed  doubtless  at  once,  and  he 
planned  the  surest  and  most  speedy 
method  of  its  accomplishment.  In  all 
this  we  see  the  suspicious,  cruel,  and 
revengeful  tyrant.  Diligeyith/.  Accu- 
rately, with  particularity.  Wliat  time 
the  star  appeared  ;  literally,  the  time  of 
the  star  appeariiig,  which  may  refer  to 
the  time  of  its  beginning,  or  its  length 
of  continuance.  Most  likely  the  for- 
mer,  as  the  time  when  it  first  appeared, 
would  indicate  pretty  clearly  the  time 
of  the  child's  birth,  which  Herod's  plan 
of  destroying  the  children  made  it  de- 
sirable for  him  to  know. 

8.  And  he  sent,  &c.  The  information 
received  from  the  Sanhedrim  enabled 
Herod  to  reply  to  the  inquiry  of  the 
Magi,  as  to  the  place  of  the  birth  of 


A.  D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


hem,  and  said,  Go,  and  search 
diligently  for  the  young  child  ; 
and  when  ye  have  found  him, 
bring  me  word  again,  that  I  may 
come  and  worship  him  also. 

9  When  they  had  heard  the  king, 
they  departed ;  and  lo,  the  star, 
which  they  saw  in  the  east,  went 
before  them,  till  it  came  and  stood 
over  where  the  young  child  was. 


the  child,  whose  star  they  had  seen. 
In  addition,  he  expresses  a  strong  sym- 
pathy with  them  in  the  object  of  their 
visit,  in  order  thus  to  gain  more  defi- 
nite information  respecting  the  object 
of  his  dread.  Go  and  search  diligently  ; 
literally,  going  search  diligently,  the 
fulness  of  expression,  indicating  haste 
suited  to  the  pretended  desire  of  Herod 
to  honor  the  child.  Bring  me  word, 
&c.  As  the  Magi  may  be  supposed  to 
have  had  but  little  knowledge  of  Herod's 
duplicity  and  cruelty,  his  course  was 
eminently  adapted  to  deceive  them,  as 
to  his  real  design  in  this  apparent  zeal 
to  do  homage  to  an  infant  child. 

9.  Had  heard  the  king,  i.  e.  received 
the  king's  command.  In  the  east,  i.  e. 
in  their  own  country.  Some  render : 
in  its  rising,  a  sense  not  admitted  by 
the  original.  The  star  or  meteor  which 
they  saw  in  their  own  land  had  dis- 
appeared. But  now  to  their  great  joy 
it  reappeared,  and  conducted  them  to 
the  object  of  their  search.  It  was  so 
low  that  having  become  stationary,  the 
place  over  which  it  stood  was  clearly 
designated.  Werit  before  them  to  guide 
them  in  their  way.  Stood  over  u<here, 
&c.  Not  over  the  whole  town  of 
Bethlehem,  as  some  absurdly  suppose, 
but  over  the  house  where  the  child 
was.  The  guidance  of  the  star  would 
have  been  superfluous  in  any  other 
view,  since  Herod's  direction  was  clear 
and  specific,  as  to  the  town  which  they 
were  to  visit. 

10.  They  rejoiced,  &c.  One  of  the 
most  highly  intensive  forms  of  expres- 
sion in  the  Bible,  showing  how  deeply 
interested   were   these    wise    men,   in 

Vol.  I.— 1* 


10  When  they  saw  the  star,  they 
rejoiced  with  exceeding  great  joy. 

11  And  when  they  were  come 
into  the  house,  they  saw  the 
young  child  with  Mary  his  mo- 
ther, and  fell  down,  and  wor- 
shipped him  :  and  when  they  had 
opened  their  treasures,  ^  they 
II  presented  unto  him  gifts ;  gold, 
and  frankincense,  and  myrrh. 

k  Ps.  T2 :  10 ;  Is.  60 :  6.       ||  Or,  ofered. 


finding  the  child  whose  birth  had  been 
indicated  to  them  by  the  star.  It  was 
not  an  idle  curiosity  which  had  drawn 
them  from  their  Eastern  home.  They 
were  acting  evidently  under  a  strong 
impulse,  to  which  the  mere  desire  of 
doing  homage  to  external  pomp  or 
power,  could  not  have  given  birth. 

11.  And  ii'hen  they  ivere  cow e  ;  more 
literally,  and  having  come.  This  throws 
the  principal  emphasis  upon  the  verb 
saio  which  follows.  The  house,  where 
the  parents  of  Jesus  were  at  that  time 
tarrying.  With  Mary  his  mother. 
Joseph  is  not  here  mentioned,  as  some 
think,  because  he  happened  at  this 
moment  to  be  absent,  but  more  pro- 
bably because  he  was  only  the  reputed 
father  of  the  child.  Fell  doum  and 
worshipped  him.  They  prostrated  them- 
selves according  to  the  oriental  custom. 
As  far  as  the  narrative  goes,  they  seem 
to  have  paid  no  attention  to  Mary,  but 
were  wholly  engrossed  with  the  child. 
This  was  far  unlike  the  deification  with 
which  she  is  now  regarded  by  the 
Romanists.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that 
the  lowly  condition  of  the  parents  of 
Jesus  did  not  raise  a  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  the  Magi,  of  the  worthiness 
of  the  child  to  receive  their  homage 
and  presents.  Treasures.  Boxes  or 
caskets,  the  thing  contained  by  a 
common  figure  of  speech  for  that  which 
contains  it.  Frankincense.  A  trans- 
parent and  fragrant  gum,  used  by  the 
ancients  as  incense  in  religious  worship. 
Myrrh.  A  bitter  aromatic  gum  used  also 
by  the  ancients  for  incense  and  perfume. 
12.  Being  warned  of  God ;  literally, 
having  being  warned,  &c.     The  words 


10 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  1. 


12  And  being  warned  of  God 
'  in  a  dream  that  they  should  not 
return  to  Herod,  they  departed 
into  their  own  country  another 
way. 

13  1"  And  when  they  were  de- 
parted, behold,  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  appeareth  to  Joseph  in  a 
dream,  saying,  Arise,  and  take 
the  young  child  and  his  mother, 

lCh.l:  20. 


of  God  are  not  in  the  original,  altliough 
evidently  implied  in  the  words,  warned 
in  a  dream.  The  protecting  care 
thus  manifested  for  these  Magi,  con- 
firms the  beUef  that  their  visit  was 
divinely  suggested,  and  undertaken 
from  higher  views  than  the  render- 
ing of  earthly  homage  to  the  new- 
born child.  It  does  not,  however, 
follow  from  this,  that  they  had  any 
notion  of  the  spiritual  nature  of  that 
kingdom,  which  "He  who  was  born 
King  of  the  Jews,"  was  to  set  up,  above 
what  was  entertained  by  pious  Jews, 
whose  opinions  on  the  nature  of  the 
Messianic  reign  we  know  to  have  been 
very  erroneous.  All  we  mean  to  affirm 
is,  that  in  this  remarkable  visit  they 
were  acting  from  a  higher  impulse  than 
a  mere  gratification  of  astrologic  curi- 
osity. In  this  warning  dream,  God  not 
only  preserved  them  from  Herod,  whose 
suspicious  and  cruel  temper  would 
hardly  have  permitted  them  to  return 
in  safety  to  their  country,  after  doing 
homage  to  one  whom  they  styled  King 
of  the  Jews,  but  gave  time,  through 
the  delay  of  Herod's  bloody  designs, 
for  Joseph  to  escape  with  the  child  and 
its  mother  to  Egypt.  Should  not  re- 
turn ;  literally,  bend  back  their  course. 

13-23.  The  Flight  into  Egypt. 
Heuod's  Massacre  op  the  Children. 

13.  Joseph  as  the  head  of  the  family,  is 
divinely  directed  to  take  precautionary 
measures  against  Herod's  cruelty,  yet 
the  sacred  narration  has  regard  con- 
tinually to  the  fact,  that  he  was  not  the 
father  of  the  child.  Arise,  and  take  the 
younrf  child.  He  probably  left  Both- 
ieheiii  that  very  night.  Flee  into  Egypt. 


and  flee  into  Egypt,  and  be  thou 
there  until  I  bring  thee  word  : 
for  Herod  will  seek  the  young 
child  to  destroy  him. 

14  When  he  arose,  he  took  the 
young  child  and  his  mother  by 
night,  and  departed  into  Egypt : 

15  And  was  there  until  the 
death  of  Herod :  that  it  might 
be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of 
the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying, 

Egypt  was  out  of  Herod's  jurisdiction, 
and  was  only  three  or  four  days'  jour- 
ney from  Bethlehem.  It  was  a  conve- 
nient place  of  refuge  from  the  fact, 
also,  that  many  Jews  dwelt  there. 

14.  When  he  arose.  The  literal  ren- 
dering, having  arisen,  would  have  been 
better,  as  conveying  more  clearly  the 
idea,  that  the  act  of  rising  followed 
immediately  upon  the  awaking  from 
his  dream.  By  night.  In  this  way,  he 
showed  his  ready  obedience  to  the 
divine  direction,  and  also  concealed  his 
departure  from  his  neighbors. 

15.  Until  the  death  of  Herod.  This 
event  took  place  about  one  year  after 
the  flight  to  Egypt.  The  visit  of  the 
Magi  must  be  placed  after  the  presen- 
tation in  the  temple  (Luke  2  :  22),  for 
upon  their  departure,  the  child  was 
taken  immediately  to  Egypt.  After 
the  presentation,  the  family  returned 
to  Bethlehem,  and  there  abode  several 
weeks.  Probably  the  child  was  at  least 
three  months  old  before  the  visit  of 
the  Magi.  It  would  take  nearly  or 
quite  this  time  for  them,  after  having 
seen  the  star,  to  make  preparations  for 
their  journey  and  perform  it,  at  the 
rate  of  travel  in  that  age  and  country. 
There  is  no  necessity,  from  what  is 
said  in  v.  16,  of  making  Jesus,  as  do 
some  commentators,  to  be  at  least  one 
year  old  when  taken  to  Egypt.  Herod 
was  careful  to  extend  the  slaughter  of 
the  infants  to  a  point  of  age,  high 
enough  to  preclude  every  chance  of 
escape  from  the  one  he  wished  to  de- 
stroy. That  it  might  be  fulfilled,  &c. 
See  N".  on  1 :  22.  The  prophecy  is 
found  in  Hosea  11:1,  and  its  fulfill- 


A.  D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


11 


"■  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called  my 
son. 

16  Then  Herod,  when  he  saw 
that  he  was  mocked  of  the  wise 
men,  was  exceeding  wroth,  and 
sent  forth,  and  slew  all  the  chil- 
dren that  were  in  Bethlehem, 
and    in  all    the    coasts    thereof, 

m  Ho.  11 : 1. 

ment  consisted  in  the  similarity  of  this 
event  to  that  spoken  of  by  the  pro- 
phet. Israel,  designated  often  as  God's 
son,  was  called  from  a  state  of  exile 
and  bondage  in  Egypt.  Jesus,  the 
Son  of  God,  was  also  an  exile  in  that 
same  land,  from  which  he  too  was  re- 
called. Of  these  two  similar  events, 
the  latter  is  an  evident  fulfillment  of 
that  which  was  typified  or  symbolized 
by  the  other.  Commentators  have  not 
failed  to  notice  the  remarkable  provi- 
dence of  God,  by  which  the  only  region 
out  of  Palestine  ever  visited  by  our 
Savior,  should  be  that  in  which  the 
chosen  people  of  God  suffered  such 
afiliction,  and  from  which  they  were 
brought  out  with  such  an  amazing  dis- 
play of  divine  power. 

16.  Herod  probably  waited  several 
days  for  the  return  of  the  Magi.  This 
gave  ample  time  for  the  escape  of 
Joseph  and  his  family.  Was  mocked, 
i.  e.  was  trifled  with,  deceived.  Was 
exceeding  wroth.  His  naturally  cruel 
and  revengeful  temper  was  excited  to 
the  highest  pitch  by  the  disregard  with 
which  his  command  had  been  treated 
by  the  Magi.  Sent  forth  a  body  of 
soldiers.  All  the  children,  i.  e.  the 
male  children.  In  all  the  coasts  thereof, 
i.  e.  the  country  adjacent  to  Bethlehem, 
and  belonging  to  it  as  the  chief  town. 
From  two  years  old  and  under.  Herod's 
cruel  policy  included  all  the  children 
under  two  years  of  age,  in  order  that 
there  might  be  no  chance  of  escape  for 
the  child  he  wished  to  destroy.  Accord- 
ing to  the  time.  General  conformity  is 
here  intended,  inasmuch  as  the  slaugh- 
ter embraced  many  who  were  born 
some  time  before  the  appearance  of 
the  star.     It  is  objected  to  this  narra- 


from  two  years  old  and  under, 
according  to  the  time  which  he 
had  diligently  inquired  of  the 
wise  men. 

17  Then  was  fulfilled  that 
which  was  spoken  by  "Jeremy  the 
prophet,  saying, 

18  InRamah  was  there  a  voice 

n  Je.  31 :  15. 


tion  that  Josephus  makes  no  mention  of 
this  slaughter.  But  this  omission  is 
not  strange,  when  we  reflect  upon  the 
bloody  character  of  Herod,  which  ren- 
dered it  possible  to  relate  only  a  por- 
tion of  his  cruel  deeds,  since  otherwise 
an  extended  history  like  that  of  Jose- 
phus would  have  been  too  prolix  and 
circumstantial.  The  number  of  in- 
fants, although  large  enough  to  excite 
horror  at  the  time  of  their  slaughter, 
yet  was  small  when  compared  with  the 
hundreds  and  even  thousands  who  were 
the  victims  of  Herod's  savage  cruelty, 
at  other  times  during  his  tyrannical 
reign.  It  is  no  objection  therefore  to 
the  credibility  of  this  account,  that  no 
allusion  is  made  to  it  by  Josephus. 

17.  Tlien  was  fulfilled,  &c.  The  pro- 
phetic event  here  referred  to,  is  found 
in  Jer.  31  :  15  (with  which  compare 
Jer.  40  :  1).  On  the  plains  of  Ramah, 
about  six  miles  N.  of  Jerusalem,  the 
Jewish  captives  were  collected  by  Xe- 
buzaradan  and  carried  thence  to  Baby- 
lon. A  beautiful  reference  is  made  by 
the  prophet  to  Rachel,  as  weeping  over 
her  descendants  thus  dragged  away 
into  captivity.  As  the  sepulchre  of 
Rachel  was  between  Bethlehem  and 
Jerusalem,  and  as  Benjamin  had  been 
united  with  Judah  as  one  people  from 
the  time  of  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes, 
she  is  regarded  as  again  deploring  the 
loss  of  her  children  in  Bethlahcm.  The 
prophet's  language  was  so  applicable 
to  the  event  recorded  by  the  Evange- 
list, that  it  was  considered  as  having  a 
second  and  higher  fulfillment.  Are  not, 
i.  e.  are  no  longer  living. 

10,  20.  But  wheti  Herod  v'as  d^ad. 
See  N.  on  v.  1.  For  a  full  and  graphic 
account  of  the  miserable  end  of  this 


12 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  1. 


heard,  lamentation,  and  weeping, 
and  great  mourning,  Rachel 
weeping  for  her  children,  and 
would  not  be  comforted,  because 
they  are  not. 

19  1^  But  when  Herod  was 
dead,  behold,  an  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeareth  in  a  dream  to  Joseph 
in  Egypt, 

20  Saying,  Arise,  and  take  the 
young  child  and  his  mother,  and 
go  into  the    land  of  Israel :  for 


bloodthirsty  king,  the  reader  is  refer- 
red to  Josephus  (Antiq.  xvii.  6-8).  An 
angel  of  the  Lord,  &c.  God  had  pro- 
mised (v.  13)  to  bring  word  to  Joseph, 
when  he  was  to  return  from  Egypt, 
and  now,  faithful  to  that  promise,  he 
communicates  to  him  the  death  of 
Herod.  They  are  dead.  Herod  is  par- 
ticularly referred  to,  the  plural  form 
being  used,  because  his  death  put  a 
pause  to  the  efforts  of  his  courtiers  to 
destroy  Jesus  for  the  sake  of  gratifying 
him.  In  Ex.  4-19,  similar  words  are 
found  addressed  to  Moses. 

22.  Archelaus.  His  mother  was 
Malthace,  a  Samaritan  woman.  Did 
reign.  Herod  appointed  Archelaus  his 
successor,  yet  Augustus  confirmed  him 
in  only  half  his  father's  kingdom,  viz. 
Idumea,  Judea,  and  Samaria.  The  re- 
ference in  this  verse  is  to  the  time 
when  he  had  possession  of  the  whole 
kingdom,  before  Augustus  deprived 
him  of  a  portion  and  made  him  only  an 
ethnarch.  On  account  of  his  cruelties, 
he  was  banished,  after  a  reign  of  ten 
years,  by  Augustus  to  Vienne,  in  Gaul. 
He  turned  aside,  &c.  Galilee,  the 
northern  section  of  Palestine,  was  at 
this  time  under  the  rule  of  Herod 
Antipas,  own  brother  to  Archelaus,  to 
whom  Augustus  had  given  this  province 
and  Perea,  with  the  title  of  Tetrarch. 
He  was  of  a  more  generous  and  hu- 
mane disposition  than  his  brother 
Archelaus,  and  Joseph  on  that  account 
chose  Galilee,  as  a  more  secure  place 


they  are  dead  which  sought  the 
young  child's  life. 

21  And  he  arose,  and  took  the 
young  child  and  his  mother,  and 
came  into  the  land  of  Israel. 

22  But  when  he  heard  that 
Archelaus  did  reign  in  Judea  in 
the  room  of  his  father  Herod,  he 
was  afraid  to  go  thither  :  notwith- 
standing, being  warned  of  God  in 
a  dream,  he  turned  aside  "into  the 
parts  of  Galilee  : 

23  And  he  came  and  dwelt  in 

oCh.  3:13;  Lu.  2:89. 

of  residence.  It  is  to  be  remarked, 
that  the  manner  in  which  this  is  rela- 
ted, would  seem  to  indicate  that  he 
had  never  before  lived  there.  But  the 
language  employed  is  shaped  not  so 
much  to  the  historical  facts  of  the  case, 
as  to  the  natural  expectation  of  the 
reader,  that  Bethlehem  or  some  city  of 
Judah  would  have  been  selected  as  the 
place,  where  a  child  of  such  expecta- 
tions would  be  brought  up.  It  was  a 
turning  aside  from  what  appeared  to  be 
his  natural  dwelling  place.  Alford  tries 
to  avoid  the  difficulty  by  supposing 
Matthew  to  have  been  ignorant  that 
Joseph  had  ever  before  dwelt  at  Naza- 
reth. A  very  short  but  unsatisfactory 
method  of  disposing  with  difficulties  of 
such  a  nature. 

23.  Dwelt,  i.  e.  made  it  his  permanent 
residence.  Nazareth.  A  small  town  in 
Galilee,  N.  of  the  plain  of  Esdraclon, 
and  about  midway  between  the  lake  of 
Tiberias  and  the  Mediterranean.  "  It  is 
situated  in  a  narrow  basin  of  about  a 
mile  in  length,  surrounded  by  hills,  the 
town  being  built  upon  the  steep  sides 
of  those  that  border  the  valley  on  the 
west."  Howe's  Orient,  and  Sac.  Scenes, 
p.  183.  Its  population  is  variously  esti- 
mated at  from  three  to  five  thousand. 
Tliat  it  might  be  fulfilled.  As  the  pro- 
phecy here  referred  to  is  not  found  in 
the  Old  Testament,  some  difficulty  has 
arisen  in  ascertaining  the  exact  sense  of 
the  passage.  Of  the  various  explana- 
tions, two  only  seem  worthy  of  atten- 


A.  D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  III, 


13 


a  city  called  ''  Nazareth  :  that  it 
might  be  fulfilled  *  which  was 
spoken  by  the  prophets,  He  shall 
be  called  a  Nazarene. 

p  John  1 :  45.         q  Ju.  13 : 5 ;  1  Sa.  1 :  11. 


tion.  One  class  of  interpreters,  adhering 
closely  to  tho  etymological  signification 
of  the  word  Nazareth  (a  Heb.  word, 
denoting  sprout,  branch),  think  that 
reference  is  had  to  those  passages  in 
Isa.  11:1;  53  :  2  ;  Jer.  23  :  5  ;  33  :  15  ; 
Zech.  3:8;  6:  12,  where  the  Messiah 
is  designated  as  a  branch  or  shoot.  He 
shall  be  called  a  Nazarene  would  then 
be  equivalent  to  saying  :  He  shall 
be  called  a  Branch.  The  other  and 
more  judicious  class  of  expositors  re- 
gard the  expression,  as  fulfilling  the 
substance  of  things  spoken  by  the  pro- 
phets. The  Jews  held  the  city  of 
Nazareth  in  utter  contempt.  "  Can  any 
good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  ? " 
said  Nathaniel  to  Philip  (John  1 :  46). 
The  reason  for  this  may  have  been  its 
diminutive  size  and  importance,  its  dis- 
tance from  Jerusalem,  and  more  espe- 
cially its  mixed  population  of  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  and  their  more  rough  and  un- 
couth habits,  even  when  compared  with 
the  other  cities  of  Galilee.  A  Nazarene 
became,  therefore,  a  common  term  of 
contempt.  Jesus,  by  his  long  residence 
in  this  place,  became  a  Nazarene  with 
all  the  odium  attached  to  a  residence  in 
so  despised  a  town.  Thus  were  fulfilled 
all  those  predictions  of  the  low  and  de- 
spised condition,  in  which  the  Messiah 
should  make  his  appearance.  In  his 
being  called  a  Nazarene,  began  espe- 
cially the  fulfillment  of  that  great  pro- 
phecy, "  He  was  despised  and  rejected 
of  men,"  which,  throughout  his  whole 
official  life,  received  additional  confir- 
mation, until  his  death  upon  the  cross. 
This  view  is  supported  by  the  plural 
form,  the  prophets,  which  seems  clearly 
to  show  that  no  single  prophecy,  but  the 
spirit  of  all,  is  referred  to. 

The  events  narrated  in  this  chapter 
are  most  remarkable  and  interesting. 
The  visit  of  the  Magi ;  their  anxiety  to 
find  the  child  whose  star  they  had  seen 
in  their  eastern  home  ;  the  agitation  and 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN    those  days  came  "  John  the 
Baptist,     preaching    '  in    the 
wilderness  of  Judea, 

rtMa.  1:4, 15;   Lu.  3:2,  3;   John  1:28, 
i  Jos.  14  :  10. 

alarm  of  Herod,  and  the  commotion 
into  which  all  Jerusalem  was  thrown  by 
their  inquiry  ;  the  reappearance  of  the 
star  to  guide  them  into  Bethlehem ;  the 
homage  they  rendered  to  the  young 
child ;  their  warning  from  God  to  depart 
home  by  another  route,  by  which  the 
bloody  design  of  Herod  was  frustrated ; 
the  flight  of  Joseph  and  his  family  into 
Egypt ;  the  horrid  massacre  of  the  in- 
fants, for  whom  Rachel  is  introduced 
as  weeping  anew ;  the  death  of  Herod, 
and  the  return  of  the  family  from  Egypt, 
are  narrated  with  a  beauty,  brevity,  and 
clearness  of  detail,  elsewhere  rarely  to 
be  found. 

The  providence  of  God,  in  taking  care 
of  those  dear  to  Him,  is  also  strikingly 
exemplified.  In  times  of  trial,  the  be- 
liever may  draw  from  this  chapter  the 
most  cheering  encouragement.  In  con- 
trast with  Herod's  fearful  end,  he  may 
see  how  the  child  Jesus  was  preserved 
of  God,  for  his  great  work  of  founding 
a  kingdom  of  righteousness,  which  shall 
have  no  end.  His  faith,  also,  may  be 
revived  and  strengthened  by  the  lesson 
of  God's  protecting  care  over  the  wise 
men,  who  had  come  to  pay  their  hom- 
age to  Him  who  was  to  be  the  Savior 
of  the  world.  The  ready  and  cheerful 
obedience  which  Joseph,  in  the  most 
trying  circumstances,  rendered  to  the 
divine  command,  is  also  worthy  of  the 
closest  imitation.  The  thoughtful  reader, 
who  would  derive  spiritual  food  from 
God's  Word,  will  not  pass  over  these 
and  other  points,  without  discerning  the 
hand  of  Providence  in  the  whole  affair, 
and  drawing  lessons  of  instruction  suited 
to  his  condition  as  a  dependent  creature, 
whose  destiny  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord. 

CHAPTER   III. 

1-12.  The  Ministry  and  Baptism  of 
John.     Mark  1:1-8;  Luke  3  :  1-17. 

1.  In  those  days.  The  close  of  the 
previous  chapter  refers  this  to  the  time 


14 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  26. 


2  And  saying,  Repent  ye :  for 
'  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand. 

cDa.  2:44;  eh.  4: 17,  &  10:7. 


in  which  our  Lord  dwelt  in  Nazareth. 
How  he  spent  his  time,  during  his  resi- 
dence in  that  town,  we  are  not  informed. 
In  Luke  (2  :  41-62)  it  is  said,  that  he 
went  with  his  parents  to  Jerusalem  to 
the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  some  in- 
cidents connected  with  that  visit  are 
mentioned.  After  this,  we  are  informed 
that  he  returned  with  them  to  Nazareth, 
and  was  subject  unto  them,  increasing 
in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with 
God  and  man.  As  his  father  was  a  car- 
penter (13:  55),  he  doubtless  followed 
the  same  trade  (Mark  6  :  3),  and  thus, 
by  personal  acquaintance  with  the  toils 
and  trials  of  life,  was  fitted  for  the  great 
work  which  he  had  to  accomplish. 
Caine,  i.  e.  made  his  public  appearance. 
John  the  Baptist,  so  called,  to  distin- 
guish him  from  John  the  Evangelist. 
The  introduction  of  the  word  Baptist  or 
Baptizer,  without  comment,  shows  that 
Matthew  was  writing  for  those  who  un- 
derstood the  pitictice  and  use  of  this 
rite,  as  well  as  the  historical  personage 
here  introduced.  This  remarkable  man, 
to  whom  was  assigned  the  office  of  pre- 
paring the  way  for  Christ,  was  the  son 
of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  and  born 
six  months  before  Jesus.  How  he  spent 
his  youth,  we  are  not  informed.  His 
whole  life,  from  infancy  to  the  time  of 
his  public  ministry,  is  passed  over  in  ab- 
solute silence,  except  that  we  are  in- 
formed by  Luke  (1 :  80),  that  he  "grew 
and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  and  was  in 
the  deserts  till  the  day  of  his  showing 
unto  Israel."  It  would  seem  from  this, 
that  his  mental  capacities  were  of  a  high 
order,  that  he  led  a  solitary  life,  and  by 
the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  prayer  and 
meditation,  was  preparing  himself  for 
the  stern  duties  of  reformer,  to  which  he 
had  been  divinely  appointed.  Preach- 
ing. This  word  is  used  in  the  New 
Testament,  not  only  of  long  and  con- 
tinued pubHc  discourses,  but  of  the 
proclamation  of  religious  truth  by 
conversation  with  individuals,  families, 


3  For  this  is  he  that  was 
spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Esaias, 
saying,  ''The  voice  of  one  crying 

f?  Is.  40:3;  Ma.  1:3;  Ln.  3:4;  John  1:23. 


groups  of  persons,  whom  he  might  fall 
in  with  as  he  passed  from  place  to 
place.  In  the  ivilderness  of  Judea, 
where  he  had  spent  much  of  his  pre- 
vious Ufe  (Luke  1 :  80).  This  was  an 
uninhabited,  sterile  region,  lying  on  the 
high  ground,  west  of  the  Dead  Sea  and 
the  valley  of  the  Jordan.  The  scene 
of  John's  labors  was  probably  that  part 
which  lay  along  the  Jordan,  some  six 
or  eight  miles  above  the  northern  por- 
tion of  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the  great  road 
leading  from  the  fertile  region  east  of  the 
Jordan,  to  Jerusalem.  The  word  desert, 
in  Scripture  use,  is  to  be  taken  in  a 
wider  sense  than  what  we  usually  attach 
to  the  word,  which  is  that  of  an  unin- 
habited wilderness,  where  no  human 
being  resides.  In  the  Bible,  it  is  ap- 
plied to  widely  extended  commons  or 
pasture  lands,  sparsely  inhabited  dis- 
tricts, not  of  necessity  sterile,  although 
frequently  so  to  a  greater  or  less  extent. 
2.  Repent.  John's  great  business  was 
to  call  the  people  to  repentance.  The 
nation  had  become  exceedingly  wicked, 
given  to  traditionary  forms  and  cere- 
monies, and  to  a  corresponding  degree, 
neglectful  of  the  spirit  and  require- 
ments of  God's  moral  law.  In  order 
to  be  prepared  for  the  spiritual  rule 
and  instructions  of  the  Messiah,  it  was 
necessary  that  the  people  should  repent 
and  forsake  their  vain  forma  and  cere- 
monies. The  word  here  translated  re- 
pent, designates  a  change  in  one's  views 
and  principles,  and  implies  a  radical 
reformation  of  life  and  conduct.  There 
is  another  Greek  word  also,  which  is 
translated  repent,  signif}ing  a  mere 
feeling  of  sorrow  or  remorse,  not  ac- 
companied or  followed  by  true  refor- 
mation. Such  was  the  repentance 
manifested  by  Judas  after  his  betrayal 
of  our  Lord,  and  of  Saul  in  view  of  his 
treatment  of  David  (1  Sam.  24:  16-21). 
The  kingdoin  of  heaven.  Sometimes 
denominated  by  our  Lord,  kinrfdom  of 
Ood.     The  phrase  was  well  understood 


A.  D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


15 


in  the  -wilderness, '  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight. 


e  Lu.  1 :  T6. 


by  the  Jews  to  refer  to  the  reign  of 
the  Messiah,  and  seems  to  have  arisen 
from  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  (2  :  44  ; 
7  :  13,  14,  27),  where  he  speaks  of  a 
divinely  constituted  kingdom,  which 
the  God  of  heaven  was  to  set  up  in  the 
earth,  of  which  Messiah  was  to  be  king. 
This  Messianic  kingdom  was  to  con- 
tinue through  all  time,  and  reach  its 
consummation  of  glory,  when  all  his 
enemies  were  put  under  the  Redeemer's 
feet,  and  Death,  the  last  and  greatest 
foe,  was  destroyed.  Sometimes  the 
phrase  "  Kingdom  of  Heaven,"  is  to  be 
taken  in  its  most  enlarged  sense,  as 
embracing  the  kingdom  from  its  com- 
mencement on  earth,  to  its  glorious 
and  triumphant  manifestation  in  hea- 
ven. Sometimes  it  refers  to  the  be- 
ginning only  of  this  divine  spiritual 
kingdom.  It  is  used  also  of  the  mode 
of  its  establishment  on  earth,  the  prin- 
ciples on  which  it  is  founded,  its  pro- 
gressive development,  and  its  perva- 
ding and  all-controlling  power.  The 
prerequisites  for  admission  to  its  pri- 
vileges, the  ground  on  which  its  re- 
wards are  bestowed,  the  measure  of 
responsibility  and  watchfulness  de- 
manded of  its  subjects,  are  all  at  differ- 
ent times  designated  by  this  general 
term.  These  and  other  special  signifi- 
cations will  be  noticed  in  the  passages 
as  they  occur.  Here  it  is  used  by 
John  Baptist  in  the  sense  of,  the  coin- 
mencement  of  the  Messianic  dispensation. 
This  he  proclaims  to  be  near  at  hand. 
It  is  doubtless  true  that  John's  views 
of  the  nature  of  this  dispensation  were 
highly  spiritual ;  yet  it  can  hardly  be 
supposed,  that  he  was  entirely  free 
from  the  Jewish  notion  of  a  temporal 
Messianic  kingdom. 

3.  For  this  is  he.,  &c.  As  these  are 
the  words  of  the  Evangelist  and  not  of 
John,  the  form  for  this  was  he,  would 
be  the  more  strict  expression  of  time. 
Alford  well  calls  this  "the  prophetic 
present,  representing  to  us  the  place 


4  And^the  same  John  ^  had  his 
raiment  of  camel's  hair,  and  a 
leathern  girdle   about  his  loins  j 

/Ma.l:6.         6f2Ki.  1:8;  Zee.  13:4. 


which  the  Baptist  fills  in  the  divine 
purposes."  The  quotation  is  from  Isa. 
40  :  3,  and  is  also  made  by  Mark  and 
Luke  with  this  difierence,  that  Mark 
begins  with  a  quotation  from  Malachi, 
and  Luke  carries  his  citation  further 
than  either  Matthew  or  Mark.  The 
words  of  the  prophecy  are  founded  on 
the  employment  of  persons  by  kings 
and  generals,  to  precede  them  in  their 
journey  or  march,  in  order  to  remove 
obstacles  in  the  way,  repair  roads,  level 
steep  and  otherwise  inaccessible  places, 
fill  up  morasses,  in  short,  to  prepare  a 
way,  suitable  and  convenient  for  the 
royal  personage  to  travel,  or  the  army 
to  march.  The  primary,  and  in  some 
respects  doubtless  the  literal  applica- 
tion of  this  prophecy,  was  to  the  return 
from  the  Babylonish  captivity.  Its 
spiritual  application  to  the  advent  of 
the  Messiah,  is  too  obvious  to  require 
explanation. 

4.  Had  his  raiment,  &c.  This  coarse 
garment  made  from  the  shaggier  camel's 
hair,  was  worn  also  by  the  ancient 
prophets,  especially  Elijah  (2  Kings  1  : 
8  ;  Zech.  13  :  14),  in  whose  spirit  John 
was  to  come.  Leathern  girdle.  This 
belt  was  necessary,  to  keep  in  place 
the  full  flowing  robes  worn  in  the  East. 
John's  girdle  was  in  keeping  with  the 
coarseness  of  his  raiment  (2  Kings  1  :  8). 
His  whole  apparel  was  in  accordance 
with  his  holy  office.  It  would  not 
have  comported  with  the  solemn  nature 
of  his  message,  and  his  stern  rebuke  of 
sin,  for  him  to  have  been  clad  in  costly 
garments.  The  desert  had  been  for 
years  his  dwelling  place,  and  his  rai- 
ment and  food  were  of  the  coarsest 
kind.  Locust.^.  The  law  of  Moses  per- 
mitted three  kinds  of  locusts  to  be  eaten 
(Lev.  11  :  22).  They  are  eaten  by  the 
Arabs  at  the  present  day.  Wild  honey. 
This  is  generally  referred  to  honey  de- 
posited by  bees  in  the  clefts  of  rocks 
and  in  the  hollow  of  trees.  See  Ps.  81 : 
18  •  Deut.  32  :  13  ;  Jud.  14  :  8  ;  1  Sam. 


16 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  26. 


and    his  meat   was  *  locusts    and 
*  wild  honey. 

5  *  Then  went  out  to  him  Jeru- 

h  Le.  11 :  22.        i  1  9a.  14  :  25,  26. 
k  Ma.  1:5;  Lu.  3 :  T. 


14  :  25-21.  Dr.  Jahn  with  less  reason 
refers  it  to  what  is  called  honey  dew,  i.e. 
the  excrements  which  certain  little  in- 
sects emit  so  very  copiously  upon  the 
leaves  of  trees,  that  it  flows  down  upon 
the  ground.  Howe  contends  that  this 
wild  honey  was  new  gathered  dates,  a 
nutritious  and  wholesome  article  of 
food,  requiring  no  culinary  art,  which, 
as  Josephus  says,  "  when  pressed,  yield 
an  excellent  kind  of  honey,  not  much 
inferior  to  the  other  kinds  of  honey." 
See  Howe's  Orient.  Scenes,  pp.  385^08. 

5.  Went  Old  to  him  to  attend  upon 
his  preaching,  and  to  receive  baptism 
from  his  hand.  Jerusalem  and  all 
Judea.  The  inhabitants  of  the  metro- 
polis, as  well  as  of  the  country,  flocked 
to  him  in  great  numbers.  Many  were 
actuated  by  a  sincere  desire  to  receive 
religious  instruction.  Others  resorted 
to  him  only  to  gratify  their  curiosity, 
or  like  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  (v.  7), 
to  cavil  and  find  opportunity  to  accuse 
him.  See  11  :  18.  All  the  region,  round 
about  Jordan,  i.  e.  through  which  the 
Jordan  flowed,  but  not  included  in 
Judea. 

6.  Were  baptized.  Received  the  rite 
of  baptism.  John's  baptism  is  called 
(Acts  19  :  4),  "the  baptism  of  repent- 
ance." They  who  received  it  acknow- 
ledged the  duty  of  repentance,  and 
professed  their  determination  to  per- 
form it.  In  regard  to  the  mode  of 
baptism  practised  by  John,  it  may  be 
briefly  remarked,  that  while  the  word 
baptizo  in  the  Greek  classic  authors  is 
generally  employed  in  the  sense  of  to 
dip,  to  immerse  any  thing  in  whole  or  in 
part,  yet  there  are  instances  enough  of 
a  departure  from  this  signification  to 
warrant  its  usage  by  the  New  Testa- 
ment writers,  in  its  kindred  sense  of 
ablution,  either  by  immersion,  effusion, 
or  sprinkling.  In  which  of  these  ways 
John  administered  the  rite,  is  to  be 
determined  by  an  appeal  to  the  circum- 


salem,  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the 
region  round  about  Jordan, 

6  'And  were  baptized  of  him  in 
Jordan,  confessing  their  sins. 

Z  Ac.  19:  4, 18. 

stances  in  which  it  was  performed,  and 
the  method  of  purification  of  persons 
and  sacred  utensils  (see  N.  on  Mark 
7  :  4),  practised  by  the  Jews,  which 
would  naturally  be  followed  by  John 
in  the  administration  of  the  rite.  In 
this  aspect  of  the  case,  I  can  find  no 
satisfactory  proof  that  John  practised 
immersion,  especially  as  he  was  apply- 
ing an  ordinance,  which  for  centuries 
had  been  administered  by  the  applica- 
tion of  water  in  the  way  of  effusion, 
washing,  or  sprinkling. 

This  is  confirmed  by  the  words  in 
Jordan,  where  the  name  of  the  river  is 
put  for  water,  and  the  preposition  in 
denotes  the  notion  of  means  in  the 
sense  of  with.  The  passage  may  then 
be  translated:  were  baptized  of  him  with 
(water  from)  Jordan.  If  the  word 
baptize  signifies  to  dip,  to  plunge  into, 
we  should  have  expected,  according  to 
Greek  usage,  the  preposition  eis  with 
the  accusative  case,  instead  of  en  with 
the  dative.  Now,  in  every  instance 
except  one,  this  latter  form  is  employed, 
which  never  has  the  meaning  into,  un- 
less following  a  verb  of  motion,  it 
indicates  a  state  of  rest  in  the  place 
whither  the  motion  is  directed.  But 
a  state  of  rest  in  or  under  the  water  for 
the  subjects  of  baptism,  would  be  so 
manifestly  destructive  of  life,  that  such 
a  use  of  the  words  is  not  to  be  enter- 
tained for  a  moment.  The  only  in- 
stance, as  above  stated,  where  eis,  to  or 
into,  is  used  in  this  connection,  is  in 
Mark  1  :  10,  where  a  reference  to  the 
original  will  show,  that  it  is  used  to 
express  the  idea  of  previous  approach 
to  the  river,  on  the  part  of  Christ,  the 
sense  being,  "  Jesus  came  from  Galilee 
to  Jordan,  and  was  baptized,"  &c.  A 
form  precisely  like  this  use  of  en  after 
a  verb  of  motion,  is  found  in  Homer, 
except  that  it  occurs  with  the  word 
bapto,  instead  of  baptizo,  which,  how- 
ever, does  not  affect  the  point  here  to 


A.  D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


17 


7  But  when  he  saw  many  of    them,    ""  0  generation  of    vipers, 


the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
come  to  his  baptism,  he  said  unto 

mCh.  12:34,  &23:33;   Lu.3:r,8,9. 

be  illustrated.  He  compares  the  hiss- 
ing of  the  heated  stake,  when  plunged 
into  the  eye  of  the  Cyclops,  to  that  of 
red-hot  iron  when  baptized  in  [en) 
water,  i.  e.  plunged  into  water  and 
held  there,  as  the  stake  was  held  and 
twirled  about  in  the  eye  of  the  Cyclops. 
The  use  then  of  ew  with  baptizo,  precludes 
the  signification  to  plunge,  unless,  as 
has  been  stated,  the  idea  of  subsequent 
rest  under  the  water  also  accompa- 
nies it.  We  are  driven  then  to  seek 
a  meaning  for  baptizo,  which  will 
not  force  such  a  sense  upon  the  pass- 
age. If  we  refer  it  to  the  application  of 
water  to  the  person,  instead  of  the 
plunging  a  person  into  water,  then  en 
becomes  significant  of  means  or  instru- 
mentality/, a  use  which  it  has  in  in- 
numerable instances.  This  view  re- 
ceives additional  proof  from  Luke  3  : 
16  (on  which  see  N.),  where  the  ex- 
pression :  /  baptize  you  with  water,  in 
the  original  cannot  be  forced  to  signify 
immersion  in  water,  as  every  one  who 
is  at  all  acquainted  with  the  Greek 
language  will  see.  Additional  light 
will  be  thrown  upon  the  mode  of 
John's  baptism  by  a  consideration  of 
V.  12. 

If  it  be  asked  why  John  chose  prox- 
imity to  the  Jordan,  if  it  was  not  to 
obtain  a  depth  of  water  adequate  to 
the  performance  of  this  rite  by  immer- 
sion, it  may  be  replied,  that  in  a 
country  like  Palestine,  where  water 
was  not  always  and  in  all  places  found 
in  sufficient  quantity  for  the  wants  of 
large  gatherings  of  people  with  their 
beasts  of  burden,  it  became  necessary 
to  select  a  location  near  some  river  or 
lake  (see  John  3  :  23).  The  wilderness 
of  Judea,  where  John  had  spent  much 
of  his  life,  had  no  lake,  fountain,  or 
stream  more  suitable  for  the  wants  of 
a  large  concourse  of  people,  like  that 
which  thronged  around  him,  than  the 
Jordan  itself.  This  much  may  be  said, 
that  it  was  not  necessary  for  the  Bap- 


who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from 
"  the  wrath  to  come  ? 

n  Eo.  5:9;  1  Th.  1 :  10. 

tist  to  be  by  a  great  river  in  order  to 
baptize  in  the  way  immersionists  claim, 
for  a  small  stream  or  rivulet, a  place  being 
dug  in  its  channel,  would  aflbrd  a  con- 
venient pool  or  baptistery  for  this  pur- 
pose. But  the  wants  of  from  twenty  to 
fifty  thousand  people  with  their  beasts 
of  burden  could  not  be  met,  except  by 
a  stream  or  spring  of  considerable  size 
and  depth.  The  vicinity  of  Jordan 
being  selected  for  this  purpose,  the 
rite  would  of  course  be  adminis- 
tered, probably  upon  its  brink,  with 
water  taken  fresh  from  its  current. 
There  is  then  no  evidence  from  the 
passage,  nor  from  the  circumstance 
that  John  chose  the  bank  of  the  Jor- 
dan as  the  place  in  which  to  preach 
and  baptize,  that  he  practised  immer- 
sion, but  on  the  contrary,  much  which 
contravenes  that  idea,  or  renders  it, 
to  say  the  least,  highly  improbable. 

Confessing  their  sins.  This  was  the 
condition  on  which  they  were  to  be 
baptized.  There  is  no  doubt  that  John 
preached  faith  in  the  coming  Messiah, 
as  revealed  in  prophecy  (see  v.  11), 
yet  the  prerequisite  for  this  baptism 
was  the  confession  of  sin  and  its  re- 
nunciation. After  our  Lord's  ascension, 
a  profession  of  faith  in  Him  was  a  pre- 
requisite to  Christian  baptism.  The 
confession  of  sin  here  spoken  of,  must 
have  been  general  rather  than  parti- 
cular, as  the  numbers  which  flocked 
around  him  to  receive  the  rite,  would 
leave  no  time  to  enter  with  minute 
speciality  into  each  case.  This  appears 
to  have  been  the  fact  also  from  Luke 
3  :  10—14,  where  classes  of  persons  are 
said  to  have  come  to  him  asking  what 
they  should  do,  and  receiving  a  reply 
applicable  to  their  respective  pursuits 
and  conditions. 

7.  Pharisees.  These  were  a  numer- 
ous and  powerful  sect,  pretending  to 
a  great  regard  for  the  Mosaic  lavi^, 
but  holding,  in  addition,  to  a  mass  of 
vain  traditions  to  which  they  attached 


18 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  26. 


8  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits 
II  meet  for  repentance  : 

9  And  think  not  to  say  within 
yourselves,   "  We    have  Abraham 

1  Or,  answerable  to  amendment  of  life. 

equal  authority  as  to  the  Mosaic  code. 
Their  apparent  sanctity  gave  them 
great  influence  with  the  common  peo- 
ple, which  they  did  not  fail  to  employ 
in  furtherance  of  their  selfish  and  pro- 
fligate aims.  Our  Lord  compared  them 
(v.  23  :  27)  to  whited  sepulchres,  out- 
wardly beautiful,  but  within  full  of 
dead  men's  bones  and  of  all  unclean- 
ness.  SaMucees.  This  sect,  which 
embraced  many  of  the  chief  men  of 
the  nation,  was  opposed  to  the  Phari- 
sees, in  that  they  rejected  the  unwritten 
or  traditionary  part  of  the  law,  and 
held  the  written  Scriptures  as  alone  of 
binding  obligation.  They  denied  the 
existence  of  any  spiritual  being,  whether 
good  or  bad,  except  God,  and  hence 
denied  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  as 
well  also  as  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection (22  :  23  ;  Acts  23  :  8).  They 
denied  also  the  doctrine  of  fate,  which 
was  held  by  the  Pharisees,  and  be- 
lieved in  the  most  unrestrained  free- 
dom of  the  human  will.  Both  these 
sects  had  existed  at  least  150  years 
before  Christ,  since  Josephus  (Antiq. 
xiii.  10.  §  5,  6)  says,  that  John  Hyrcanus 
went  over  from  the  Pharisees  to  the 
Sadducees,  and  thereby  created  much 
trouble  to  his  family.  There  was  a 
third  sect  called  the  Essenes,  who  con- 
formed in  doctrine  to  the  Pharisees, 
but  avoided  a  residence  in  large  cities, 
held  their  property  in  common,  prac- 
tised celibacy,  rejected  the  temple  wor- 
ship, and  were  in  general  of  upright 
morals.  They  disapproved  of  oaths, 
although  persons  of  strict  veracity. 
These  Essenes  which  may  be  denomi- 
nated the  Jewish  monks,  are  not  par- 
ticularly referred  to  by  the  New  Testa- 
ment writers.  Coming  to  his  bapti.mi, 
i.  e.  to  receive  baptism  at  his  hands. 
Their  hypocrisy  in  doing  this  received 
such  an  exposure  and  rebuke  from 
John,  that  most  if  not  all  of  them  went 
away  unbaptized  ^see  Luke  7  :   30).  | 


to  our  father :  for  I  say  unto 
you,  that  God  is  able  of  these 
stones  to  raise  up  children  unto 
Abraham. 

o  John  8:  33,  39;  Ac  13:26;  Eo.4:l,  11,  6. 

Generation  of  vipers.  They  were 
morally  speaking  a  progeny  of  vipers, 
rather  than  the  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham, from  whom  they  boasted  their 
descent  (v.  9).  W/io  hath  warned,  &c. 
This  was  an  exclamation  of  surprise  at 
the  coming  to  his  baptism  of  such 
wicked  men  as  the  Pharisees  and  Sad- 
ducees. The  icrath  to  come  refers  to 
God's  punitive  justice,  displayed  in  the 
punishment  of  the  wicked  in  the  world 
to  come.  Some  are  disposed  to  limit 
the  expression  here,  to  the  temporal 
judgment  about  to  be  inflicted  upon 
the  Jewish  nation.  But  this  is  too  re- 
stricted a  view,  and  does  not  comport 
with  the  great  end  of  John's  preaching, 
to  rouse  the  nation  to  repentance  and 
reformation,  by  considerations  drawn 
from  the  rewards  and  retributions  of 
the  future  life.  The  destruction  of  the 
Jewish  commonwealth,  as  a  type  or 
symbol  of  God's  greater  and  more 
abiding  wrath  in  the  world  to  come, 
may  be  included,  however,  in  these 
words  of  John. 

8.  This  verse  teaches  that  a  profes- 
sion of  repentance  is  of  no  account, 
unless  accompanied  by  a  reformation 
of  life,  and  works  worthy  of  such  a 
profession.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall 
know  them,"  (V  :  20). 

9.  Tfiink  not  to  say  within  yourselves 
(i.  e.  to  one  another  and  in  your 
hearts).  The  sentiment  is :  Think  not 
that  your  descent  from  Abraham  will 
excuse  you  from  the  duty  of  repent- 
ance, for  God  can  raise  up  children  to 
Abraham,  if  necessary,  from  the  very 
stones  or  pebbles,  who  would  be  Uke 
him  in  faith  and  obedience,  and  thus 
be  his  descendants  in  a  higher  sense 
than  those  who  are  related  to  him  by 
physical  descent  only.  This  was  veri- 
fied in  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  and 
the  calling  in  of  the  Gentiles.  See 
Rom.  chaps.  9,  10,  11.  To  our  father, 
i.  e.  for  our  father.     Of  these  stones, 


A.  D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  III, 


19 


10  And  now  also  the  axe  is 
laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees  : 
'therefore  every  tree  which 
bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is 
hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire. 

11  *  I  indeed  baptize  you  with 

«Ch.T:19;  Lu.  13:7,9;  Jolinl5:6. 

ffMa.  1:8;  Lu.3:16;  John  1 :  15, 26,  33 ;   Ac. 

1:5;  &11:1G;   &19:4. 


i.  e.  God  can  accomplish  his  purposes, 
in  a  way  which  seems  as  impossible  to 
man,  as  to  form  human  beings  from 
stones. 

10.  The  excision  hinted  at  in  the 
preceding  verse,  which  was  to  cut  off 
the  rebellious  Jews  from  the  promises 
and  privileges  granted  to  the  true  seed 
of  Abraham,  is  here  represented  as 
about  to  take  place.  The  ax  is  laid 
unto  (i.  e.  aimed  or  levelled  against) 
the  roof,  &c.  Something  more  is  meant 
by  this  expression,  than  an  ax  laid 
down  by  the  trunk  of  a  tree  ready  for 
use.  The  original  implies  that  the  ax 
is  already  directed  against  the  tree, 
that  the  blow  is  ready  to  be  struck, 
which  nothing  can  avert  but  the  most 
speedy  repentance.  Unto  the  root. 
As  we  say,  the  tree  was  to  be  cut  down 
root  and  branch.  The  excision  was  to 
be  complete  and  final.  Therefore  every 
tree,  &c.  An  inference  from  what  pre- 
cedes. If  God  is  about  to  make  this 
tremendous  excision,  he  will  act  on  the 
common  and  universally  acknowledged 
principle  of  destroying  every  tree 
which  produces  not  good  fruit.  From 
this  common  practice,  John  illustrates 
the  process  by  which  God  will  purge 
his  visible  church.  Every  worthless 
fruit  tree,  as  well  as  every  dead  or  un- 
productive branch,  will  be  removed, 
andhving  trees,  planted  by  the  rivers  of 
waters  and  bringing  forth  their  fruit  in 
their  season  (Ps.  1  :  3),  will  take  their 
place. 

11.  Between  this  and  the  preceding 
verse,  Luke  (2  :  10-15)  places  the  in- 
quiry of  the  people,  publicans,  and 
soldiers,  of  John,  as  to  what  were  their 
respective  duties,  after  which,  as  the 
people  were  musing  in  their  hearts, 
whether  he  was  the  Christ  or  not,  John 


water  unto  repentance  :  but  he 
that  Cometh  after  me  is  mightier 
than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not 
worthy  to  bear  :  "■  he  shall  baptize 
you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire : 


?•  Is.  4 :  4 ; 


&44:3:    Mai.  3: 
1  Co.  12  :  13. 


2;  Ac.  2:3,4: 


solved  their  doubts,  by  saying,  lindeed 
baptize  you,  &c.  This  reference  to 
Luke  removes  the  apparent  abruptness 
with  which  Matthew  continues  the 
narrative.  The  general  sentiment  of 
this  verse  is  the  contrast  between 
John's  baptism  by  water,  and  that  of 
Jesus  Christ  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  With 
water.  The  best  critics  unite  in  regard- 
ing the  water  as  the  means  of  baptism. 
In  other  words,  the  element  of  water 
is  instrmneutal  and  not  local.  Unto 
repentance,  i.  e.  as  a  solemn  ratifying 
profession  of  having  exercised  the  re- 
pentance and  self-renunciation  which 
John  preached.  There  is  also  contained 
in  this  expression  the  additional  idea  of 
a  baptism  which  obligates  to  repentance 
(so  Mark,  baptism  of  repentance).  After 
me  in  point  of  time.  Bid  mightier  and 
more  exalted  in  all  that  pertains  to  per- 
sonal worth  or  official  dignity  than  I. 
TT'Vfose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear. 
A  strong  expression  of  his  inferiority  to 
Jesus.  In  the  East,  when  a  person 
entered  a  house,  he  was  met  at  the  door 
by  a  servant  who  unloosed  his  sandals 
(Mark  1:7;  Luke  3  :  16),  laid  them 
aside,  and  then  washed  his  feet.  The 
visitor  then  washed  his  own  face  and 
hands,  after  which  he  proceeded  into 
the  presence  of  the  master  of  the  house. 
To  go  into  his  presence  barefoot  was 
regarded  as  essential  a  mark  of  respect, 
as  for  us  to  uncover  our  heads  when 
we  enter  a  house.  The  shoes  or  sandals 
did  not  cover  the  whole  foot,  but  con- 
sisted of  soles  bound  on  with  leathern 
thongLi.  These  soles  were  leather,  but 
in  their  cheapest  form,  were  composed 
of  pieces  of  wood.  He  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  with  the  ef- 
fusions of  the  Holy  Spirit  (1  Cor.  12  : 
13).     This  received  a  remarkable  fulhll- 


20 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  26. 


12  '  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand, 
and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his 
floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into 

s  Mai.  3  :  3. 


ment  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  And 
with  fire.  Some  refer  this  to  the  fiery 
appearances,\vhich  descended  Uke  cloven 
tongues  upon  the  Apostles  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  Others  suppose  a  refer- 
ence to  the  purifying  influences  of  the 
Spirit,  consuming  like  fire  the  dross  and 
impurities  of  sin.  It  is  thought  by  some 
to  designate  the  wrath  of  God,  which 
like  consuming  fire  will  fall  upon  the 
wicked.  The  first  of  these  interpreta- 
tions is  too  limited  and  local.  Against 
the  last,  it  has  been  well  remarked,  that 
the  antithesis  between  John's  baptism 
and  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  does  not 
refer  to  the  persons  represented  by 
2/oM,  but  only  to  the  two  kinds  of  bap- 
tism referred  to.  The  persons  address- 
ed are  the  same.  Now,  although  this 
was  spoken  to  the  whole  people,  com- 
prising the  wicked  Pharisees  as  well  as 
others,  yet  in  sense,  it  must  be  referred 
to  those  who  were  actually  baptized ; 
in  other  words,  to  those  whom  John 
regarded  as  worthy  of  baptism,  for  to 
no  others  would  he  have  administered 
the  rite.  Are  we  to  suppose  that  he 
would  consign  some  of  these  persons, 
whom  he  had  just  baptized,  to  the  fiery, 
consuming  baptism  of  God's  wrath  ? 
Yet  to  this  conclusion  are  we  forced, 
by  attributing  such  a  sense  to  the  bap- 
tism by  fire.  Observe  also  the  close 
connexion  in  the  words,  "  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  fire  "  (for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  with  is  added  by  our 
translators,  and  is  not  in  the  original). 
It  is  not :  he  shall  baptize  smne  of  you 
(i.  e.  those  who  truly  repent)  with  the 
Hoiy  Ghost,  and  others  of  you  (who  re- 
main hardened  and  impenitent)  with 
fire  ;  but  he  shall  baptize  you  (the  same 
persons  whom  I  have  baptized  with 
water  unto  repentance)  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  fire.  The  next  verse,  con- 
taining the  idea  of  separation  and  ex- 
cision, is  not  an  expanded  repetition, 
but  an  advance  on  the  sentiment  of  v. 
11,  which  is  evidently  the  superior  dig- 


the  garner  ;  but  he  will '  bum  up 
the  chaff  with  unquenchable  fire. 


<Mal,  4:l;ch.l3:80. 


nity  of  Christ  in  his  person  and  office, 
and  the  higher  gifts  and  blessings  of 
his  baptism.  We  must  conclude  then 
that  the  purifying,  sanctifying  influences 
of  the  Spirit  are  meant,  which  could  be 
symbolized  by  no  better  element  than 
fire  ;  the  searching,  cleansing,  dross- 
consuming  power  of  which  is  well 
known,  and  often  referred  to  in  God's 
Word.     See  N.  on  Mark  9  :  49. 

12.  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand.  The 
separation  of  the  wheat  from  the  chaff 
by  a  winnowing  process,  is  here  em- 
ployed as  a  figure,  to  illustrate  the 
searching  power  of  truth,  and  the  final 
separation  of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked.  The  fan  was  a  winnowing 
shovel,  with  which  the  grain,  as  it 
came  from  the  threshing-floor,  was 
thrown  up  against  the  wind,  in  order 
that  the  chaif  might  be  blown  aside, 
and  the  wheat  cleansed.  Will  thoroughly 
purge  his  fioor,  i.  e.  will  cleanse  his 
grain  by  the  fan  already  in  his  hand. 
The  word  threshing-floor  is  here  put 
figuratively  for  the  production  of  the 
floor,  viz  :  corn,  grain..  This  threshing- 
floor  was  in  the  open  field,  without  an 
enclosure  or  covering,  about  thirty  or 
forty  paces  in  diameter,  the  ground  be- 
ing levelled  or  beaten  down.  After 
the  grain  was  threshed  out,  it  was 
thrown  into  the  centre  of  this  area, 
and  then  winnowed.  Garner  ;  literally, 
a  place  of  laying  by  or  up,  and  hence 
as  here,  granary,  barn.  Chaff.  This 
refers  to  the  chaff  and  stubble  mingled 
with  the  grain  after  threshing,  and 
which,  being  good  neither  for  fodder 
nor  for  the  manufacture  of  bricks,  nor 
for  any  purpose  for  which  straw  was 
required,  was  burned  up.  Wicked 
men  are  often  referred  to  in  the  Scrip- 
tures by  chaff"  (Ps.  1:4;  35  :  5  ;  Job 
21  :  18  ;  Hos.  13  :  3),  while  the  good, 
by  a  hke  figure  of  speech,  are  des- 
ignated by  grain,  wheat,  and  simi- 
lar terms.  Lev.  13 :  25,  29,  3().  Un- 
quenchable fire.    Some  translate,  irre- 


A.  D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


21 


13  l"''Then  cometh  Jesus  'from 
Galilee  to  Jordan  unto  John,  to 

'be  baptized  of  him. 

14  But  John  forbade  him,  say- 

wMa.l:9;  Lu.  3:  21.       ■»Ch.2:22. 

sistible  Jrre,  but  the  common  transla- 
tion, unquenchable,  eternal,  is  the  true 
one.  The  doctrine  of  eternal  punish- 
ment is  here  taught  beyond  a  doubt, 
and  it  is  worthy  of  note,  that  John,  in 
the  very  opening  of  his  ministry,  teaches 
that  the  Messiah  is  to  appear,  not 
for  the  gathering  of  the  righteous  in- 
to his  kingdom  only,  but  for  taking 
vengeance  upon  all  his  enemies.  In  har- 
mony also  with  this  are  the  teachings 
of  our  Savior  and  his  apostles.  In  con- 
trast with  the  glory  and  blessedness  of 
the  righteous,  is  the  lost  condition  and 
endless  suffering  of  those  who  reject 
Christ,  set  forth  in  the  plainest  terms, 
and  under  imagery  the  most  dire  and 
dreadful  which  human  language  can 
express. 

12-lY.  The  baptism  of  Jesus.  Mark 
1:  9-11  ;  Luke  3:  21-23. 

13.  Jesus  is  now  introduced  to  our 
attention,  as  coming  to  be  baptized  by 
John.  If  the  latter  entered  upon  his 
ministry,  as  is  supposed,  in  the  spring, 
and  when  he  had  completed  his  thirtieth 
year,  it  is  probable  that  our  Lord  came 
to  his  baptism  in  the  autumn,  or  about 
six  months  later.  He  would  thus  be 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  as  stated  by 
Luke  3  :  23.  To  be  baptized,  denotes 
the  object  or  purpose  for  which  he  came 
to  John.  Although  being  sinless  he 
needed  not  baptism  as  a  symbol  of  per- 
sonal reformation  and  purification,  yet 
as  he  took  upon  him  our  nature,  and 
was  made  sin  for  us,  being  made  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  he  condescended 
to  observe  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies 
imposed  by  the  law  upon  those  whom 
he  came  to  redeem.  He  was  now,  also, 
to  be  inaugurated  to  his  priestly  office, 
and  he  received  the  rite  of  baptism,  on 
the  same  general  principle  that  the 
priests  were  inducted  to  their  office 
(Ex.  29  :  1-37). 

14.  John  forbade  him;  literally,  at- 
tempted or  began  to  hinder  him  wholly 


ing,  I  have  need  to  be  baptized 
of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me  ? 
15  And  Jesus  answering  said 
unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  he  so  now  : 
for  thus   it  becometh  us   to  fulfil 


from  his  purpose.  It  was  such  a  re- 
versal of  the  relation  subsisting  between 
them,  that  John  could  not  consent  for 
a  moment  to  assume  this  official  supe- 
riority. I  have  need,  i.  e.  it  would  com- 
port better  with  my  sinful  and  fallen 
nature.  To  be  baptized  of  thee.  It  does 
not  appear  that  our  Savior  ever  admin- 
istered the  ordinance  of  baptism,  but 
left  its  performance  to  his  disciples 
(John  4  :  2).  Paul  also  seldom  baptized, 
being  sent  by  Christ  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel, and  not  to  perform  this  rite  (1  Cor. 
1  :  1*7),  which  was  administered  pro- 
bably by  those  who  attended  him  as 
helps  in  his  ministry.  One  thing  seems 
clearly  to  be  taught  by  this,  that  neither 
Christ  nor  his  apostles  regarded  baptism 
as  indispensably  essential  to  salvation. 
Comest  thou  to  me,  being  as  thou  art  my 
superior?  See  N.  on  v.  11.  This  ques- 
tion is  highly  expressive  of  John's  sur- 
prise at  the  humble  demeanor  of  Jesus 
in  thus  coming  to  him. 

15.  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now.  In  the 
original,  suffer  now,  i.  e.  for  the  present 
let  such  be  our  relation.  The  word  now, 
or  for  the  present,  implies  that  while 
John's  inferiority  to  Jesus  was  true  and 
real,  yet  as  he  was  the  minister  of  God's 
law,  while  Christ,  by  coming  to  be  bap- 
tized, was  a  doer  or  fulfiller  of  that  law, 
the  relation  of  John,  as  the  baptizer, 
and  of  Jesus  as  the  one  to  be  baptized, 
was  only  a  present  and  temporary  one. 
jPor  thus  it  becometh,  &c.  Our  Lord 
teaches  in  this,  that  we  are  to  obey  the 
requirements  of  the  divine  law,  what- 
ever may  be  our  station  or  influence. 
No  regard  should  be  paid  to  relative 
superiority  in  the  discharge  of  duty. 
All  righteousness,  i.  e.  all  the  require- 
ments of  the  law ;  every  thing  which  is 
right  and  proper.  Preliminary  to  the 
induction  of  the  priests  to  their  office, 
they  performed  the  ceremony  of  ablu-, 
tioii  (Ex.  29  :  4).  Our  Savior  followed 
this  custom  (see  N,  on  v.  13).     We  are 


22 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  2'7. 


all  righteousness.     Then  he  suf- 
fered him. 

16  ''And  Jesus,  when  he  was 
baptized,  went  up  straightway 
out  of  the  water :  and  lo,  the 
heavens  were  opened  unto  him, 
and  he  saw  '  the  Spirit  of  God  de- 

wMa.  1:10.       sis.  11:2;  &42;   lLu.3:22; 
Jn.  1 :  32,  33. 


not  for  a  moment  to  suppose,  that  he 
requested  at  John's  hand  the  baptism 
unto  repentance,  spoken  of  in  v.  11,  but 
merely  as  a  symbol  of  his  induction  to 
the  sacred  office  upon  which  he  was 
now  entering. 

16.  Straightway,  i.  e.  immediately.  Out 
of  tlie  water;  more  literally,  away  from 
the  water,  i.  e.  from  the  margin  or  bank, 
on  which  he  stood  while  receiving  the 
rite,  for  had  the  idea  out  of  the  water 
been  intended,  the  preposition  ek,  in- 
stead of  apo,  would  have  been  used. 
Much  less  admissible  is  the  notion,  that 
complete  immersion  is  here  implied,  for 
what  necessity  in  that  case  for  the  word 
immediately, diS  though  the  person  baptiz- 
ed either  could  or  would  desire  to  remain 
under  or  in  water  any  length  of  time. 
Tlie  heavens  were  opened  unto  him.  The 
firmament  seemed  to  be  disparted,  so  as 
to  reveal  a  visible  communication  be- 
tween heaven  and  earth.  In  the  con- 
ception of  those  times,  the  concave 
above  was  regarded  as  fixed  and  soUd. 
Hence  such  expressions  as  "the  windows 
of  heaven  were  opened"  (Gen.  *?  :  11), 
"he  had  opened  the  doors  of  heaven" 
(Ps.  78  :  23;  see  also  2  Kings  7:7; 
Ezek.  1:1);  "a  tower  whose  top  may 
reach  unto  heaven"  (Gen.  11  :  4).  See 
N.  on  6  :  9.  He  saw.  This  evidently 
refers  to  Jesus,  although  John  also  wit- 
nessed the  descent  of  the  Spirit  (John 
1  :  32).  Like  a  dove.  A  visible  form 
is  evidently  intended,  but  we  have  no 
means  of  knowing  whether  it  had  the 
real  appearance  of  a  dove,  or  was  thus 
likened  from  its  tremulous,  hovering, 
dove-like  descent.  The  collocation  of 
the  words  in  the  original  would  favor 
the  latter  supposition,  were  it  not  that 
Luke  says  expressly  (3  :  22),  that  the 
Spirit  descended  bodily.,  or  like  a  body. 


scending  like  a  dove,  and  light- 
ing upon  him  : 

17  "And  lo,  a  voice  from- 
heaven,  saying,  *  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased. 

a  Jn.  12:  28.  5  Ps.  2:7;  Is.  42 ;  1  ch. 
12:18,&17:5;  Ma.  1 :  11 ;  Lu.  9:35:  Ep.l: 
6;  Col.  1:13;  2Pe.  1:1T. 

That  Evangelist  also  says  (3  :  21),  that 
it  was  while  he  was  praying  that  the 
heavens  were  thus  opened.  It  is  worthy 
of  note,  that  the  two  principal  manifes- 
tations or  attestations  of  our  Savior's 
glory  while  on  earth,  viz.  this  descent 
of  the  Spirit  at  his  baptism,  and  the 
transfiguration,  were  made  while  he 
was  engaged  in  prayer.  A  remarkable 
and  impressive  comment  on  the  power 
and  privilege  of  this  duty. 

17.  In  addition  to  this  celestial  ap- 
pearance, a  voice  was  heard  from  heaven. 
The  words  uttered  were  afterwards  re- 
peated on  two  diflTerent  occasions,  once 
upon  the  mount  of  transfiguration,  and 
again  a  short  time  before  his  death.  In 
the  latter  instance,  the  people  supposed 
it  to  be  thunder.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  it  was  heard  by  the  people,  as  well 
as  by  John,  at  his  baptism.  There  is  a 
slight  verbal  difference  in  the  words  of 
this  voice  from  heaven,  as  given  by 
Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke.  The  sense 
is,  however,  the  same.  A  similar  verbal 
variation  is  found  in  the  inscription  on 
the  cross,  as  given  by  the  four  Evan- 
gelists. Evidence  is  thus  furnished,  by 
these  slight  verbal  discrepancies,  that 
there  was  no  collusion  among  the 
writers,  or  a  servile  copying  the  one 
from  another.  The  gospels  are  shown 
to  be  independent  narrations ;  while 
their  agreement  in  sense  renders  it 
equally  certain,  that  the  writers  were 
under  the  influence  of  one  superintend- 
ing, controlling  Spirit. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
4-11.  TVe  come  now  in  the  sacred 
narration  to  one  of  the  most  awful  and 
mysterious  events,  that  has  ever  hap- 
pened since  the  creation  of  man,  the 
Temptation  op  the  Son  of  God  by  the 


A.  D.  21.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


23 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THEN  was "  Jesus  led  up  of '  the 
Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  of  the  devil. 

a  Ma.  1 :  12,  &c. ;  Lu.  4 : 1,  &c,  b  See  1  Kl- 
18:12;  Ez.  3:14,  &  8:3;  &  11: 1,24;  &40:2, 
&43:5;  Ac.  8:39. 


great  adversary  of  all  good.  As  the 
first  Adam  was  tempted  and  fell,  thus 
bringing  ruin  upon  his  posterity,  it 
formed  a  part  of  the  divine  plan,  that 
the  second  Adam  should  also  suffer 
temptation,  in  order  by  his  victory  to 
prove  himself  worthy  of  his  office  of 
Redeemer  of  mankind.  In  the  very 
threshold  of  his  ministry,  close  upon 
his  induction  into  the  Messianic  office 
by  the  rite  of  baptism,  he  was  led  by 
the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  to  enter 
upon  this  trial  of  his  obedience.  It  was 
not  done  through  presumption  on  the 
part  of  Jesus,  or  as  an  ostentatious  dis- 
play of  his  power  to  resist  temptation, 
but  to  enable  him  to  be  a  merciful  and 
faithful  high  priest,  and  to  succor  those 
who  are  tempted,  by  an  experience  on 
his  part  of  the  nature  and  power  of 
temptation.  No  human  being  knows 
the  dreadful  conflict  of  those  days  of 
trial,  nor  with  what  earnest,  wresthng, 
agonizing  prayer,  the  blessed  Savior  was 
enabled  to  come  forth  victorious  from 
this  struggle  with  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness. But  we  know  in  the  light  of  such 
passages  as  Heb.  2:18;  4:15;  5:8, 
that  Jesus  was  fitted  for  his  work  by 
this  season  of  trial,  and  this  alone  should 
remove  all  doubts  in  respect  to  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  God,  in  permitting 
it  to  take  place. 

The  subject  of  the  Temptation  is  not 
without  its  exegetical  difficulties,  but 
by  keeping  in  view  the  great  text,  "  but 
was  in  all  points  tempted  as  we  are  " 
(Heb.  4:  15),  and  adhering  to  sound 
principles  of  interpretation,  we  may 
hope  to  arrive  at  its  true  explanation. 

1-11.  Mark  1 :  12,  13  ;  Luke  4  :  1-14. 

1.  TTien  was  Jesus  led,  &c.  This 
took  place  immediately  after  his  bap- 
tism. See  Mark  1:12,  where  he  is  said 
to  have  been  driven  immediately  by 
the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  reference 


2  And  when  he  had  fasted  for- 
ty days  and  forty  nights,  he  was 
afterward  an  hungered. 

3  And  when  the  tempter  came 
to  him,  he  said.  If  thou  be  the 


being  had  to  the  irresistible  impulse, 
with  which  he  was  hurried  thither. 
Compare  also  John'  1  :  29,  35,  44. 
Tlie  Spirit,  which  had  descended  upon 
him  after  baptism.  The  wilderness. 
Probably  the  desert  west  of  Jericho. 
To  be  tempted.  The  primary  significa- 
tion of  the  word  tempt,  is  to  make  trial 
of  one,  to  test  his  principles ;  the  sec- 
ondary sense,  to  tempt  one  to  commit 
sin.  In  the  first  sense,  God  is  said 
(Gen.  22  :  1)  to  have  tempted  Abraham  ; 
in  the  second  sense,  Satan  is  said  to 
tempt,  and  thus  the  word  is  used  in  the 
passage  before  us.  It  does  not,  however, 
follow  that  the  person  thus  tempted 
of  Satan  or  wicked  men,  necessarily 
yields  to  the  temptation.  The  adversary 
is  often  baffled  in  his  seductive  arts, 
and  driven  from  the  field,  where  he  had 
hoped  to  obtain  an  easy  victory.  Nor 
is  the  susceptibility  of  being  tempted, 
that  is,  the  possession  of  emotions  and 
affections  which  may  be  excited  and 
turned  in  a  wrong  direction,  a  sin.  It 
is  incident  to  human  nature,  at  least  in 
its  present  state  of  probation,  to  have 
inclinations,  desires,  emotions,  passions, 
which  are  continually  acted  upon  for 
good  or  evil  by  moral  influences  either 
from  without  or  within  ;  but  this,  while 
it  renders  a  man  susceptible  of  tempta- 
tion, does  not  constitute  him  a  sinner. 
Now  we  are  constantly  to  bear  in 
mind  that  our  Savior  possessed  a  hu- 
man nature,  and  was  as  capable  of  being 
tempted  to  sin  as  we  are  (Heb.  2  :  IT), 
and  that  he  really  "  was  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin."  He  did  not  yield  to  temptation, 
and  therefore  committed  no  sin.  But 
he  was  truly  and  really  tempted,  that  is, 
such  things  were  presented  to  his  mind, 
as  were  adapted  to  induce  him  to  sin. 
Otherwise  he  could  not  have  been 
tempted  in  all  points,  as  we  are.     A 


24 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  27. 


Son  of  God,  command  that  these 
stones  be  made  bread. 

4  But  he  answered  and  said, 


cDe.  8:  3. 


denial  of  this  would  be  a  denial  of  the 
reality  of  the  temptation,  and  make  it, 
as  it  is  regarded  by  some,  a  mere  vision, 
phantasy,  or  allegorical  representation. 

Of  the  reality  of  the  temptation  there 
can  then  be  no  question.  The  manner 
in  which  it  was  done,  next  claims  at- 
tention. It  has  been  the  opinion  of  not 
a  few,  that  the  devil  assumed  a  bodily 
form,  and  that  the  temptation  was  ex- 
ternal and  not  internal.  But  this  view 
is  not  only  liable  to  many  objections 
drawn  from  the  narration  itself,  but  is 
contradicted  in  the  most  express  terms 
by  the  words  to  which  we  have  referred : 
"  in  all  points  tempted  hke  as  we  are." 
Since  the  first  temptation  in  Eden,  we 
have  no  evidence  that  the  devil  was 
ever  permitted  to  assume  a  bodily  shape, 
for  the  purpose  of  tempting  men,  or 
that  any  person  was  ever  thus  tempted. 
We  must  conclude,  then,  that  the 
temptation  of  Christ  consisted  in  men- 
tal suggestions,  addressed  with  diaboli- 
cal cunning  to  the  pecuUar  emotions 
which  swelled  his  soul,  as  he  was  about 
to  enter  upon  his  official  work,  and 
concealed  as  to  their  true  character,  by 
texts  of  Scripture  which  accompanied 
their  presentation.  They  were  unseen 
and  subtle,  working  their  way  into  the 
mind  of  Jesus,at  first  hardly  distinguish- 
able from  his  own  thoughts,  but  soon 
betraying  their  source  and  character, 
by  their  contravention  to  God's  law. 
The  power  of  this  internal  temptation 
was  far  greater  than  it  would  have  been, 
if  presented  openly  by  the  tempter  in 
bodily  shape. 

Tlie  devil ;  literally,  the  accuser,  slan- 
derer. The  word  is  appUed  by  the 
New  Testament  writers  to  Satan,  the 
enemy  of  God  and  every  thing  good. 
He  is  represented  as  subtle,  maUgnant, 
powerful,  the  prince  of  fallen  angels 
(9  :  34,  on  which  see  Note),  continually 
engaged  in  seducing  men  from  truth, 
and  in  endeavoring  to  thwart  the  mer- 
ciful designs  of  God  in  saving  our  race 


It  is  written, '  Man  shall  not  live 
by  bread  alone,  but  by  every 
word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God. 


from  ruin.  He  now  comes  in  the  soli- 
tude of  the  desert,  and  exercises  all  his 
art  and  power  to  draw  our  blessed 
Savior  into  sin. 

2.  Wlien  he  had  fasted,  &c.  It  is 
uncertain  whether  this  refers  to  an  en- 
tire or  partial  fast.  The  word  may  be 
used  undoubtedly  in  the  sense  of  ab- 
staining from  meat,  or  pleasant  food,  or 
regular  meals  (1  Sam.  31  :  13  ;  Dan.  10: 
3  ;  Acts  27  :  33).  Some  give  it  this 
sense  here,  and  think  that  Jesus  sub- 
sisted on  such  coarse  and  scanty  food, 
as  he  found  in  the  desert.  But  the 
clause  added  in  Luke,  "  in  those  days 
he  did  eat  nothing,"  seems  to  favor  the 
idea,  if  it  be  not  an  absolute  assertion, 
that  he  totally  abstained  from  food, 
and  was  miraculously  preserved  during 
his  long  fast.  The  expression  '■'■forty 
days  and  forty  nights,"  seems  also  to 
point  to  total  abstinence  from  food. 
Afterward.  During  the  days  of  his 
fasting,  he  was  doubtless  in  a  state  of 
ecstasy,  so  as  to  be  insensible  to 
hunger. 

3.  The  tempter  ;  literally,  the  one  who 
tempts,  i.  e.  is  in  the  habit  of  seducing 
to  sin.  This  was  Satan,  whose  great 
business  is  to  tempt  men  to  sin.  The 
temptations  here  enumerated  took  place 
at  the  close  of  the  forty  days.  It  ap- 
pears from  Mark  and  Luke,  that  he 
was  tempted  also  during  the  forty  days 
(Mark  1:13;  Luke  4  :  2),  but  now  at 
the  close,  new  and  more  powerful  as- 
saults are  made  upon  his  integrity.  If 
thou  be  the  Son  of  God.  These  words 
do  not  imply  doubt,  but  are  equivalent 
to,  "  seeing  that  thou  art  the  Son  of 
God."  Reference  may  be  had,  possibly, 
to  the  voice  from  heaven,  which  de- 
clared Christ's  Sonship.  Satan's  use  of 
the  phrase  in  this  and  the  second  temp- 
tation, would  seem  to  imply  that  he 
was  not  ignorant  of  that  divine  voice. 
The  absence  of  the  article  in  the  origi- 
nal, however,  leads  some  to  think  that 
nothing  more  is  meant  by  the  expres- 


A.  D.  2*7.] 


CHAPTER  IV 


25 


5  Then  the  devil  taketli  him 
up  ''  into  the  holy  city,  and  setteth 
him  on  a  pinnacle  of  the  temple, 

<iNe.  11:1.18;  ls.48:'2,   &  52: 1 ;  ch.  27:  53; 
Ee.  11:2. 


sion  than  a  son  of  God,  i.  e.,  a  pious 
man.  But  the  spirit  and  wants  of  the 
narrative  are  not  met,  by  sinking  this 
wondrous  assault  iipon  our  Savior's  in- 
tegrity, to  a  level  with  an  ordinary 
temptation,  addressed  to  a  merely  pious 
man.  Nor  is  the  absence  of  the  article 
any  objection  to  its  higher  sense,  as 
may  be  seen  by  referring  to  27  :  40,  43  ; 
Mark  1:1;  John  10  :  36.  Command 
that  these  stones  be  made  bread.  As 
Jesus  had  fasted  for  the  space  of  forty 
days,  he  must  at  this  time  have  been  ex- 
ceedingly hungry,  if  not  in  an  almost 
starving  condition.  The  temptation, 
therefore,  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hun- 
ger by  a  miracle,  must  have  been  to  one 
in  his  situation  very  strong.  But  had  he 
supplied  his  wants  by  working  a  mira- 
cle, he  would  have  sinned,  inasmuch  as 
it  would  have  manifested  a  distrust  in 
the  providential  care  of  his  Heavenly 
Father.  This  appears  from  his  reply 
to  the  tempter,  the  substance  of  which 
is,  that  obedience  to  God  will  always 
insure  a  supply  of  our  physical  wants. 
Compare  6  :  31-33,  on  which  see  Notes. 
It  may  be  further  observed,  that  neither 
Christ  nor  his  apostles  wrought  any 
miracle  for  self-preservation.  From 
this  we  may  infer,  that  such  interposi- 
tions in  their  own  behalf  were  contrary 
to  the  divine  will.  Had  Christ  changed 
the  stones  into  bread,  he  would  have 
violated  this  rule  of  action. 

4.  He  answered  and  said.  No  proof 
is  furnished  by  these  words  of  the 
bodily  presence  of  Satan.  Nothing  is 
more  common  than  to  employ  words 
denoting  a  vocal  utterance,  when  a 
person,  in  a  highly  excited  state  of 
feeling,  or  in  a  process  of  deep  thought, 
is  communing  with  himself  Compare 
9  :  3,  21  ;  Luke  12  :  45  ;  Rom.  10  :  6  ; 
Eph.  5:19.  It  is  of  common  occur- 
rence also  in  Homer,  and  other  ancient 
and  profane  writings.  This  mode  of 
expression  imparts  life  and  vivacity  to 
the  narration.  /;;  is  uritten.  The 
Vol.  I.— 2 


6  And  saith  unto  him,  If  thou 
be  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself 
down,  for  it  is  written,  'He  shall 


ePs.  91:11, 12. 


quotation  is  from  Deut.  8  :  3,  where 
the  expression  v}ord,  in  the  sense  of 
thing,  is  supplied  by  our  translators,  on 
the  authority  probably  of  this  quota- 
tion. "-Every  word  that  proceedeth 
from  the  mouth  of  God,"  means  every 
thing  which  God  has  appointed  for 
food,  or  every  arrangement  by  which 
man's  wants  are  to  be  supplied.  God 
has  other  ways  and  means  of  preserv- 
ing life  than  by  mere  bread.  That  is  an 
important  article  of  food,  but  life  is 
not  dependent  upon  it,  but  rather  upon 
the  whole  economy  of  God's  plan, 
which  may  render  it  proper  to  feed  his 
people  on  manna  for  years,  in  order  to 
teach  them  their  dependence  upon 
Him,  and  that  from  his  storehouse 
they  are  to  look  for  the  supply  of  their 
daily  wants.  The  quotation  as  thus 
explained,  was  a  most  -apt  reply  to  the 
wicked  suggestion  of  Satan.  It  also 
contains  a  sentiment  of  universal  ap- 
plication ;  that  we  are  to  receive  from 
God's  hand  our  common  food  with 
thankfulness,  and  not  resort  to  ways 
of  our  own,  in  hopes  of  improving  the 
divinely  appointed  means  of  our  subsist- 
ence. Man;  literally,  the  man,  the 
article  imparting  to  the  word  a  generic 
signification,  all  mankind,  man. 

5,  6.  The  second  temptation,  which 
Luke  places  in  the  order  of  third, 
claims  a  brief  consideration  of  its  man- 
ner of  presentation,  and  then  of  its 
nature.  In  taking  Christ  to  the  holy 
city,  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  Satan 
transported  him  through  the  air,  or 
coerced  him  to  go  against  his  will.  In 
the  transfiguration,  our  Lord  is  said  to 
have  taken  Peter,  and  James,  and  John, 
and  brought  them  up  into  a  high  moun- 
tain, but  this  does  not  imply  that  he 
took  them  thither  miraculously  or  by 
force.  So  also  in  going  to  Jerusalem 
(20 :  17),  he  took  the  twelve  disciples 
apart,  &c.  Nothing  is  meant  by  this 
expression  beyond  the  ordinary  influ- 
ence, which  one  person  has  over   an- 


26 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  27. 


give  bis  angels  charge  concerning 
thee :  and  in  their  bands  tbey 
sball   bear   tbee   up,  lest  at  any 


other.  Jesns  went  to  the  temple  at 
the  suggestion  of  Satan.  There  was 
no  sin  in  that.  Thousands  of  Jews  re- 
sorted daily  to  the  battlements,  to 
walk  and  enjoy  the  prospect  and  the 
invigorating  breeze.  This  was  no  part 
of  the  temptation,  nor  did  Satan  re- 
gard it  as  such.  It  was  only  prelimi- 
nary to  it,  as  the  fact  that  Jesus  was  led 
by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  was 
prcUminary  to  the  great  object  for 
which  he  went  there,  to  be  tempted  of 
the  devil.  His  going  to  Jerusalem  at 
the  suggestion  of  the  tempter,  to  vary 
the  temptation,  and  give  it  the  point 
and  power,  which  we  shall  see  in  the 
sequel  it  had,  was  no  more  sinful  than 
his  previous  going  up  into  the  wilder- 
ness for  the  very  purpose  of  being 
tempted.  It  formed  a  part  of  the  divine 
plan  that  he  should  be  tempted,  and 
that  Satan  shoi^d  select  the  place  and 
manner  of  temptation.  "We  must  ad- 
mit this,  or  give  up  our  defence  of  the 
whole  transaction.  He  went  to  work 
and  placed  before  our  Savior  induce- 
ments to  sin,  precisely  as  he  would  be- 
fore any  human  being,  although  with 
a  degree  of  skill,  adroitness,  and  per- 
severance, which  showed  his  estimate 
of  the  mighty  prize  for  which  he  was 
contending.  It  was  to  avoid  this  ob- 
jection, which  we  see  to  have  no  force, 
that  a  voluntary  going  to  Jerusalem  at 
the  suggestion  of  the  tempter,  seemed 
to  imply  a  sinful  acquiescence  to  his 
will  on  the  part  of  Christ,  that  so  many 
coinmentators  have  explained  the  word 
takcth,  as  denoting  physical  coercion, 
not  reflecting  that  the  difficulty,  which 
they  thus  seek  to  remove,  lies  not 
more  in  the  way  of  our  Lord's  going 
to  the  holy  city,  than  his  previous 
going  up  into  the  wilderness  to  be 
tempted  of  the  devil. 

In  what  did  this  second  temptation 
consist  ?  It  must  have  been  something 
more  than  to  merely  test  God's  provi- 
dential care  of  his  Son,  for  that  could 
have  been  made  from  any  rocky  ledge 
or  chff  of  the  desert,  to  leap  from  which 


time  tbou  dash  tby  foot  against  a 
stone. 

7  Jesus  said  unto  bim,    It  is 


would  be  self-destruction.  It  could 
not  refer  to  a  presumptive  trial  of  his 
own  self-sustaining  power,  inasmuch  as 
the  Scripture  quoted  by ,  the  devil, 
would  then  have  been  inapposite.  It 
was  not  a  vain  display  of  the  care  of  his 
Heavenly  Father  which  was  urged  upon 
him  by  the  tempter.  It  must  then  be 
referred  to  some  proof  of  his  Messiah- 
ship,  different  from  that  which  God  in- 
tended. Before  him,  on  the  one  hand, 
were  toil,  privation,  sufi'ering,  and 
death.  The  nation  was  to  reject  his 
claim,  and  treat  him  as  an  impostor. 
His  divine  mission  would  be  acknowl- 
edged by  only  a  few  obscure  and  un- 
lettered men.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
might  be  revealed  at  once,  as  the 
kingly,  conquering  Messiah,  so  long  ex- 
pected and  earnestly  desired  by  the 
nation.  Descending  unhurt  from  the 
dizzy  height  on  which  he  stood,  he 
would  be  received  with  acclamation  by 
the  multitude  below,  and  hailed  at 
once  as  their  Messiah.  The  notion  en- 
tertained by  the  Jews,  that  this  person- 
age was  to  remain  during  his  early 
years  in  some  retired  place,  and  at  the 
proper  age  to  come,  as  it  were,  by  some 
miraculous  descent  from  the  air,  to- 
gether with  God's  promise,  that  the 
angels  were  to  have  him  in  charge, 
and  bear  him  up  on  just  such  an  emer- 
gency as  this,  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
tempter,  passed  through  his  mind,  and 
constituted  a  strong  temptation  to  do 
the  thing  proposed.  But  he  instantly 
spurns  the  temptation,  and  by  another 
apt  quotation  from  Scripture,  silenced 
the  adversary,  and  cut  him  off  from 
every  hope  of  success  in  this  insidious 
appeal  to  his  ambition  of  earthly  honor 
and  applause.  The  holy  city,  i.  e.  Jeru- 
salem, where  was  the  temple  and  the 
seat  of  rehgion.  A  jiinnacle.  This 
refers  to  the  central  porch,  or  Herod's 
royal  portico,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
temple,  impending  over  the  valley  of 
Jehoshaphat,  which  was  500  cubits  be- 
low. Josephus  (Antiq.  xv.  11,  §  5) 
says,  that  if  any  one  looked'  down  from 


A.  D.  21.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


27 


written  again,  ^  Thou  shalt  not 
tempt  tlie  Lord  thy  God. 

8  Again,  the  devil  taketh  him 
up  into  an  exceeding  high  moun- 

/De.  6:16. 

the  top  of  this  battlement,  "  he  would 
be  giddy,  while  his  sight  could  not 
reach  to  such  an  immense  depth."  J^'or 
it  is  written.  This  quotation  is  from 
Ps.  91  :  11,  the  words  in  the  original, 
"to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways,"  being 
omitted  by  Matthew,  and  partially  so 
by  Luke. 

7.  The  reply  of  our  Lord  is  quoted 
from  Deut.  6:16,  and  is  introduced  by 
the  word  again,  because  it  was  not 
opposed  to  that  cited  by  Satan,  but 
limited,  qualified,  and  explained  it. 
TTiou  shalt  not  tempt.  The  word  tempt 
here  signifies  to  put  to  the  proof,  to  test, 
try,  &c.  see  N.  on  v.  1.  It  would  be  a 
sinful  trial  of  God's  promised  care  and 
protection,  to  rush  into  danger,  either 
for  one's  private  ends  and  purposes,  or 
to  make  trial  of  His  fidelity  to  his  pro- 
mises. 

8,  9.  The  general  principles,  which 
have  guided  us  in  our  investigation  of 
the  first  and  second  temptations,  are 
also  applicable  to  the  third.  In  the 
same  way  by  the  suggestion  of  the 
tempter,  he  was  taken  up  into  an  ex- 
ceeding high  mountain,  where  he  was 
shown  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. 
The  best  commentators  are  agreed, 
that  no  miracle  was  here  wrought,  or 
illusion  practised  upon  the  vision  of 
Jesus,  but  that  he  was  shown  the  te- 
trarchies  of  Palestine,  and  some  of  the 
countries  bordering  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean. There  is  a  difference,  however, 
in  the  mode  of  explanation,  by  which 
this  sense  of  the  passage  is  obtained. 
Some  take  the  word  world,  in  the  re- 
stricted sense  which  it  has  in  Luke  2  : 
1 ;  Rom.  1  :  8  ;  4 :  13.  But  as  it  gene- 
rally refers  to  the  universe,  world,  earth, 
in  the  most  enlarged  sense,  it  is  better 
to  regard  it  as  used  here  hyperboli- 
cally.  Some  seek  to  shun  the  difficulty, 
by  supposing  that  in  imagination  the 
whole  world  lay  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. 
But  there  was  no  necessity  of  ascend- 


tain,  and  sheweth  him  all  the 
khigdoms  of  the  world,  and  the 
glory  of  them  ; 

9  And   saith    unto    him,    All 


ing  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  to 
enable  the  imagination  to  encircle  the 
whole  earth.  The  temptation  was  in- 
deed addressed  to  the  mind,  but  in 
view  of  the  panorama  of  countries, 
which  the  eye  of  Jesus  could  take  in 
at  a  glance.  These  portions  of  Pales- 
tine were  called  kingdoms,  because 
they  were  governed  by  ethnarchs 
with  Mngly  power.  71ie  glory  of  them, 
i.  e.  their  wealth, .resources,  and  power. 
All  these  things  will  I  give  thee. 
In  this  lay  the  temptation.  His  alle- 
giance to  Satan  was  to  be  rewarded 
with  temporal  power.  To  us  who  look 
upon  the  Redeemer  as  God-man,  the 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  this  temp- 
tation would  seem  to  be  ill  adapted  to 
entice  him  to  sin.  But  we  must  not 
forget  that  he  had  a  nature  like  ours, 
susceptible  of  like  emotions,  and  that 
it  was  to  this  nature  that  these  tempta- 
tions were  addressed.  It  is  another 
question,  which  cannot  be  satisfactorily 
answered,  to  what  extent  Satan  was 
acquainted  with  the  complex  nature  of 
Jesus.  It  is  enough  to  know  that  he 
regarded  him  as  capable  of  being 
tempted,  and  that  he  "  was  in  all  points 
tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin."  JFall  doivn  and  rvorship  me.  This 
does  not  refer  to  bodily  prostration, 
which  would  have  been  repulsive  in  its 
very  nature,  but  to  obedience,  vassal- 
age, of  which  bodily  homage  is  the 
symbol. 

10.  Jesus,  with  a  holy. indignation  at 
these  repeated  assaults  of  Satan  upon 
his  integrity,  now  commands  the 
tempter  to  be  gone.  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan,  i.  e.  begone,  away.  Luke 
says  that  "  when  the  devil  had  ended 
all  the  temptation,  he  departed  from 
him  for  a  season."  He  was  once  more 
to  return  (John  14:  30),  not  so  much 
to  assail  our  Lord  with  new  temptations, 
as  to  distress  him  as  for  as  he  had  power, 
and  to  stir  up  against  him  the  rage  and 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  30. 


these  things  will  I  give  thee,  if 
thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship 
me. 

10  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  him, 
Get  thee  hence,  Satan :  for  it  is 
written,  -'Thou  shalt  worship  the 

grDe.  6:13,  &  10:20;  Jos.  24:14;  1  Sa.  7:8. 

malice  of  wicked  men.  Satan,  a  word 
of  Hebrew  origin,  signifying  an  adver- 
sary. In  tlie  New  Testament,  the  ad- 
versary/, the  devil.  Thou  shalt  wor- 
ship, &c.  The  collocation  of  the  words 
in  the  original  is  more  emphatic : 
The  Lord  thy  God  shalt  thou  worship. 
The  quotation  is  from  Dent.  6:16,  in 
which  the  homage  asked  by  Satan  for 
himself,  is  declared  to  belong  only  to 
God.  The  future  tense  is  here  ex- 
pressive of  obligation,  a  sense  which  it 
not  unfrequently  has.  See  Rom.  6:15; 
1  Cor.  11  :  22. 

11.  Angels  came  and  ministered  unto 
him.  These  conflicts  with  the  adversary, 
together  with  his  long  fast,  must  have 
reduced  our  Savior  to  great  physical 
weakness.  But  angels  were  now  sent 
to  minister  unto  him.  With  what  rap- 
ture must  he  have  hailed  the  presence 
of  those  glorious  beings,  sent  by  his 
Father  to  sustain  and  comfort  him. 
Thus  God  often  manifests  his  loving 
kindness  unto  his  people,  by  granting 
them  the  clearest  tokens  of  his  presence 
and  love,  when  brought  out  of  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction,  in  which  he  has  seen 
fit  to  try  them. 

12.  A  considerable  interval  of  time 
is  here  passed  over  by  Matthew,  in 
which  our  Lord,  after  calling  Andrew, 
Peter,  Philip,  and  Nathanael,  went  forth 
into  Galilee  (John  1  :  40-51),  was  pres- 
ent at  the  marriage  in  Cana  (John  2  : 
12),  attended  the  passover  at  Jerusalem, 
and  drove  the  traders  from  the  temple 
(John  2  :  13-17),  discoursed  with  Nico- 
demus  (John  3  :  1-12),  remained  in 
Judea,  and  baptized  by  his  disciples 
(John  3  :  22),  and  after  a  while  returned 
to  Galilee,  on  hearing  that  John  had  been 
cast  into  prison.  This  journey  into 
Galilee  is  the  one  here  referred  to  by 
Matthew,  and  in  the  parallel  passages 


Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt 
thou  serve. 

11  Then  the  devil  leaveth  him, 
and  behold,  ^angels  came  and 
ministered  unto  him. 

12  ^  Now    when    Jesus    had 

A  He.  1 :  14         *  Ma.  1 :  14 ;  Lu.  3:  20,  &4: 14, 
31 ;  Jn.  4 :  43. 


in  Mark  1:14,  and  Luke  4:14.  The 
imprisonment  of  John  by  Herod,  ren- 
dered it  necessary  for  him  to  visit 
Galilee,  in  order  that  the  work  of  refor- 
mation might  not  cease  through  want 
of  laborers.  He  wished,  perhaps,  also, 
to  take  advantage  of  any  sympathetic 
excitement  in  John's  favor,  by  the  un- 
just persecution  of  Herod.  The  jealo'Usy 
of  the  Pharisees  in  respect  to  the  suc- 
cess of  Christ's  ministry  in  Judea,  may 
also  in  part  have  been  the  cause  of  his 
departure  from  that  region  (see  John 
4  :  1-3).  On  his  way  to  Galilee,  he 
passed  through  Samaria,  and  held  his 
discourse  with  the  woman  of  that  city 
(John  4  :  4-42),  and  thence  proceeded 
to  Cana,  of  Galilee,  where  he  healed  at 
a  word  the  nobleman's  son,  lying  sick 
at  Capernaum  (John  4 :  46-54).  From 
this  place  he  went  to  Nazareth  (Luke 
4  :  16-31),  at  which  point  in  the  history, 
Matthew  takes  up  the  narration.  It  is 
highly  necessary,  to  a  right  understand- 
ing of  many  incidents  in  our  Lord's 
history,  that  we  get  a  clear  and  connect- 
ed view  of  his  journeyings,  and  the  or- 
der of  events  in  his  ministry. 

13.  And  leaving  Nazareth.  In  Luke 
4:  16-31,  we  are  informed  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  visit  to  Nazareth,  and 
his  rejection  by  his  fellow  townsmen. 
Alford,  however,  thinks  that  this  visit 
to  Nazareth  took  place  some  time  pre- 
vious to  that  which  is  referred  to  in 
Luke.  But  there  is  an  abrupt  chasm 
in  Matthew,  which  can  be  filled  by 
nothing  better  than  Luke's  account  as 
above  referred  to,  and  the  internal  evi- 
dence is  therefore  very  clear,  that  the 
same  visit  is  referred  to  by  both  evan- 
gelists. And  dwelt  in  Capernaxmi. 
This  city  of  Galilee  was  situated  on  the 
western  shore  of  Lake  Tiberias,  on  the 
borders    of    Zebulon    and    Naphtali. 


A.  D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


29 


heard  that  John  was  ||cast  into 
prison,  he  departed  into  Galilee  ; 

13  And  leaving  Nazareth,  he 
came  and  dwelt  in  Capernaum, 
which  is  upon  the  sea-coast,  in 
the  borders  of  Zebulon  and 
Nephthalim : 

14  That  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the 
prophet,  saying, 

II  Or,  delivered  ^tp. 

Jesus  made  it  the  principal  place  of  his 
residence,  after  he  was  driven  from 
Nazareth.  Heuce  it  is  sometimes  called 
his  own  city  (9  :  1).  Upon  the  sea- 
coast.  The  lake  of  Tiberias  was  called 
also  the  sea  of  Galilee.  In  the  borders 
of  Zebulon  and  Nephthalini.  In  the 
original  division  of  the  land  by  Joshua, 
the  lot  of  these  two  tribes  fell  on  the 
western  and  north-western  borders  of 
this  lake.  The  slight  difference  in  or- 
thography between  these  and  some 
other  proper  names  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  results  from  their  differ- 
ence of  sound  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek, 
by  which,  in  transferring  them  from 
one  language  to  the  other,  the  orthog- 
raphy would  be  made  to  conform  with 
the  word  as  spoken. 

14-16.  Tliat  it  might  be  fulfilled,  &c. 
See  N.  on  1 :  22.  The  quotation  in  vs. 
15,  16  is  made  from  Isa.  9:1,2.  By 
recurring  to  the  original  prophecy,  it 
will  be  seen  that  after  a  reference  to 
the  desolation  brought  upon  the  land 
by  its  idolatry,  there  is  a  promise  of 
future  deliverance.  The  common 
translation  does  not  quite  give  the 
meaning  of  the  original,  which  is  this : 
"  But  the  gloom  shall  not  [always]  be 
so  oppressive  as  when  the  former  time 
(i.  e.  the  time  of  the  Assyrian  invasion) 
poured  contempt  upon  the  land  of  Zebu- 
lon and  the  land  of  Naphtali ;  for  the 
latter  time  shall  honor  the  sea-coast  (i. 
e.  the  country)  beyond  Jordan,  Galilee 
of  the  Gentiles.  The  people  that  walk 
in  darkness  shall  see  a  great  light ;  on 
those  who  live  in  the  valley  of  death- 
shade,  light  shall  brightly  shine."     In 


15  ^The  land  of  Zebulon,  and 
the  land  of  Nephthalim,  hy  the 
way  of  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan, 
Gralilee  of  the  Gentiles  ; 

16  'The  people  which  sat  in 
darkness,  saw  great  light ;  and 
to  them  which  sat  in  the  region 
and  shadow  of  death  light  is 
sprung  up. 

17  '"From  that   time  Jesus  be- 

k  Is.  9:1,2.       Z  Is.  42  :  T ;  Lu.  2 :  32. 
Ill  Ma.  1 :  14, 15. 


our  Savior's  appearance  in  Galilee,  and 
his  selection  of  that  region  as  the  chief 
theatre  of  his  ministry,  this  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  had  a  remarkable  fulfillment. 
Waij  of  the  sea,  i.  e.  the  country  around 
the  lake,  or  along  the  way  by  the  lake. 
Galilee  of  the  Gentiles,  so  called  from 
its  mixed  population  of  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, was  the  northern  portion  of  Gali-  ^ 
lee,  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  ex-  - 
ceedingly  debased  and  ignorant.  They  ' 
might  well  be  said  to  sit  in  great  dark- 
ness. The  expression  beyond  Jordan, 
does  not  necessarily  mean  here  the 
eastern  side  of  Jordan,  but  the  northern 
portions  of  the  land,  near  and  about 
the  sources  of  the  Jordan.  Shadoio  of 
death  is  put  here  figuratively  for  deepest 
gloom,  thickest  darkness,  like  that  in 
Hades,  the  abode  of  the  dead.  Moral 
darkness  is  of  course  referred  to,  and 
hence  the  antithetic  expression,  great 
light,  denotes  the  moral  illumination 
caused  by  the  appearance  and  preach- 
ings of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  light 
of  the  world  (John  1:9;  8:12).  Has 
sprtmg  up.  Has  arisen  like  the  sun  or 
one  of  the  heavenly  bodies  in  the  east. 

lY.  From  that  time,  &c.  Some  ex-  / 
plain  this  as  a  retrospective  or  recapi- 
tulary  remark,  referring,  a  little  out  of 
fts  natural  order,  to  the  departure  of 
Jesus  to  Galilee,  spoken  of  in  v.  12. 
But  it  is  perhaps  better  to  refer  it  to 
the  time  of  his  expulsion  from  Nazareth, 
and  settlement  at  Capernaum.  He  had 
before  this  time  preached,  but  not  in  so 
public  and  continuous  a  manner  as  af- 
terwards. His  ministry  in  Galilee  may 
be  dated  from  this,  as  the  time  of  its 


30 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  30. 


gan  to  preacli,  and  to  say,  "Re- 
pent :  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand. 

18  ^"And  Jesus,  walking  by 
the  sea  of  Galilee,  saw  two  breth- 

n  Ch.  8 :  2,  &  10 : 7.  o  Ma.  1 :  16, 17, 18 ;  Lu.  5 : 2. 

real  commencement.  J^or  the  hingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand.  See  N.  on  3  :  2. 
Jesus  had  now  begun  to  lay  the  founda- 
tion of  his  new  kingdom,  yet  it  was  not 
fully  established  until  he  rose  from  the 
dead  and  was  constituted  King  in  Zion 
(Ps.  2  :  6).  In  Mark  (1  :  15)  the  words 
"  believe  the  gospel,"  which  John's 
preaching  could  not  embrace,  are  add- 
ed. Jesus  Christ  was  the  lirst  mes- 
senger of  "  good  tidings  "  to  man,  the 
prophets  and  religious  teachers  of  for- 
mer times,  not  having  received  the 
promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar 
off'(Heb.  11  :  13),  and  preached  forgive- 
ness through  faith  in  Him  who  was 
yet  to  come. 

18-22.  Calling  of  Peter,  Andrew, 
James  and  John.  Mark  1 :  16-20  ;  Luke 
5  :  6-11. 

18.  And  Jestis  walked,  &c.  This  re- 
fers to  his  passing  from  place  to  place, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  ministry.  Accord- 
ing to  Luke  (5  :  1-11),  the  people  so 
pressed  upon  him  to  hear  the  word  of 
God,  that  he  was  obliged  to  enter  a 
fisherman's  boat,  and  aliove  a  little 
from  land,  in  order  to  be  able  to  ad- 
dress the  thronging  and  eager  multi- 
tude. After  his  address  was  ended,  he 
directed  Simon,  the  owner  of  the  boat, 
to  launch  out  into  the  deep  and  let 
down  his  nets  for  a  draught.  It  was 
on  the  occasion  of  this  miraculous 
draught  of  fishes,  that  Simon  with  his 
brother  Andrew,  and  James  and  John, 
his  partners,  at  the  call  of  Jesus,  for- 
sook their  employment  and  followed 
him  as  disciples.  It  will  be  seen,  by  a 
comparison  with  Luke,  that  there  is  no 
essential  difference  in  the  statements 
of  the  Evangelists.  Luke  gives  a  full 
account  of  the  circumstances  attending 
the  call  of  these  apostles,  while  Matthew 
and  Mark  confine  their  narration  to  the 
call  itself  Sen  of  Galilee.  See  N.  on 
V.  13.     Luke  (5:  l.)  calls  it  the  lake  of 


ren,  Simon  ''called  Peter,  and  An- 
drew his  brother,  casting  a  net 
into  the  sea :  for  they  were 
fishers. 

19  And  he  saith  unto   them, 

p  John  1 :  42. 

Gennesaret,  which  was  its  most  ancient 
name  (see  Numb.  84 :  11),  given  it 
from  the  small  territory  of  the  same 
name  on  its  western  borders,  the  chief 
town  of  which  was  a  fenced  city  (Josh. 
19  :  35).  Simon  called  Peter,  and  An- 
drew his  brother.  While  in  attendance 
upon  John's  ministry, these  two  brethren 
had  already  enjoyed  an  interview  with 
Jesus,  at  which  time  Simon  received 
from  him  the  name  Cephas,  a  Hebrew 
word  signifying  a  rock  or  stone,  to 
which  Peter  is  the  corresponding  Greek 
name.  After  this  brief  interview,  they 
seem  to  have  returned  to  Gahlee,  and 
remained  with  him  as  his  disciples 
(1  John  2:2,  11,  12),  but  probably  did 
not  accompany  him  to  Jerusalem  on  the 
occasion  of  his  first  passover  (John 
2  :  13).  Doddridge,  however,  thinks 
that  they  accompanied  him,  but  that 
from  prudential  motives,  arising  from 
the  jealousy  of  the  Pharisees  (John  4  : 
1),  and  Herod's  persecuting  spirit  (v.  12), 
he  had  thought  proper  to  dismiss  them 
for  a  time,  probably  while  he  tarried 
two  days  with  the  Samaritans  (John  4  : 
40).  Whatever  view  we  take,  they 
had  evidently  returned  to  their  former 
employment,  until  this  new  and  special 
call,  after  which  they  remained  in  con- 
stant attendance  upon  tlie  instructions 
of  Jesus.  Por  they  were  Jtshers.  The 
lake  of  Gennesaret  was  famed  for  the 
purity  of  its  water  and  the  abundance 
and  fine  flavor  of  its  fish.  Its  length 
from  north  to  south  is  about  twelve 
miles,  and  its  breadth  from  five  to 
seven  miles.  Lieut.  Lynch  reports  its 
greatest  ascertained  depth  at  165  feet. 
Its  capacity  was  therefore  sufficient  to 
supply  the  neighboring  towns  and  villa- 
ges with  fish,  and  to  furnish  constant 
employment  to  many,  who  pursued  the 
fisherman's  calhng  for  a  livelihood. 

19.    Follow   vie,    i.    e.   become    my 
discii^les.     Instruction  in  ancient  times 


A.  D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


31 


Follow  me,  and  ''  I  will  make  you 
fishers  of  men. 

20  'And  they  straightway  left 
their  nets,  and  followed  him. 

21  TAnd  going  on  from  thence, 
he  saw  other  two  brethren,  James 
the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his 

2  Lu.  5:10,11.     »•  Ma.  10:23;   Lu.  18:28. 

was  often  given  while  the  teacher  and 
his  disciples  were  walking  about.  In 
such  cases  the  former  walked  a  little 
in  advance  of  the  latter,  which  gave 
rise  to  the  phrase  follow  me,  as  indica- 
tive of  a  call  to  discipleship.  Fishers 
of  men.  In  Luke  (5  :  10),  thou  (i.  e. 
Simon)  shalt  catch  men.  Little  did  they 
understand,  at  that  time,  the  full  import 
of  this  expression.  In  subsequent  times, 
while  preaching  the  gospel,  they  doubt- 
less recurred  to  it,  and  saw  its  perti- 
nency and  force. 

20.  And  they  straightway  left  their 
nets.  A  beautiful  instance  of  prompti- 
tude in  obeying  Jesus.  Their  nets, 
which  had  hitherto  been  the  means  of 
their  hvelihood,  were  left  to  rot  on  the 
sand.  The  abundance  of  fish,  which 
the  miraculous  draught  had  given 
them,  remained  unsold.  They  only 
brought  their  ship  to  land,  and  then 
forsaking  all  followed  at  his  command 
their  Lord,  and  with  a  fidelity  and 
constancy  never  surpassed,  remained 
true  to  him,  amidst  persecutions,  re- 
proaches, imprisonments,  and  death 
itself. 

21,  22.  After  rendering  assistance  to 
their  companions  in  securing  the 
miraculous  draught  of  fishes,  it  seems 
that  James  and  John  returned  to  their 
own  station  or  place  of  anchorage,  and 
were  engaged  in  mending  their  nets, 
which  some  think  had  been  broken  in 
the  great  draught.  But  as  we  have  no 
evidence  that  any  net,  save  that  of 
Peter,  was  let  down  for  the  draught, 
it  is  better  to  refer  this  to  the  usual 
wear  and  tear  of  the  nets,  which  would 
require  some  attention  each  day.  Jesus, 
as  he  proceeded  a  little  distance  from 
Simon's  ship,  finds  these  brethren  with 
their  father  Zebedee  in  this  employ- 


brother,  in  a  ship  with  Zebedee 
their  father,  mending  their  nets  : 
and  he  called  them. 

22  And  they  immediately  left 
the  ship  and  their  father,  and 
followed  him. 

23  l^And  Jesus  went  about  all 

sMa.  1:19,  20;  Lu.  5:10. 

ment,  and  calls  them,  quite  likely,  in 
terms  similar  to  those  which  he  ad- 
dressed to  Peter.  With  a  Uke  spirit 
of  prompt  and  cheerful  obedience,  they 
left  the  ship  with  their  father  and  hired 
servants  (Mark  1  :  20),  and  followed 
him. 

23-25.  Jesus  makes  a  circuit  in 
Galilee. 

23.  And  Jesus  went  about,  &c.  In 
order  to  keep  the  thread  of  the  narra- 
tive unbroken,  we  must  turn  to  Mark 
and  Luke,  for  one  or  two  incidents, 
the  particular  mention  of  which  Mat- 
thew has  passed  over.  One  of  these  is 
the  heahng  of  the  demoniac  in  the 
synagogue  at  Capernaum  (Mark  1 :  21- 
28  ;  Luke  4  :  31-37).  Another  is  the 
cure  of  Peter's  wife's  mother  in  the 
same  city,  which  Matthew  out  of  its 
proper  order  has  narrated  in  8:  14—17. 
In  general  it  may  be  remarked,  that 
the  order  of  Mark  and  John  approaches 
the  nearest  to  that  which  is  strictly 
chronological,  and  therefore  these  wri- 
ters harmonize  in  the  main  with  each 
other.  Teaching  in  their  synagogues. 
The  pronoun  their  refers  to  the  inhabi- 
tants implied  in  the  word  Galilee.  A 
similar  construction  is  found  in  9  :  35  ; 
Luke  4  :  15,  &c. 

In  the  time  of  Christ,  there  was  no 
official  person,  who  answered  to  the. 
synagogue-preacher  of  more  modern 
times.  Any  one  might  read  the  sec- 
tion of  Scripture,  or  address  the  peo])le, 
if  respectable  for  learning  and  readi- 
ness of  speech.  Our  Lord  availed  him- 
self of  this  common  privilege,  to  in- 
struct the  people  in  things  pertaining 
to  the  kingdom  which  he  was  estab- 
lishing. As  it  respects  the  synagogues, 
they  seem  to  have  had  their  origin  in 
the  Babylonish  captivity,  when  it  be- 


32 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  30. 


Galilee,  'teaching  in  their  syna- 
gogues, and  preaching  "the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom,  ''and  healing  all 
manner  of  sickness,  and  all  man- 
ner of  disease  among  the  people. 

< Ch.  9 : 35;  Ma.  1 :  21,  89 ;  Lu.  4: 15,  44. 

came  necessary  to  have  places  of  meet- 
ing, and  persons  to  teach  from  the 
sacred  books,  in  order  to  perpetuate 
the  worship  of  Jehovah.  The  syna- 
gogues, in  the  time  of  our  Savior,  were 
all  built  with  a  court  and  porches.  In 
the  centre  of  the  court  was  a  chapel 
supported  by  four  columns,  in  which  on 
an  elevation  was  placed  the  book  of 
the  law.  The  uppermost  seats  in  the 
synagogue  deemed  especially  honorable, 
were  those  nearest  the  chapel  (23  :  6  ; 
James  2:3).  Gospel  of  the  kingdom, 
i.  e.  glad  tidings  respecting  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah.  At  first  our  Lord 
did  not  openly  claim  to  be  the  Christ, 
but  prepared  the  way  for  this,  by  recti- 
fying the  erroneous  views  entertained 
in  respect  to  the  character  and  mission 
of  that  personage.  In  the  light  of  his 
exposition  of  the  Messianic  prophecies, 
the  people,  by  comparing  his  character 
and  acts  with  those  of  the  Messiah  as 
foretold  in  the  Scriptures,  would  them- 
selves arrive  at  the  conclusion,  that  he 
could  be  none  other  than  the  person  pre- 
dicted and  so  long  expected  (see  11:2- 
6).  The  spiritual  nature  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  its  blessings  and  privileges, 
its  diffusive  and  moulding  influence, 
its  final  triumph,  glory  and  perpetuity, 
were  themes  doubtless  on  which  our 
Savior  descanted,  in  these  synagogue 
services  in  which  he  took  part.  All 
manner  of  sickness,  &c.  The  word 
translated  sickness  refers  to  fevers,  in- 
flammatory, diseases,  and  maladies  of 
that  kind.  The  word  disease  relates  to 
that  class  of  complaints  which  produce 
weakness  or  general  debility. 

24.  His  fame.  The  rumor  or  report 
of  his  wondrous  works.  All  Syria. 
Not  simply  the  region  bordering  on 
Palestine,  but  the  whole  country  bear- 
ing that  name.  Divers  diseases.  Various 
kinds  of  diseases,  all  sorts  of  sicknesses. 
Torments.     Reference   is  here   had  to 


24  And  his  fame  went  through- 
out all  Syria :  and  they  brought 
unto  him  all  sick  people  that 
were  taken  with  divers  diseases 
and   torments,  and    those   which 

wCh.  24:14;  Ma.  1:14.       a5Ma.l:34 

those  violent  and  incurable  diseases 
and  torturing  maladies,  with  which 
men  are  sometimes  afflicted.  Were 
possessed  with  devils  or  demons.  The 
word  demon,  in  the  original  Greek, 
means,  1.  Any  being  of  the  invisible 
world,  either  good  or  bad,  any  deity  or 
god  ;  2.  divinity  ;  3.  deified  fate,  fortune, 
either  good  or  bad  ;"  4.  souls  of  depar- 
ted heroes,  permitted  to  return  to 
earth  and  exert  an  influence  either 
good  or  bad  upon  men  ;  5.  fate,  fortune, 
chance  ;  6.  any  spirit  or  ghost.  The 
New  Testament  writers,  in  selecting 
from  the  Greek  language  a  word  to 
denote  spirits,  subordinate  to  Satan,  in 
the  sense  attached  to  demon,  could 
find  no  other  or  better  word  to  employ 
than  this.  As  they  used  theos,  which 
by  the  Greeks  was  applied  to  a  god  or 
deity  of  any  sort,  of  Jehovah  alone  the 
supreme  Lord  of  all,  so  they  used  the 
word  demon  in  the  restricted  sense  of 
an  adverse  or  evil  spirit.  If  they  wished 
to  express  this  notion  of  an  evil  spirit, 
and  who,  without  begging  the  question, 
can  deny  this,  they  had  no  other  word 
in  the  Greek  language  which  they 
could  so  appropriately  use  for  this  pur- 
pose. Tlieos  was  already  employed  to 
designate  the  true  God.  The  word 
diabolos,  devil,  is  the  corresponding 
Greek  word  for  the  Hebrew  sataii,  and 
was  used  in  the  New  Testament  of  the 
prince  of  the  fallen  spirits.  Angel,  from 
the  Greek  anggelos,  denotes  the  good 
spirits  who  are  messengers  and  minis- 
ters of  Jehovah.  There  was  no  word 
left  but  demon,  or  demouiori,  to  denote 
the  inferior  evil  spirits.  Farmer  and 
others,  who  deny  the  existence  of  de- 
mons and  demoniacal  influences,  .start 
with  the  false  assumption  that  this 
word  in  Greek  is  never  applied  to  in- 
ferior deities,  as  fallen  angels,  but  to 
the  spirits  of  such  as  had  once  been 
men  and  v>'ho,  being  advanced  to  the 


A.  D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


33 


were   possessed  with  devils,  and 
those    which    were    lunatic,    and 


rank  of  gods  and  demi-gods,  had  the 
power  of  entering  the  bodies  of  men, 
and  producing  frenzy  or  distraction. 
But  not  to  say  tliat  his  definition  of 
demon  is  incorrect,  if  it  were  true,  it 
would  furnish  no  more  proof  against 
the  sense  in  which  it  is  manifestly  used 
by  the  New  Testament  writers,  than 
the  acknowledged  fact  that  thcos  has  no 
such  use  in  the  Greek  language,  as  it 
has  in  the  New  Testament,  in  its  appli- 
cation to  the  Supreme  Jehovah.  Both 
words  are  employed  in  a  restricted  and 
modified  sense,  in  the  sacred  use  to 
which  they  have  been  transferred  by 
the  New  Testament  wi-iters.  The  idea, 
therefore,  that  the  evangehsts  employed 
this  word  in  accordance  with  the  super- 
stition of  the  times,  to  denote  a  violent 
disease,  caused  by  the  supposed  posses- 
sion of  some  departed  human  spirit,  is 
not  only  based  on  an  erroneous  defini- 
tion of  demon,  but  by  a  parity  of  reason- 
ing would  prove  that  in  the  use  of 
theos,  they  must  have  attached  to  it  the 
low  signification  which  it  had  as  ori- 
ginally used  by  the  idolatrous  Greeks. 
We  claim,  then,  that  the  evangelists 
used  tliff'Word  demon,  and  had  a  right 
so  to  do,  from  its  generic  signification 
in  Greek,  in  the  sense  of  veritable  evil 
spirits,  fallen  angels,  who,  for  wise 
reasons,  had  permission  to  enter  the 
bodies  of  many  persons  in  the  time 
of  Christ.  That  these  were  not  natural 
diseases  merely,  the  cure  of  which  con- 
stituted all  the  casting  out  or  ejection 
of  demons  there  was  in  the  case,  is  al- 
most too  evident  to  demand  proof. 
What  kind  of  disease  is  that  which  cries 
out,  "  what  have  we  to  do  with  thee, 
Jesus,  thou  Son  of  God  ?  Art  thou 
come  hither  to  torment  us  (i.  e.  the 
sickness  or  disease)  before  the  time  ?  " 
(8  :  :20).  Who  ever  heard  of  a  disorder 
that  begged  permission  to  enter,  and 
actually  did  enter  swine,  causing  the 
inmiediate  destruction  of  2,000  of  these 
animals  ?  How  was  it  that  the  misera- 
ble creatures,possessed  by  these  reniark- 
able  diseases,  were  so  much  in  advance 
of  those  in  the  enjoyment  of  health  and 
Vol.  I.— 2* 


those  that  had  the  palsy ;  and  he 
healed  them. 

a  sound  mind,  as  to  recognize  Jesus  as 
the  "  Son  of  God,"  and  "  Son  of  David  ? " 
The  idea  that  these  demons  were  only 
the  personifications  of  violent  disease's 
and  frenzy,  is  too  preposterous  for 
one  moment's  behef. 

This  is  a  subject  which  pertains  not 
to  the  province  of  reason,  but  only  to 
revelation.     We  may  argue   the  exist- 
ence of  a  Great  First  Cause,  from   the 
evidence   furnished   us  by  our  senses. 
"  The  invisible  things  of  him  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen, 
being  understood  by  the  things  which 
are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and 
Godhead."  Rom.  1  :  20.     Not  so  of  in- 
termediate beings.     The  knowledge  of 
their  existence  comes  to  us  from  i-eve- 
lation  only.     What  then  do  the  Scrip- 
tures teach  respecting  them  ?     No  one 
denies  that  the  existence  of  good  spirits, 
angels,  messengers  of  Jehovah,  is  clearly 
revealed  in  the  Bible.     Why  shall  we 
not  take  with  equal  readiness  of  assent, 
its  teachings   respecting  the  existence 
of  bad  spirits,  demons,  devils  ?     If  good 
angels  are  employed  by  our  Creator  in 
missions   of  benevolence  to  man,  why 
may  we  not  suppose  an  opposite  agency 
in  which  evil  spirits  are  employed  ?     If 
so,  may  not  this  agency  be  physical  as 
well  as   moral  ?     There    is   nothing  to 
forbid  this.     But    the    proof  is  to  be 
looked    for   wholly  in   revelation,  and 
there  we  conceive  it  to  be  ample  and 
clear  on  this  point.     The    agency    of 
Satan   in    afflicting  Job,   of  which  we 
should  have  been  wholly  ignorant,  had 
it  not  been  revealed  to  us — the  deliver- 
ing   of    an    erring    man    to    Satan,    at 
Paul's  direction,  for  the  destruction  of 
the  flesh,  that  his  soul  might  be  saved 
in  the  day  or  the  Lord  Jesus  (1  Cor.  5  : 
5) — the    words    of    Peter    respecting 
Christ's    healing    "all    that   were    op- 
pressed of  the  devil  "  (Acts  10  :  38)— 
and  what  our  Lord  himself  said  (Luke 
13:16),  "  ought  not  this  woman,  being 
a   daughter  of  Abraham,  whom  Satan 
hath   bound,  lo,  these  eighteen   years," 
&c.    all  show  that  a  physical   agency  is 
exerted  by  evil  spirits  upon  men.    This 


34 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


25  ^And  there  followed  him 
great  multitudes  of  people  from 
Gi-alilee,  and  from  Decapolis,  and 
from,  Jerusalem,  and  from  Ju- 
dea,  and  from  beyond  Jordan. 

y  Ma.  3 :  7. 


receives  accumulative  proof  from  the 
demoniacal  iiiilueuce  exerted  upon  the 
bodies  of  so  many  in  the  time  of  our 
Savior.  Their  physical  agency  is  in- 
deed restricted  within  proper  bounds 
and  limits.  Satan  could  do  no  more  to 
Job,  in  the  trial  of  his  integrity,  than 
he  was  permitted  to  do.  But  that  such 
a  physical  influence,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  is  exerted  by  evil  spirits,  no 
one  who  reads  and  believes  the  Bible 
can  deny. 

The  question  may  be  asked,  why 
there  were  so  many  demoniacal  posses- 
sions in  the  time  of  Christ,  and  none 
now  ?  To  answer  the  latter  part  of  the 
inquiry  first,  how  do  we  know  that  de- 
mons are  not,  at  the  present  time,  exert- 
ing their  fell  influence  upon  the  physi- 
cal condition  of  men  ?  Why  may  not 
those  strange  and  violent  maladies, 
which  we  sometimes  witness,  be  legiti- 
mately attributed  to  their  agency  ?  The 
knowledge  of  this  does  not  fall  within 
the  province  of  our  senses,  and  we  can 
only,  therefore,  indulge  in  a  conjecture 
of  its  truth.  But  whether  it  be  so  or 
not,  our  ignorance  on  the  subject  ren- 
ders any  argument  drawn  therefrom, 
either  for  or  against  the  existence  of 
demoniacal  agency  in  Christ's  time,  of 
no  force.  To  the  inquiry,  why  so 
many  were  possessed  with  evil  spirits 
in  his  day,  the  same  answer  may  be 
given,  as  to  the  question  why  Pharaoh 
was  raised- up,  "that  God  might  show 
his  power  in  him,  and  that  his  name 
might  be  declared  in  all  the  earth." 
Rom.  9  :  17.  It  was  to  show  forth  the 
power  of  our  Savior  in  destroying  the 
Avorks  of  the  devil,  and  to  illustrate 
and  attest  his   divine  mission. 

Lunatics ;  literally,  mooji-struck  per- 
sons. These  persons  were  afflicted 
with  epilepsy  or  insanity,  the  symptoms 
of  which  were  supposed  to  become 
more   aggravated    by   the    increasing  | 


CHAPTER  V. 

AND  seeing  the  multitudes,  "  he 
went  up  into  a  mountain, 
and  when  he  was  set,  his  disciples 
came  unto  him. 

a  Ma.  3: 13,  20. 

moon.  As  these  persons  were  not 
really  moon-struck,  an  argument  is 
sought  from  this  against  the  reality  of 
the  demoniacal  possessions  in  the  for- 
mer phrase.  But  the  cases  are  widely 
different.  It  is  one  thing  to  erroneous- 
ly attribute  a  disease  to  some  agency 
of  nature,  and  affix  to  it  a  name  which 
shall  remain  long  after  the  error  has 
been  exploded,  as  in  our  use  of  the 
word  lunatic,  and  quite  another,  to  call 
a  man  demon-possessed,  when  we  have 
the  sure  word  of  revelation,  that  he 
was  really  thus  possessed.  The  word 
of  God  is  true,  and  to  be  taken  with- 
out distrust  or  hesitation,  even  on 
points  to  us  wholly  mysterious.  When 
it  affirms  a  thing,  we  are  to  bow  with 
submission  to  its  authority,  and  leave 
the  mystery,  if  there  be  one,  to  be 
solved  in  the  mighty  future,  when  we 
shall  be  in  the  more  immediate  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  the  "  parts  of  hia 
ways"  shall  be  successively  made  known 
unto  us,  according  to  his  good  pleasure 
toward  us  in  Christ  Jesus.  Had  the 
palsy.  They  had  a  paralysis  of  the 
body  in  whole  or  part.  This  disease 
is  so  common  as  to  need  no  explana- 
tion. He  heeded  them.  An  instantaneous 
cure  of  all  these  varied  and  malignant 
diseases,  could  have  been  effected  by 
nothing  short  of  a  miraculous  agency. 
25.  J7iere  followed  him,  &c.  Some 
accompanied  him  from  place  to  place 
to  enjoy  his  instruction,  others,  doubt- 
less, to  gratify  their  curiosity  in  witness- 
ing his  wonderful  works.  Decapolis 
(literally,  Ten  cities),  a  district  lying 
principally  cast  of  Jordan  and  south  of 
the  lake  of  Tiberias.  It  embraced,  as 
its  name  imports,  ten  cities,  one  of 
which,  Scythopolis,  was  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Jordan.  Beyond  Jordan, 
i.  e.  Perea,  embracing  the  country  east 
of  Jordan,  between  the  rivers  Jabbok 
and  Arnon. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


35 


CHAPTERS  V.-VII. 

PRELIMINARY     REMARKS. 

These  chapters  contain  Christ's  dis- 
course to  his  disciples,  entitled  The 
Sermon  on  the  Mount.  The  time 
of  his  ministry  when  it  was  dehv- 
ered,  is  to  be  ascertained  by  the  settle- 
ment of  a  previous  question,  whether 
it  refers  to  the  same  discourse  given  in 
part  by  Luke,  6  :  20-49.  The  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  this  are  quite  conclu- 
sive, and  are  thus  given  by  Dr.  Robin- 
son in  his  Harmony  of  the  Gospels : 
"  1.  The  choice  of  the  Twelve  by  our 
Lord,  as  his  ministers  and  witnesses, 
furnished  an  appropriate  occasion  for 
this  public  declaration  respecting  the 
spiritual  nature  of  his  kingdom,  and 
the  life  and  character  required  of  those 
who  would  become  his  true  followers. 
Luke  expressly  assigns  this  as  the  occa- 
sion ;  and  although  Matthew  is  silent 
here  and  elsewhere  as  to  the  selection 
of  the  apostles,  yet  some  passages  of 
the  discourse,  as  reported  by  him, 
seem  to  presuppose  their  previous  ap- 
pointment as  teachers  (see  Matt.  5  : 
13,  14;  7  :  6).  2.  The  beginning  and 
the  end  of  both  discourses,  and  the 
general  course  of  thought  in  both,  ex- 
hibit an  entire  accordance  one  with 
the  other.  3.  The  historical  circum- 
stances which  follow  both  discourses 
are  the  same,  viz.  the  entrance  into 
Capernaum  and  the  heahng  of  the  Cen- 
turion's servant." 

No  valid  objection  can  be  made 
against  the  identity  of  these  two  dis- 
courses, from  the  fact  that  Luke  has 
reported  only  portions  of  what  Mat- 
thew has  given  in  full.  The  Evange- 
lists were  independent  writers.  Under 
the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they 
exercised  their  own  judgment,  in  re- 
spect to  the  'selection  and  order  of 
detail  in  the  hfe  and  discourses  of  our 
Savior.  The  circumstances  in  which 
Matthew  wrote,  addressed  as  his  gospel 
was  primarily  to  Hebrew  Christians, 
seemed  to  render  it  in  his  judgment 
desirable,  that  a  discourse  which 
brought  out  so  clearly  the  spirituality 
of  the  Mosaic  law,  and  its  claims  upon 


the  obedience  of  the  heart,  should  bo 
fully  related.  Luke,  on  the  contrary, 
writing  for  Gentile  Christians,  who  hud 
no  concern  with  the  Mosaic  ritual, 
brought  to  view  only  those  portions  of 
the  discourse,  which  referred  to  general 
duties,  as  love  to  enemies,  freedom 
from  censoriousness  in  judging  others, 
and  the  hke.  This  will  also  account 
for  some  sUght  additions  in  Luke,  to 
what  is  found  in  the  sermon,  as  given 
by  Matthew. 

If  it  may  then  be  assumed  as  a  fact, 
that  these  discourses  are  identical,  we 
must  obviously  follow  the  order  of 
Luke,  for  reasons  which  appear  in  the 
foregoing  quotation  from  Dr.  Robin- 
son. The  Savior  had  healed  the  leper 
(8  :  2-4),  the  paralytic  (9  :  2-8),  called 
Matthew  (9  :  9),  kept  his  second  pass- 
over,  at  Jerusalem  (John  5  :  1-47),  de- 
fended his  disciples  for  plucking  the 
ears  of  grain  on  the  Sabbath  (12  :  1-8), 
healed  the  withered  hand  (12  :  9-14), 
was  followed  by  multitudes  at  the 
sea  of  Tiberias  (12  :  15-21),  chose  the 
Twelve  (10  :  2-4).  This  last  act  was 
performed  upon  a  mountain  or  hill, 
upon  which  he  had  spent  the  whole  of 
the  previous  night  in  prayer  (Luke  6  : 
12).  After  he  had  chosen  the  Twelve, 
he  descended  with  them  into  the  plain, 
and  there  healed  many  from  among  the 
great  multitude,  that  had  gathered  to- 
gether from  all  quarters  awaiting  his 
descent  from  the  mountain.  As  they 
thronged  around  him  and  pressed  for- 
ward in  order  to  touch  him  (Luke  6  : 
19),  he  probably  ascended  some  emi- 
nence near  at  hand,  where,  as  upon  a 
kind  of  elevated  pulpit,  he  sat  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  those  times,  and 
addressed  his  disciples  in  the  hearing 
of  the  multitude. 

Having  thus  referred  Jjricfly  to  the 
order  of  events  and  the  circumstances 
attending  the  delivery  of  this  wonder- 
ful discourse,  it  seems  necessary  to  the 
right  understanding  of  it,  to  consider 
the  sermon  itself  before  taking  up  the 
parts  in  detail.  The  occasion  on  which 
it  was  delivered  justifies  us  in  regarding 
it  as  a  consecration  sermon,  on  the  choos- 
ing of  the  Twelve  to  the  oflice  of  apos- 
tleship.     It  was  particularly  addressed 


36 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


to  them,  and  on  the  very  day  in  which 
they  had  been  called  to  that  office.  It 
was  the  first  of  a  series  of  discourses, 
lectures, or  conversations,  by  which  the 
minds  of  his  disciples  were  gradually 
freed  from  the  prejudices,  errors,  and 
false  interpretations  of  the  Mosaic  law, 
so  universally  prevalent  at  that  time. 
The  spirituahty  of  that  law,  into  the 
interior  of  which  they  had  scarcely 
been  able  to  look,  in  consequence  of 
the  cumbrous  forms  and  ceremonies, 
which  vain  traditions  had  heaped  upon 
it,  our  Lord,  in  his  very  first  discourse 
after  calling  them  to  the  apostolical 
office,  brought  out  in  all  its  pui-ity  and 
binding  obligation.  Outward  obser- 
vance of  the  law,  unless  attended  with 
the  obedience  of  the  heart,  internal 
purity,  and  love  toward  all  men,  was 
declared  to  be  utterly  worthless — a 
Pharisaical  robe  of  righteousness,  which 
gave  no  claim  to  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. The  impossibility  of  keeping  a 
law  of  such  spirituality,  and  wide  domin- 
ion over  every  moral  act  and  emotion, 
was  brought  home  to  each  heart  by 
this  discourse,  with  a  pungency,  which 
must  have  wrung  from  many  an  audi- 
tor in  the  recesses  of  his  own  mind, 
the  inquiry,  what  shall  I  do  to  be  saved? 
They  were  taught  the  first  lesson, 
•which  must  be  learned  by  all  who  go 
to  Chi'ist  for  salvation,  viz.  the  worth- 
lessness,  in  the  sight  of  God,  of  their 
own  personal  righteousness.  This 
would  be  followed  naturally  by  the 
second  step  in  the  process  of  finding 
Christ,  a  perception  of  the  infinite  need 
of  just  such  a  Savior  as  is  provided  in 
the  gospel.  How  adapted  then  was 
this  discourse  to  prepare  the  way  for 
a  true  view  of  the  object  of  the  Mes- 
siah's advent,  and  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom.  What  light  broke  in  upon 
their  mind,  with  such  a  presentation  of 
the  nature  and  extent  of  the  divine 
law. 

The  question  is  not  nnfrequently 
asked,  Avhy  the  atonement,  justification, 
sanctification,  and  other  leading  doc- 
trines of  grace,  found  no  place  in  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount.  The  remarks 
already  made  furnish  an  answer  to  this 
question.     The  minds  of  his  auditors 


were  not  yet  prepared  to  receive  these 
truths.  Notwithstanding  all  the  in- 
structions of  their  Master,  the  apostles, 
previous  to  his  death,  had  very  imper- 
fect views  of  redemption  through  his 
blood.  The  idea  of  a  temporal  king- 
dom, to  the  high  offices  of  which  we 
often  find  them  aspiring,  seemed  to 
have  gotten  such  possession  of  their 
minds,  that  it  was  not  fully  removed, 
until  the  promised  descent  of  the  Spirit 
after  our  Lord's  ascension.  Christ 
expressly  said  that  he  had  many  things 
to  say  to  them,  which  they  could  not 
then  bear,  but  that  when  the  Spirit  of 
truth  was  come,  he  would  guide  them 
into  all  truth  (John  16  :  12,  13).  A 
gradual  removal  of  error,  and  induction 
into  correct  views  of  his  mission  and 
kingdom,  was  evidently  the  course 
adopted  by  Jesus  in  teaching  his  dis- 
ciples, and  with  the  wisdom  of  this  we 
have  no  reason  to  find  fault. 

But  why  did  he  not  preach  so  all- 
important  a  doctrine,  as  the  necessity 
of  regeneration  ?  He  did  do  this,  and 
with  tremendous  effect.  Who  could 
have  listened  to  his  exposition  of  the 
spirituality  and  extent  of  the  divine 
law,  and  not  felt  in  his  very  heart  of 
hearts,  that  he  needed  a  new  moral 
ffatiire']  that  his  depravity  was  so  deep 
and  permanent,  his  soul  so  polluted,  his 
heart  so  vile,  that  unless  he  was  renew- 
ed, he  could  never  expect  the  favor  of 
God.  The  doctrine  of  the  new  birth 
might  not  have  been  apprehended, 
in  its  technical  or  theological  aspects, 
by  them  as  by  us  now,  but  in  all  its 
essential  features,  it  was  forced  upon 
their  attention,  by  the  revelation  made 
to  them  of  the  spirituality  and  claims 
of  God's  law. 

CHAPTER  V. 

1.  Tlie  multitudes  who  awaited  his 
descent  from  the  mountain,  whither  he 
had  retired  to  pray,  and  to  choose  the 
Twelve  (see  Luke  6 :  17).  A  momitabi; 
literally,  the  mountain,  i.  e.  some  emi- 
nence belonging  to  the  mountain  from 
which  he  had  just  descended.  And 
when  he  was  set.  This  was  the  usual 
posture  in  which  instruction  was  given. 
His  disciples.     The  apostles  and  others 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


37 


2  And  he  opened  his  mouth, 
and  taught  them,  saying, 

3  '  Blessed  are  the  poor  in 
spirit  :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

&  Lu.  6 :  20.    See.  Ps.  51 :  IT ;  Pr.  16 :  19,  &  29  : 
2.3;  Is.  57:  15;  &66:2. 


who  had  attached  themselves  to  his 
ministry.  Came  unto  him.  Drew  near 
to  receive  instruction.  They  formed 
the  innermost  circle,  as  the  privileged 
friends  of  Jesus,  and  as  the  persons 
directly  to  be  addressed. 

2.  He  opened  his  mouth,  &c.  This  is 
not  a  pleonasm,  but  a  form  of  expression 
designed  to  show  the  solemnity  and  im- 
portance of  the  subject.  Taught  them, 
i.  e.  his  disciples. 

3.  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit. 
How  sti-angely  must  these  words,  so 
different  from  the  instructions  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  have  fallen  upon 
their  ears.  Some  translate  :  blessed  in 
spirit  (i.  e.  in  temper  or  disposition) 
are  the  poor.  This  is  evidently  errone- 
ous. Lowliness  and  meekness  of  spirit 
is  that  which  our  Lord  pronounces 
blessed,  and  this  he  does,  because  such 
persons  feel  their  need  of  the  gospel, 
and  are  ready  to  embrace  its  requisi- 
tions. The  idea  of  the  Romanists  and 
some  of  the  early  reformers,  that  phy- 
sical or  external  poverty  is  meant  by 
the  word  poor,  because  in  Luke  the 
words  in  spirit  are  omitted,  is  rendered 
untenable  by  the  evident  spirituality  of 
the  promise  both  in  Luke  and  Matthew, 
which  of  itself  indicates  the  spirituality 
of  that  to  wliich  the  beatitude  refers. 
JPor  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,!,  e. 
such  a  temper  as  is  here  implied  in  poor 
in  spirit,  is  the  temper  and  spirit  of 
those  who  are  to  possess  the  blessings 
of  che  Messiah's  reign.  The  phrase, 
"Kingdom  of  heaven,"  has  here  its 
widest  signification,  viz.  its  blessings 
and  privileges  on  earth,  and  eternal  feli- 
city in  the  world  to  come.   See  N.  on  3:  2. 

4.  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn.  It 
would  come  far  short  of  the  true  mean- 
ing, to  refer  this  to  mere  worldly  sorrow 
or  external  suffering,  arising  from  the 
poUtical  oppression  of  the  Jews  at  that 


4  "  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn : 
for  they  shall  be  comforted. 

5  ''  Blessed  are  the  meek :  for 
*  they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 


c  Is.  61 :  2,  3 ;  Ln.  6:21;   Jn.  16 :  20 ;  2  Co.  1 : 
7;  Ee.21:4.    cJPs.37:ll.    eSeeEo.4:13. 


period,  or  even  that  which  a  conver- 
sfbn  to  Cnristianity  brought  with  it  in 
times  of  persecution,  which  latter  was 
Augustine's  intei-pretation.  Luther  re- 
fers it  to  patient  endurance  as  an  ele- 
ment of  rehgious  character.  Earthly 
afflictions,  as  leading  to  higher  attain- 
ments in  holiness,  may  be  included  in 
the  mourning  here  spoken  of.  But  it 
evidently  refers  primarily,  if  not  exclu- 
sively, to  spiritual  sorrow,  in  view  of 
the  feelings  of  a  corrupt  sinful  nature. 
A  mourning  spirit  is  nearly  allied  to 
one  that  feels  its  impoverished  condi- 
tion, and  hence  this  beatitude  follows 
very  naturally  the  preceding  one.  For 
they  shall  be  comforted,  i.  e.  the  causes 
of  their  grief  shall  be  removed,  and 
springs  of  comfort  shall  be  opened  unto 
them.  This  beatitude  is  often  veri- 
fied in  the  experience  of  God's  children 
here  on  earth,  but  its  full  import  will 
not  be  reaUzed,  until  the  mourning  soul 
enjoys  the  rest  and  blessedness  of 
heaven. 

5.  The  meek.  Those  who  are  mild 
and  gentle,  who  can  bear  trials  and 
contradictions  without  betraying  a  pe- 
tulant and  resentful  spirit.  It  was  a 
characteristic  of  our  Savior,  that  when 
he  was  reviled,  he  reviled  not  again 
(1  Pet.  2  :  23).  They  are  blessed,  who 
imitate  his  patience  and  gentleness 
under  injuries  and  provocations.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  the  very  op- 
posite states  of  mind  and  heart  to  those 
here  inculcated  by  Christ,  were  strik- 
ingly characteristic  of  the  whole  Jew- 
ish nation  at  that  time.  They  were  a 
people  of  a  quick,  fiery  temper,  which 
was  goaded  to  more  than  its  natural 
violence,  by  the  intolerable  oppressions 
and  insults  heaped  upon  them  by  the 
Romans.  They  supposed,  also,  that 
under  the  Messiah's  reign,  a  bold,  mar- 
tial spirit  would   be   the   passport  to 


i 


38 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


6  Blessed  are  they  whicli   do 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness :  -^  for  they  shall  be  filled. 
/Is.  55:1,  &  65: 13.         grPs.  41:1;  Ch.  6:14; 


honor  and  distinction.  But  our  Lord 
here  tells  them  that  meekness,  patience, 
gentleness,  are  the  quaUties  of  heart 
which  must  be  possessed  by  those  who 
would  attain  to  eminence  and  bliss  in 
his  kingdom.  Shall  inherit  the  earfli 
(i.  e.  land).  This  language  is  founded 
upon  the  strong  feeling,  with  which 
the  ancient  Israelites  looked  forward 
to  Canaan  as  the  land  of  promise.  As 
this  was  to  be  the  place  of  rest,  after 
their  wanderings  in  the  wilderness,  it 
became  a  type  of  a  higher,  spiritual, 
enduring  rest  in  heaven.  See  Heb.  4 : 
8.  Thus  as  there  was  a  temporal  and 
spiritual  rest,  so  also  the  land  of  prom- 
ise, the  earthly  Canaan,  indicated  be- 
sides a  temporal  inheritance,  one  also 
which  was  spiritual,  heavenly.  This 
heavenly  possession,  of  which  the  pro- 
mised land  of  Canaan  was  a  type,  was 
declared  by  our  Savior  to  belong  to 
those  of  a  meek  and  lowly  disposition. 
How  strange  this  must  have  appeared 
to  those,  who  were  looking  for  earthly 
thrones  and  dignities  under  a  temporal, 
conquering  Messiah.  Tholuck,  in  his 
effort  to  harmonize  the  views  of  those 
who  refer  this  promise  to  an  earthly 
good,  with  theirs  who  refer  it  to  a  hea- 
venly inheritance,  thinks  that  Christ's 
promise  includes  also,  with  the  higher 
blessings,  the  triumph  of  the  pious 
over  their  enemies  in  the  present 
world.  But  a  spiritual  triumph,  (and 
none  other  can  be  intended,  since  tem- 
poral power  has  thus  far  been  general- 
ly in  possession  of  the  enemies  of  truth,) 
is  essentially  the  same  thing  as  the 
rewards  and  bliss  of  heaven,  being  a 
foretaste  of  the  final  victory,  which  is 
to  be  crowned  with  everlasting  blessed- 
ness. 

6.  Hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness. A  strong  metaphorical  expres- 
sion, showing  the  ardent  longing  of  the 
truly  pious  soul  after  righteousness. 
By  this  latter  expression  is  meant  piety 
towards  God,  vital  religion,  godliness. 


7  Blessed   are   the    merciful : 
'^  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 

8  '''  Blessed   are   the    pure    in 

Ma.ll:25;  2Ti.  1:1C;  He.  6:  10;  Ja.  2:13. 
h  Ps.  15 : 2,  &  24 ;  4 ;  He.  12 :  14. 


The  promise  to  such  is  that  they  shall 
be  filled.  The  same  figure  is  contin- 
ued from  the  former  clause.  By  a 
starving  man  nothing  is  accounted  of 
any  value,  in  comparison  with  that 
which  will  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hun- 
ger. How  rich  then  and  precious  the 
promise  to  such,  as  are  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  that  their 
spiritual  wants  shall  be  suppUed,  and 
that  they  shall  be  filled  with  that  for 
which  they  are  so  earnestly  longing. 

7.  Tfie  merciful.  Those  who  are 
actively  compassionate.  The  mere 
passive  quality  of  mercy,  inactive  and 
inoperative,  does  not  reach  the  full 
meaning  of  this  passage.  The  trans- 
lation might  well  be,  the  actively  bene- 
volent, not  exclusively  in  alms-giving, 
although  that  is  embraced  in  the  sense, 
but  generally  in  doing  all  iu  their 
power  to  promote  the  happiness  and 
welfare  of  others.  The  highest  type 
of  this  Christian  virtue,  is  found  in  that 
spirit  of  self-consecration,  which  sur- 
renders all  to  the  cause  of  the  Redeem- 
er, and  labors  with  unremitted  zeal  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  immortal  souls. 
Such  shall  obtain  mercy.  They  cared 
for  the  happiness  of  others,  their  own 
happiness  shall  be  cared  for  by  their 
Heavenly  Father. 

8.  Tlie  ■pure  in  heart.  This  was  op- 
posed to  the  hypocrisy  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees.  They  made  clean  the 
outside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  while 
their  inward  part  was  full  of  ravening 
and  wickedness  (Luke  11  :  39).  But 
Christ  demanded  purity  of  heart,  for 
when  the  heart  is  impure,  the  whole 
man  is  defiled  (15  :  18).  They  shall  see 
God.  In  Oriental  courts,  one  of  the 
highest  favors  conferred  upon  a  sub- 
ject, was  to  be  admitted  into  the  royal 
presence  (1  Kings.  1:8;  Prov.  22  : 
29).  2h  see  God  is  then  to  be  admit- 
ted into  his  favor,  to  enjoy  communion 
with  Ilim.  But  how  can  the  morally 
unclean  stand  before   Him,  in  whose 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


39 


heart :  for   '  they  shall  see  God. 

9  Blessed  are  the  peace-ma- 
kers :  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God. 

10  ''Blessed  are  they  which 
are  persecuted  for  righteousness' 
sake  :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 


i  1  Co.  13 :  12 ;  IJo.  3 : 2,  3. 
2Ti.  2:12;  lPe.3:14 


ki  Co.  4:17; 
;  Lu.  6 :  22. 


eyes  the  heavens  ai-e  impure  ?  Of  what 
use  iu  the  sight  of  Him  who  searcheth 
the  heart  and  trieth  the  I'eins  of  men, 
is  a  mere  profession,  an  outside  show 
of  piety?  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart, 
0  God,"  should  be  the  daily  and  earnest 
prayer  of  all  who  hope  to  see  his  face 
in  peace. 

9.  Tlie  peacemakers.  Reference  is 
had  here  not  only  to  those  who  strive 
to  reconcile  persons  at  variance,  but  to 
those,  also,  who  ai-e  disposed  to  peace 
themselves.  This  was  opposed  to  the 
notion  entertained  by  the  Jews,  that 
they  would  be  led  by  their  Messiah, 
through  a  series  of  successful  wars,  to 
victory  and  dominion.  Our  Lord  cuts 
them  off  from  all  such  views  of  his  mis- 
sion, by  pronouncing  those  blessed  who 
are  opposed  to  strife  and  contention. 
Shall  be  called  the  children  of  God,  i.  e. 
they  shall  be  the  objects  of  God's 
parental  care  ;  shall  be  like  him  in  the 
possession  of  his  peaceful,  heavenly 
temper.  See  Luke  20  :  36.  Our 
Savior  is  styled,  "  Prince  of  peace " 
(Isa.  9  :  6),  and  at  his  advent  the  hea- 
venly choir  proclaimed,  "  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  toward  men."  Luke 
2  :  14.  The  sons  of  peace  are  there- 
fore true  children  of  God,  from  their 
moral  resemblance  to  him  and  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ. 

10.  Persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake. 
The  word  persecution  comes  from  a 
Greek  word,  signifying  to  follow,  chase, 
pursue,  and  is  used  of  the  pursuit  of 
enemies,  wild  beasts,  game,  &c.  Hence 
it  came  naturally  to  signify  in  a  secon- 
dary sense,  to  pursue  with  evil  intent,  to 
vex,  harass,  destroy,  &c.  It  does  not  so 
much  refer  to  a  single  act,  as  a  series 


11  Blessed  are  ye  when  mfn 
shall  'revile  you,  and  persecute 
you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of 
'"  evil  against  you  f  falsely,  for  my 
sake. 

12  "  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding 
glad  :  for  great  is  your  reward  in 
heaven  :  for  °  so  persecuted  they 

»)!.  1  Pe.  4 :  14  t  Gr.  lyinff.  n  Lu.  6 :  23 ;  Ac.  5 : 
41:  Ro.§:3;  Ja  1:2;  IPe.  4:13.  oNe.9:  26; 
2ch.36:16;cb.  23:  34,37;  Ac.  T:  62;  ITh.  2: 15. 


of  acts,  develo  ping  a  malignant  purpose 
to  injure  the  person  pursued.  It  there- 
fore becomes  expressive  in  the  one 
thus  persecuted,  of  reproach,  ignominy, 
suffering.  But  it  must  be  endured /or 
riffhfcousncss'  sake,  to  secure  the  bless- 
ing promised.  Men  often  refer  to  the 
opposition  which  they  meet,  and  the 
persecutions  they  undergo,  as  a  proof 
of  their  rectitude.  But  this  in  itself 
is  no  proof  at  all.  The  opposition  must 
result  from  righteous  acts,  or  it  is  no 
evidence  of  the  favor  of  God.  But 
those  who  are  persecuted  for  righteous- 
ness' sake  are  good  men,  and  hence 
are  the  objects  of  God's  love,  and  heirs 
of  his  kingdom. 

11.  The  sentiment  of  the  preceding 
verse  is  continued  in  this.  It  will  be 
seen,  however,  that  the  preceding  beat- 
itudes are  of  general  reference,  while 
in  this  verse  the  disciples  are  particu- 
larly addressed.  We  are  cautioned 
here,  as  in  v.  10,  against  attaching  any 
praise  worthiness  to  persecution  or  re- 
viling in  themselves  considered,  by  the 
limiting  expression  for  my  sake,  at  the 
close  of  the  verse,  and  also  by  the 
word  falsely,  which  applies  in  sense  to 
all  the  words  expressive  of  persecution 
and  reproach.  There  is  nothing  mer- 
itorious in  suffering,  unless  endured 
through  devotion  to  truth  and  righteous- 
ness. All  manner  of  evil;  literally, 
evei-y  evil  word,  i.  e.  every  kind  of 
charge  or  accusation.  The  whole  pas- 
sage might  be  rendered:  shall  make  all 
kinds  of  false  charges  against  you.  That 
this  has  been  done  to  the  followers  of 
Christ,  the  history  of  the  Church  in 
every  age  abundantly  shows. 

12.  Eejoice,  and  be    exceeding  glad. 


40 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  31. 


the  prophets  which  were  before  you. 
13  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth  :  ■''  but  if  the  salt  have  lost 
its  savor,  wherewith  shall  it  be 
salted  ?  it  is  thenceforth  good  for 

i)  Ma.  9 :  50 ;  Lu.  14  :  Si,  35. 

In  Luke  "leap  for  joy."  A  highly  in- 
tensive expression.  The  sentiment  is : 
Be  not  disheartened,  when  thus  loaded 
with  obloquy  for  my  sake ;  but  exult  in 
persecution,  for  your  reward  shall  be 
proportionally  great  in  heaven.  It  was 
the  remembrance  of  these  words,  which 
sustained  the  Apostles  and  early  Chris- 
tians in  the  midst  of  their  trials  and 
persecutions,  and  caused  those  to  be  re- 
garded happy  who  obtained  the  crown  of 
martyrdom.  Heb.  10:  34;  James  1  :  2; 
Eev.  2  :  10.  The  reward  here  spoken 
of,  is  a  gift,  gratuity,  not  recompense 
in  the  way  of  hire  or  wages,  as  the 
word  literally  signifies.  In  heaven. 
There  is  the  place  of  reward.  On  earth 
suffering  must  be  expected.  Some  pre- 
fer the  spiritual  instead  of  local  sense : 
great  is  your  spiritual  or  heavenly  re- 
ward. But  the  one  sense  is  implied  in 
the  other,  and  I  therefore  prefer  to 
take  the  words  in  their  common  accep- 
tation. For  so  (i.  e.  thus  unjustly, 
persecuted  they  the  prophets,  &c.  This 
is  introduced  as  the  ground  of  their 
joy.  In  the  midst  of  trial,  they  were 
to  remember  that  they  were  sharing  in 
the  tribulation  of  the  ancient  prophets, 
and  in  like  manner  would  be  partakers 
with  them  of  their  reward  in  heaven. 
Moses,  Samuel,  Elijah,  Elisha,  Isaiah, 
Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Zechariah,  Amos, 
all,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  were 
subjects  of  persecution.  In  Heb.  12: 
36-38,  their  varied  forms  of  sufiering 
and  death  are  briefly  enumerated. 

13.  Ve  are  (to  be)  the  salt  of  the 
earth  (i.  e.  of  mankind).  This  metaphor 
is  founded  upon  the  well-known  season- 
ing and  preserving  properties  of  salt. 
The  human  family  are  sunk  in  the 
depths  of  moral  corruption,  and  ex- 
posed to  God's  righteous  displeasure. 
The  gospel  furnishes  the  only  remedy 
for  sin.  But  this  must  be  disseminated 
through  the  world,  by  those  who  have 


nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out,  and 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  of  men. 
14  !'Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world.  A  city  that  is  set  on  au 
hill  cannot  be  hid. 

gPr.  4:18;  Phi.  2  :  15. 

themselves  enjoyed  its  saving  power. 
Through  them  the  purifying  and  pre- 
sei'ving  influence  of  truth  must  pervade 
society.  They  are  to  act  upon  their 
fellow  men  in  a  moral  sense,  as  salt 
upon  the  physical  objects  to  which  it  is 
applied.  But  if  the  salt  have  lost  its 
savor  (i.  e.  become  tasteless,  insipid), 
wherewith  shall  it  be  salted,  i.  e.  by 
what  process  can  it  recover  its  quality 
of  saltness.  Salt  was  in  part  obtained 
from  pools  or  cavities  on  the  border's  of 
the  Dead  Sea,  from  which  the  water 
had  passed  off  by  evaporation.  The 
incrustation  of  salt  left  upon  the  earth, 
if  gathered  at  once,  was  good  and  use- 
ful, but  if  left  and  exposed  for  any 
length  of  time  to  the  sun,  lost  its 
strength,  and  became  tasteless.  This 
renders  intelligible  the  passage,  which, 
from  the  different  kind  of  salt  used  by 
us,  is  on  its  face  quite  obscure.  As 
the  salt,  in  the  condition  here  spoken 
of,  was  worthless,  and  only  fit  to  be 
cast  out,  and  trodden  under  foot,  so 
the  followers  of  Christ  may  become 
cold,  stupid,  and  formal,  and  manifest 
so  little  zeal  in  their  Master's  service, 
as  almost  wholly  to  lose  their  moral 
power  over  others,  and  thus  render 
themselves  worthless  in  the  great  en- 
terprise of  reforming  mankind.  Some 
think  that  the  reference  to  tasteless 
salt  is  merely  hypothetical,  and  that  no 
such  salt  ever  existed.  But  hypotheses, 
drawn  from  material  objects,  are  gener- 
ally based  on  actual  facts  or  occurren- 
ces, inasmuch  as  the  impression  is 
deeper  and  more  permanent,  than 
though  the  reference  was  to  something 
imaginary. 

14.  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
The  same  general  sentiment  is  here  ex- 
pressed under  a  varied  imagery.  As 
light  is  the  medium  through  which  ob- 
jects are  discerned  by  the  eye,  it  is 
used  figuratively,  to  denote  the  system 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


41 


15  Neither  do  men  'light  a 
candle,  and  put  it  under  a 
bui^hel,  but  on  a  candlestick ;  and 
it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in 
the  house. 

r  Ma.  4:21;  Lu.l8:16,  &11:83. 


of  moral  truth  contained  in  the  reveal- 
ed word  of  God.  We  speak  of  the 
light  of  revelation,  denoting  thereby 
the  evidence  which  the  Bible  furnishes 
of  the  existence  and  character  of  God, 
the  nature  of  his  government,  and  the 
relations  we  sustain  to  Him.  So  by  the 
liglit  of  nature,  is  meant  the  evidence 
thereby  furnished  of  an  intelligent,  all- 
powerful,  and  benevolent  Creator.  Now 
religious  teachers  are  moral  lights,  be- 
cause they  communicate  moral  truth, 
as  found  in  the  Word  of  God,  to  men. 
Christ  said  of  John  the  Baptist,  that 
v^  "  he  was  a  burning  and  shining  light " 
(John  5  :  35),  because  he  was  a  witness 
of  the  truth.  So  Jesus  himself  is  said 
to  be  "  the  true  light,  which  lighteth 
every  man  which  cometh  into  the 
world "  (John  1  :  9),  and  in  the  more 
highly  figurative  language  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  he  is  called  (Mai.  4:2)  "  the 
Son  of  righteousness,  which  shall  arise 
with  healing  in  his  wings,"  diffusing 
light  and  joy  throughout  his  new  moral 
creation.  In  a  subordinate  sense,  all  his 
followers  are  moral  lights.  They  are  to 
enforce  the  claims  of  God  upon  their 
fellow  men,  by  example,  precept,  and 
all  the  instrumentalities  which  they  can 
devise  to  further  this  great  object.  In 
this  sense,  they  are  the  light  of  the 
world,  and  occupy  a  position  of  such 
importance,  that  it  should  inspire  them 
with  untiring  zeal  and  activity,  as  long 
as  any  portion  of  the  world  is  without 
the  gospel,  or  souls  unconverted  to 
Christ.  A  city  that  is  set  upon  a  hill 
cannot  be  hid  (i.  e.  concealed).  This 
very  natural  and  apposite  simile, 
might  have  been  suggested  by  some 
city  or  village  in  sight,  to  which  our 
Lord  pointed,  as  he  uttered  these  words. 
Some, without  any  well  grounded  reason, 
think  that  it  was  Bethulia  to  which  he 
referred.     If  Hattin  was  the  hill  on 


16  Let  your  light  so  shine  be- 
fore men,  '  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works,  and  'glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

17  1"  Think    not    that    I   am 

fil  Pe.  2  :  12.        <  Jn.  15 :  8  ;   1  Co.  14  :  25. 
M  Eo.  3  :  21,  &  10  :  4;  Ga.  3  :  24. 

which  this  discourse  was  delivered, 
Howe  thinks  that  Safed,  situated  upon 
the  gently  rising,  but  high  hill,  north 
of  the  Lake,  may  well  be  supposed  to 
occupy  the  site  of  the  city  here  referred 
to.  The  cities  of  Judea,  as  well  as  of 
other  countries  in  ancient  times,  were 
built  mostly  upon  hiUs,  such  elevated 
situations  being  deemed  more  salubii- 
ous,  as  well  as  secure  from  the  sudden 
attack  of  enemies.  As  these  cities 
were  seen  at  a  great  distance,  and  could 
not  be  hid  by  surrounding  objects,  so 
Christ's  followers  would  be  looked  at 
with  the  closest  scrutiny  by  their  fellow 
men.  They  could  not  shun  the  obser- 
vation of  those  around  them,  and  this 
constituted  the  reason  for  the  direction 
given  in  v.  16. 

15.  The  argument  in  this  verse  is 
what  logicians  call  the  argumentmn  a 
fortiori,  i.  e.  a  reasoning  from  ihe  greater 
to  the  less.  If  men  are  never  guilty 
of  the  absurdity  of  placing  artificial 
lights  in  such  a  position  as  to  render 
them  useless,  much  more  should  those, 
who  arc  the  moral  lights  of  the  world, 
see  to  it  that  their  hght  is  not  concealed. 
The  word  translated  candle,  signifies 
any  portable  light,  as  a  lamp,  candle, 
lantern.  The  word  rendered  bushel, 
refers  to  a  Roman  measure,  holding 
nearly  a  peck.  It  is  here  the  represen- 
tative of  anything,  which,  placed  over 
a  light,  would  conceal  its  rays.  The 
original  Greek  takes  the  article,  the 
bushel,  because  it  was  a  well  known 
and  usual  measure  in  the  house.  ^  So 
the  following  word,  candlestick  (i.  e. 
lamp-stand),  has  the  article  in  the 
original  for  the  same  reason. 

16.  Let  your  light  so  shine.  Be  thus 
active  anddiligent  in  the  dissemination 
of  the  truth,  and  watchful  of  your  de- 
portment, that  your  zeal  and  blameless 
lives  may  incite  men  to  believe  in  the 


42 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


come  to  destroy  the  law,  or  the 
prophets  :  I  am  not  come  to  de- 
stroy, but  to  fulfil. 

18  For  verily,  I  say  unto  you. 


reality  of  the  religion  you  profess,  and 
thus  lead  them  to  consecrate  themselves 
to  the  service  of  God.  So,  i.  e.  in  like 
manner,  as  a  candle,  or  a  city,  in  their 
open,  appropriate  position.  Good  works 
are  here  spoken  of,  because  external 
deportment  is  the  only  means  by  which 
men  can  judge  of  character.  "  By 
their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  It  is 
assumed,  however,  that  these  "  good 
works  "  are  the  result  of  genuine  piety. 
Wliich  is  in  heaven.  See  N.  on  6  :  9. 
"  Thus  the  praise  and  glory  of  a  well- 
lighted  and  brilliant  feast  would  be 
given,  not  to  the  light,  but  to  the 
master  of  the  house  ;  and  of  a  stately 
city  on  a  hill,  not  to  the  buildings,  but 
to  those  who  built  them."  Alford.  It 
may  be  remarked  that  this  portion  of 
Christ's  discoui'se,  is  addressed  to  his 
followers  in  general,  and  not  exclusively 
to  those  who  are  ministers  of  his 
Word. 

17-20.  Having  shown  in  vs.  13-16  the 
conservative  and  illuminating  influence 
to  be  exerted  upon  men  by  his  follow- 
ers, our  Lord  proceeds  in  these  verses  to 
show  that  his  mission  is  not  to  abrogate, 
but  to  give  force  and  strength  to  the 
moral  law.  He  teaches  that  there  is 
no  difference  to  be  made  in  the  observ- 
ance of  what  has  been  erroneously  de- 
nominated great  and  small  commands, 
for  whosoever  should  give  permission  to 
violate  one  of  the  so-called  least  com- 
mandments, would  be  excluded  from 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  was  a 
blow  aimed  at  the  very  root  of  the 
false  teachings  of  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees. 

17.  I  am  come.  A  Messianic  form  of 
expression.  See  11:3;  Luke  7  :  19. 
To  desiroi/,  i.  e.  to  abrogate  its  claims. 
This  the  Pharisees  did  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, by  explaining  away  many  demands 
of  the  law,  and  substituting  their  vain 
traditions.  T9ie  law  and  the  jwophets. 
The  law  refers  to   the  five  books  of 


'"  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one 
jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise 
pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  ful- 
filled. 


w  Lu.  16  :  17. 


Moses  ;  the  prophets,  to  the  remain- 
der of  the  Old  Testament,  especially 
to  the  prophetical  and  devotional 
portions  (see  Acts  24  :  14).  The 
Psalms  and  Proverbs  were  included  in 
what  was  generally  denominated  the 
prophets,  although  in  Luke  24  :  24,  the 
Psalms  are  distinguished  from  the  pro- 
phetic books.  The  phrase,  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  refers  here  as  in  7  :  12  ; 
22  :  40;  Rom.  3  :  21,  to  the  moral  pre- 
cepts of  the  Old  Testament,  inasmuch 
as  the  words  in  v.  18,  until  all  be  ful- 
filled, cannot  be  referred  to  the  histor- 
ical portions,  and  the  parts  purely  pro- 
phetical are  not  here  the  subject  of 
the  discourse.  Nor  is  the  ceremonial 
law  here  referred  to.  How  our  Lord 
fulfilled  and  answered  the  ends  of  that, 
is  seen  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
chapters  VII-X.  /  am  not  come  to 
destroy,  btit  to  fulfill.  The  positive 
and  negative  form  of  assertions  gives 
emphasis  to  the  declaration.  To  fulfill, 
I.  e.  to  fill  out,  complete,  make  perfect, 
by  demanding  full  and  perfect  obedi- 
ence to  all  its  requirements.  With  this 
meaning  is  also  associated  the  idea  of 
teaching  truly  the  doctrines  and  pre- 
cepts of  the  law,  as  appears  from  v.  19. 
where  the  two  are  expressly  connected. 
18.  This  verse  is  confirmatory  of  the 
preceding.  Verily.  This  adverb  in 
Hebrew  usage,  stood  at  the  close  of  the 
sentence,  in  the  sense  o?  Amen,  so  let  it 
be.  In  its  transferred  use,  we  suffer  it 
to  remain  in  the  same  position,  i.  e.  at 
the  end  of  prayers  and  solemn  affirma- 
tions. But  our  Savior  often  employed 
it  at  the  begining  of  a  sentence,  con- 
taining some  weighty  truth  or  declara- 
tion. It  was  equivalent  to  his  saying, 
/  solemnly  affirm.  Sometimes,  to  im- 
part still  greater  emphasis,  he  repeated 
it,  verily,  verily.  So  at  the  close  of  a 
solemn  train  of  thought,  or  one  of  more 
than  usual  importance,  the  Hebrews 
would  say.  Amen  a^id  Amen.    See  Ps. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


43 


19  ""  Wliosoever  therefore  shall 
break  one  of  these  least  command- 
ments, and  shall  teach  men  so,  he 
shall  be  called  the  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven:   but  whoso- 

(B  Ja.  2 :  10. 


72  :  19.  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass, 
was  a  proverbial  expression  with  the 
Jews,  to  denote  that  a  thing  would  never 
take  place.  The  material,  visible  uni- 
verse was  to  them  an  image  of  perpetu- 
ity. One  jot  or  tittle.  The  first  of  these 
words  refers  to  the  smallest  letter  in 
the  Hebrew  alphabet,  called  yodh  [i], 
corresponding  to  the  Greek  letter  iota 
[j],  'English  jot,  and  was  applied  to  any 
thing  small  or  diminutive.  The  word 
tittle  is  thought  by  some  to  refer  to  the 
dot  or  point,  by  which  certain  Hebrew 
letters,  in  other  respects  alike,  are  dis- 
tinguished. But  perhaps  it  is  better  to 
take  it  in  the  more  literal  sense  of  the 
Greek  word  here  translated  tittle,  which 
means  a  little  horn,  and  refer  it  to  the 
fine  hair  stroke,  which,  as  a  sort  of 
flourish,  was  attached  to  certain  letters 
in  Hebrew  manuscripts.  The  express- 
ion is  intended  as  an  emphatic  declara- 
tion, that  no  portion  of  the  law  (here 
put  for  the  whole  Old  Testament, 
especially  its  moral  precepts,  see  N. 
on  V.  17),  would  be  abrogated,  until 
the  whole  shall  be  fulfilled,  i.  e.  until  all 
the  types  and  symbols  should  find  their 
fulfillment,  and  all  the  precepts  of  the 
law,  their  full  spii'itual  significancy. 
Alford  well  notices  the  honor  and  au- 
thority here  given  the  Old  Testament, 
in  contempt  and  setting  aside  of  which 
rationalism  has  always  begun. 

19,  20.  These  verses  contain  an  im- 
portant inference,  from  the  preceding 
declaration  of  the  perpetuity  and  bind- 
ing obligation  of  the  divine  law.  If 
any  one  should  teach,  that  any  part  of 
it  was  of  so  small  importance,  that  it 
might  be  broken  with  impunity,  or 
should  thus  violate  it  himself,  he  should 
suffer  exclusion  from  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Shall  break;  i.  e.  shall  regard 
as  of  no  binding  force.  This  does  not 
refer  to  the  coming  short  of  keeping 


ever  shall  do,  and  teach  them,  the 
same  shall  be  called  great  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

20  For  I  say  unto  you,  That 
except   your  righteousness   shall 


God's  law,  of  which  all  are  guilty,  and 
which  fills  the  pious  soul  with  sorrow 
and  contrition,  but  a  wanton,  wilful 
disregard  of  its  claims  for  the  reason 
here  given.  The  least,  i.  e.  those  appa- 
rently so,  or  considered  so  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  Jews,  as  our  Lord  admit- 
ted no  such  distinction.  Reference  is 
had  to  what  in  the  preceding  verse  is 
called  _;'o<  and  tittle.  He  shall  be  called 
least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In 
these  words  there  is  an  instance  of  the 
figure  of  speech  caWed  paro7iomasia,  i.  e. 
words  are  brought  together  of  similar 
sound,  but  dissimilar  sense  (see  N.  on 
20  :  16).  If  we  might  coin  for  the  piu-- 
pose  an  English  word,  we  would  trans- 
late :  Whosoever  therefore,  shall  break 
one  of  these  least  commandments,  he 
shall  be  leasted  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven," equivalent  to  saying  that  he  shall 
be  wholly  excluded  from  it.  The  anti- 
thetic expression,  great  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  which  follows,  must  not  then 
be  taken  as  denoting  grade  or  rank, 
but  a  full  and  free  entrance  (2  Pet.  1  : 
11)  into  that  kingdom.  The  general 
sentiment  is,  that  none  but  those,  who 
sincerely  strive  to  obey  God's  law  in  its 
spirit  as  well  as  in  letter,  shall  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  blessings  and  privileges 
of  the  Messianic  kingdom.  This  is  evi- 
dent from  V.  20,  which  is  confirmatory 
and  explanatory  of  what  is  here  couch- 
ed in  figurative  terms.  Except  your 
righteousness,  &c.  The  righteousness 
of  the  Pharisees  consisted  in  an  out- 
ward observance  of  a  mass  of  traditions, 
and  the  ceremonial  portions  of  the 
Mosaic  law.  But  they  hesitated  not 
themselves  to  break,  and  teach  others 
thus  to  do,  any  enactment  of  God, 
which  was  opposed  to  their  carnal  in- 
clinations. A  righteousness  far  differ- 
ent from  that  of  the  Pharisees,  is  taught 
by  our  Lord,  as  essential  to  be  possessed 


44 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


exceed  ^  the  righteousness  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in 

2/  Eo.  9  :  81,  &  10  :  3. 

by  all,  who  would  enter  into  his  king- 
dom. The  word  righteousness  is  here 
employed  in  the  sense  which  it  has  in 
vs.  6,  10,  and  it  is  not  implied  that  the 
Pharisees  possessed  it  in  the  least  de- 
gree, the  word  exceed  having  here  the 
sense  of  difference  in  kind,  rather  than 
of  degree. 

21-26.  As  an  illustration  of  the  Phari- 
saic interpretation  of  the  law,  regard- 
ing the  outward  act  only,  and  overlook- 
ing the  mental  state  which  gave  it  birth, 
our  Savior  now  refers  to  several  exam- 
ples. He  first  selects  one  which  falls 
under  the  sixth  commandment.  In  ex- 
posing the  erroneous  views  of  the  Phari- 
sees respecting  the  violation  of  this 
command,  he  inculcates  the  true  spirit 
and  sanction  of  God's  law. 

21.  By  them  of  old  time.  This  refers 
not  to  Moses  or  the  Old  Testament 
prophets,  but  to  the  ancient  expositors 
of  the  law.  They  were  the  authors  of 
the  Jewish  traditions.  TIiou  shalt  not 
kill.  This  was  referred  by  the  Jews  in 
Christ's  time  to  actual  murder  only. 
Shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment,  i.  e. 
liable  to  the  punishment  inflicted  by 
the  tribunal  here  referred  to,  which 
was  an  inferior  court  established  in  the 
cities  and  towns,  and  subordinate  to 
the  Sanhedrim  (Deut.  16  :  18).  It  con- 
sisted, according  to  Josephus,  of  seven 
judges,  or  as  the  Rabbins  say,  of 
twenty-three,  with  two  attendant  Le- 
vites.  This  tribunal  had  cognizance 
of  murder,  besides  inferior  crimes.  An 
appeal  could  be  taken  from  it  to  the 
Sanhedrim.  Shall  he  in  danger  of  the 
judgment  is  then  the  same  as  saying, 
shall  he  liahle  to  the  death-penaltg. 

22.  WJiosoeveris  angrg,  &c.  Our  Lord 
proceeds  to  give  quite  a  different  inter- 
pretation of  the  spirit  and  sanctions  of 
the  sixth  commandment.  Not  only  was 
the  ovei't  act  of  murder  forbidden,  but 
angry  feelings  indulged  without  cause 
toward  a  brother.  So  heinous  an  of- 
fence was  this  in  the  sight  of  God,  that 
whoever  was  guilty  of  it  was  obnoxious 


no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

21  TI  Ye   have   heard    that   it 


to  the  trial  and  punishment  for  murder. 
But  as  angry  thoughts  in  the  nature  of 
the  case,  could  be  punished  by  no 
human  tribunal,  inasmuch  as  no  judicial 
cognizance  could  be  taken  of  them, 
when  confined  to  the  bosom  of  him 
who  indulged  them,  the  tribunal  here 
referred  to,  must  be  of  a  spiritual 
nature,  or  in  other  words,  it  must  be 
the  bar  of  judgment,  where  God  will 
bring  every  secret  thought  to  light,  and 
where  the  spirit  and  temper  of  the 
mind  will  constitute  the  sole  ground  of 
acquittal  or  condemnation.  An  angry 
thought,  unrepented  of,  at  that  tribunal 
would  convict  a  man  of  murder,  and 
subject  him  to  a  spiritual  punishment, 
of  which  capital  punishment  in  human 
tribunals  might  be  regarded  as  a  type 
or  emblem.  So  1  John  3:  15,  "He 
that  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer." 
Brother,  i.  e.  fellow  man,  descended 
from  a  common  ancestor,  and  hence 
in  a  general  sense,  our  brother.  Christ 
used  this  term  of  near  relationship,  to 
give  emphasis  to  this  cogimon  bond, 
which  unites  us  all  together  in  one 
great  family.  Without  a  cause.  This 
teaches  that  anger  in  itself  is  not  sinful. 
Jesus  was  angry  at  the  Pharisees 
(Mark  3  :  5).  "  Be  angry  and  sin  not," 
was  an  injunction  of  Paul  (Eph.  4  :  26). 
It  is  right  to  be  angry  at  injustice,  op- 
pression, vice,  and  every  other  sort  of 
wickedness.  It  is  right  to  defend  our- 
selves from  unjust  assaults  either  upon 
our  persons,  property,  or  reputation, 
and  to  do  this  with  a  feeling  of  disap- 
probation of  the  sin,  so  strong  as  to 
amount  to  anger.  But  we  are  to  be 
extremely  careful  not  to  be  angry  with- 
out a  cause,  not  let  our  anger  be  lasting, 
or  turn  into  a  feehng  of  revenge  or 
hatred.  "  Let  not  the  sun  go  down 
upon  your  wrath,"  is  a  direction  to 
which  we  should  always  give  great 
heed.  TTie  judgment,  i.  e.  the  tribunal 
of  divine  justice.  Whosoever  shall  say 
to  his  brother,  Baca.  An  increased 
degree  of  criminaUty  is  here  indicated. 


A.  D.  31.]  CHAPTER  V. 

was  said  by  them  of  old  time, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  whoso- 
ever shall  kill,  shall  be  in  danger 
of  the  judgment  : 

22  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 
"  whosoever  is  angry  with  his  bro- 
ther without  a  cause,  shall  be  in 

sEx.  20:13;  De.  5:  IT. 
a  IJo.  8 :  15. 

The  causeless  anger  forbidden  in  the 
foregoing  clause,  is  represented  as  now- 
accompanied  with  intemperate  expres- 
sions. Haca,  thou  worthless  fellow, 
thou  rascal.  But  though  a  higher 
and  more  culpable  degree  of  anger  is 
referred  to,  yet  its  cognizance  does  not 
fall  within  the  province  of  human  tribu- 
nals, and  hence  the  crime  and  its  pun- 
ishment is  to  be  taken  in  a  spiritual 
sense.  Such  a  person  would  be  amen- 
able to  a  higher  court  and  one  which 
could  inflict  a  higher  punishment,  i.  e. 
death  attended  by  more  awful  circum- 
stances, such  as  stoning.  This  is  repre- 
sented here  by  the  council  or  Sanhe- 
drim, the  highest  tribunal  of  the  Jew- 
ish commonwealth.  See  N.  on  2  :  4. 
But  whosoever  shall  say,  Tlioufool.  The 
word  rendered  fool,  had  in  the  Hebrew 
usage  the  predominant  idea  of  impiety, 
atheism,  ungodliness.  Hence  it  became 
an  epithet  of  the  highest  opprobrium, 
and  to  call  a  man  thus,  was  to  charge 
him  with  one  of  the  highest  crimes.  As 
the  indulgence  of  anger  was  qualified 
by  the  words  without  a  cause,  so  here 
we  must  consider  our  Savior  to  assume, 
that  the  person  was  falsely  charged  with 
being  a  fool  or  an  atheist.  In  this  we 
have  an  exhibition  of  anger  of  deeper 
criminality,  inasmuch  as  it  charges  a 
man  unjustly  with  one  of  the  highest 
crimes.  This  constituted  a  graver  of- 
fence, for  which  the  body  of  the  culprit, 
after  execution,  was  to  be  cast  into  the 
Ge.he.nyia  of  fire.  This  was  the  unclean 
valley  of  Hinnom,  where  fires,  according 
to  some,  were  kept  continually  burning, 
to  consume  the  filth  and  garbage  there 
deposited ;  or  as  others  think,  called  the 
place  of  burning,  from  the  abominable 
rites    there    performed    by   idolatrous 


45 


danger  of  the  judgment  :  and 
whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother, 
'  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of 
the  council  :  but  whosoever  shall 
say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger 
of  hell-fire. 

23    Therefore,  "  if  thou  bring 

b  Ja.  2  :  20. 
c  ch.  8  :  4,  &  23  :  19. 

Jewish  kings,  such  as  the  burning  of 
infants  in  sacrifice  to  Moloch  (2  Kings. 
23  :  10  :  Jer.  7  :  31).  That  the  Hteral 
valley  of  Hinnom  is  not  here  referred 
to,  is  evident  from  the  well-known  fact, 
that  for  none  of  the  offences  here 
spoken  of  by  our  Lord,  did  the  Jewish 
courts  inflict  any  punishment.  They 
did  not  arrest  a  man  and  bring  him  be- 
fore an  inferior  court,  for  being  angry 
without  a  cause,  nor  before  the  Sanhe- 
drim, for  uttering  abusive  language, 
nor  did  they  cast  into  the  fire  of  Hinnom, 
the  body  of  one  after  his  execution, 
who  in  a  fit  of  passion  called  his  brother 
a  fool.  These  must  all  refer  to  punish- 
ments in  the  eternal  world,  to  be  inflict- 
ed on  those  who  violate  the  spirit  of 
the  great  command,  thou  shalt  not  kill. 
These  degrees  of  guilt,  all  punishable 
with  death,  but  in  different  modes,  one 
more  dreadful  than  another,  are  made 
to  symbolize  the  degrees  of  criminality 
which  shall  attach  to  those,  who  incur 
the  sentence  of  eternal  death  at  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ.  No  higher 
evidence  can  be  furnished  of  the  strict- 
ness of  God's  law,  and  the  awful  punish- 
ment which  awaits  the  transgressor  in 
the  eternal  world. 

23.  A  practical  inference  is  here 
drawn  from  the  foregoing  declaration 
of  our  Savior.  If  such  a  doom  awaits 
those  who  indulge  in  angry  feelings 
and  expressions,  what  care  should  lie 
exercised  against  giving  offence,  and 
also  to  remove  every  just  cause  of  com- 
plaint, which  any  one  may  have  against 
us.  Tlicrefore  if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to 
the  altar,  i.  e.  if  you  are  just  on  the 
point  of  laying  your  free  will  offering 
upon  the  altar.  Tliat  thy  brother  hath 
aught  against  thee,  i.  e.  that  you  have 


46 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there 
rememberest  that  thy  brother 
hath  aught  against  thee, 

24  '^  Leave  there  thy  gift  before 
the  altar,  and  go  thy  way ;  first 
be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and 
then  come  and  offer  thy  gift. 

25  'Agree  with  thine  adver- 
ts See  Job.  42  :  8;  ch.  18: 19;  1  Ti.  2 :  8;  1  Pe. 

S :  7.    e  Pr.  25  :  8;  Lu.  12 :  58,  59. 


injured  your  brother  in  any  manner. 
The  expression  is  remarkable,  as  not 
referring  to  what  complaints  we  have 
against  others,  but  what  complaints  we 
have  given  ground  for  them  to  make 
against  us. 

24.  Leave  there  thy  gift,  d'c.  Wait  not 
to  perform  the  duty  of  reconciliation 
after  the  sacrifice  is  finished.  It  may 
be  too  late.  Death  may  suddenly  over- 
take thee,  and  it  would  be  fiir  preferable 
to  appear  before  God  with  a  sacrifice 
imfinished,  than  with  a  conscience  bur- 
dened with  the  guilt  of  having  wronged 
a  brother.  Be  reconciled  to  thy  brother. 
In  the  language  of  Scripture,  the  one 
who  does  the  wrong  is  said  to  be  re- 
conciled, directly  the  reverse  of  our 
use  of  the  expression.  Our  Lord  here 
teaches  that  where  two  duties  conflict, 
or  rather  present  themselves  for  per- 
formance, the  lesser  is  to  yield  to  the 
greater,  and  that  relative  duties  take  pre- 
cedence of  those  which  are  devotional. 
The  sick  are  to  be  attended  to,  repara- 
tion for  wrong  to  be  made,  the  claims 
of  mercy  to  be  met,  even  though  we 
must  omit  in  consequence  some  devo- 
tional duty.  God  will  have  mercy  and 
not  sacrifice  (9  ;  13). 

25.  The  sentiment  of  this  and  the 
following  ■ferse,  is  closely  alUed  to  the 
preceding  context.  If  one  is  not  thus 
reconciled  to  his  brother,  he  may  ex- 
pect from  his  final  Judge,  a  doom  sim- 
ilar to  what  happened  to  a  delaying 
debtor.  Agree  [then]  quickly  with 
thine  adversary.  The  language  is  here 
borrowed  from  the  relations  subsisting 
between  a  debtor  and  creditor.  Agree, 
i.  e.  be  well  disposed,  be  on  good  terms. 


sary  quickly,  ^  while  thou  art  in 
the  way  with  him;  lest  at  any 
time  the  adversary  deliver  thee 
to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver 
thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be 
cast  into  prison. 

26  Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
Thou  shalt  by  no  means  come 
out  thence,  till  thou  hast  paid  the 
uttermost  farthing. 

/See  Ps.  32:6;  Is.  55:6. 


With  thine  adversary,  i.  e.  the  one  who 
has  complained  against  you ;  the  one 
whom  you  have  injured.  In  the  figu- 
rative language  here  employed,  thy 
creditor.  While  thou  art  in  the  way 
with  him,  i.  e.  going  with  him  to  the 
magistrate.  Stripped  of  its  metaphor : 
while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him  (i.  e. 
thy  ofiended  brother)  to  the  tribunal  of 
God.  Lest  at  any  time  which  suits  his 
pleasure  or  inconvenience.  To  the  judge 
to  whose  tribunal  thou  art  on  thy  way, 
and  the  judge  [having  pronounced  sen- 
tence against  thee]  deliver  thee  to  the 
officer.  The  decrees  of  magistrates  were 
executed  by  officers  in  attendance,  an- 
swering quite  well  to  our  sheriff's  or 
constables.  Cast  into  prison,  i.  e.  kept 
in  custody  until  the  payment  of  the 
debt. 

26.  TTiou  shalt  by  no  means  come  out 
thence,  d'c.  The  Jewish  law  in  respect 
to  debtors  was  very  stringent.  They 
not  only  shut  up  in  prison  insolvent 
debtors,  but  sometimes  punished  them 
with  stripes,  and  other  corporal  punish- 
ments (see  18  :  28-34).  Tlie  uttermost 
farthing.  As  we  say,  the  last  penny. 
The  piece  of  money  here  spoken  of, 
was  a  small  brass  coin,  not  quite  equal 
to  two-fifths  of  a  cent.  It  is  used  here 
to  represent  the  completeness  of  pay- 
ment demanded  as  a  release  from  pri- 
son. The  signification  of  this  meta- 
phorical passage,  in  the  light  of  the 
preceding  context,  is  very  clear.  They 
who,  in  the  way  here  referred  to,  violate 
the  spirit  of  the  great  command,  "  thou 
shalt  not  kill,"  unless  they  quickly  re- 
press their  angry  feelings,  and  make 
reparation  to   those  whom  they  have 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


47 


27  H  Ye  have  heard  that  it 
was  said  by  them  of  old  time, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tei'y : 

28  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 
whosoever  *  looketh  on  a  woman 
to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed 

a  Ex.  20: 14:   De.  5  :  18.        h  Job.  31 : 1;  Pr. 
6:25;  see  Ge.  34:2;  2  Sa.  11 :  2. 


injured,  will  fall  under  the  divine  con- 
demnation, and  suifer  interminable 
punishment  in  the  world  to  come. 
We  cannot  with  Doddridge  and  others, 
refer  vs.  25,  26,  to  the  mere  duty  of 
paying  one's  debts,  in  order  to  avoid 
suits-at-law.  It  has  a  higher  and  more 
significant  sense,  although  it  may  well 
be  said  to  include  the  duty  of  prompt 
payment  of  lawful  dues.  Nor  can  we 
refer  it,  except  by  way  of  accommoda- 
tion, to  the  duty  of  immediate  repent- 
ance and  reconciliation  with  God,  which 
it  is  thought  by  so  many  to  directly 
enforce.  The  context  restricts  it  to  the 
duty  of  observing  the  high  spiritual  re- 
quisitions of  the  sixth  commandment, 
and  the  prompt  reparation  of  wrong 
done  to  any  of  our  fellow  beings.  The 
eternal  sanctions  of  God's  law  are  also 
brought  out  with  a  force,  such  as  they 
have  in  but  few  other  passages  in  God's 
word. 

27-32.  Having  thus  explained  the 
spirit  and  sanctions  of  the  sixth  com- 
mandment, our  Lord  proceeds  to  a 
similar  elucidation  of  the  seventh.  The 
Pharisees  taught  that  the  violation  of 
this  commandment  consisted  only  in 
the  external  act.  The  object  of  Christ 
was  to  disabuse  his  auditors  of  this  er- 
roneous view.  Keeping  this  in  mind, 
there  will  be  little  difficulty  in  under- 
standing this  part  of  his  discourse. 

27.  Tliou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 
These  are  the  words  of  the  original 
command,  but  explained  by  the  tradi- 
tional expounders,  referred  to  in  the 
phrase,  "  them  of  old  time,"  as  applying 
only  to  the  overt  act.  This  is  evident 
from  the  different  view  which  Jesus 
took  of  its  violation. 

28.  Our  Lord  in  this  verse  prohibits 


adultery  with  her  already  in  his 
heart. 

29  '  And  if  thy  right  eye  ||  of- 
fend thee,  *  pluck  it  out,  and  cast 
it  from  thee  :  for  it  is  profitable 
for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members 
should  perish,  and  not    that  thy 

i  Ch.  18  :  S,  9 ;  Ma.  9  :  43-4T.  il  Or,  do  cause 
thee  to  offend.  k  See  ch.  19  :  12 ;  Eo.  8  : 
13 ;  1  Co.  9  :  27 ;  Col.  8 :  5. 


every  thing  which  tends  to  inflame  or 
pollute  the  imagination,  or  incite  wan- 
ton desires.  To  lust  after  her,  i.  e.  in  or- 
der to  feed  his  lustful  desires.  This  de- 
notes the  purpose  of  the  unlawful  gaze 
here  forbidden.  Adultery  tuith  her  al- 
ready in  his  heart.  By  an  application 
of  the  principles  laid  down  by  Christ  in 
relation  to  the  sixth  commandment, 
which  placed  unwarranted  anger  and 
intemperate  expressions  under  the  ban 
of  God's  holy  displeasure,  we  may  infer 
that  adultery  in  the  heart  is  such  a  vio- 
lation of  the  seventh  commandment, 
that  it  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  of- 
fensive to  Him,  as  the  grossest  acts  of 
uncleanness.  The  spirit  of  this  com- 
mand sternly  opposes  all  irregular  de- 
sires, all  loose  and  licentious  conversa- 
tion, all  provocations  to  sensuality, 
through  whatever  sense  addressed  to 
the  mind. 

29.  The  importance  of  gaining  a  su- 
premacy over  all  the  passions,  is  here 
urged  and  enforced.  The  most  im- 
portant and  highly  prized  members  of 
the  body  are  to  be  parted  with,  if  their 
retention  shall  lead  to  the  commission 
of  this  sin.  The  right  eye  is  to  be 
plucked  out  and  cast  away,  if  it  offend, 
that  is,  if  it  proves  a  stumbling-block  or 
furnishes  occasion  to  sin.  "  If  it 
ensnare  thee."  Schmucker.  For  it  is 
profitable  to  thee  (see  N.  on  18  :  8).  It 
is  for  thy  temporal  and  eternal  interests, 
to  thus  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body, 
and  practise  the  self-'denial  here  re- 
ferred to.  TTiy  whole  body.  Although 
the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  here  im- 
plied, yet  it  is  not,  as  some  suppose, 
directly  taught.  The  word  body  is  used 
here  instead  of  soul,  for  the  sake  of 
conformity  with  eye,  in  the  preceding 


48 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


whole  body  should  be  cast  into 
hell. 

30  And  if  thy  right  hand  of- 
fend thee,  cut  it  oflF,  and  cast  it 
from  thee  :  for  it  is  profitable  for 
thee  that  one  of  thy  members 
should  perish,  and  not  that  thy 

member  of  the  sentence.  Hell;  literally, 
Gehenna,  the  place  of  punishment  in  the 
invisible  world.  Nothing  is  more  com- 
mon than  to  employ  familiar  objects,  to 
designate  things  with  which  we  are  less 
acquainted.  Especially  is  this  true  of 
things  pertaining  to  the  unseen  world. 
The  blessedness  of  heaven  is  set  forth 
under  imagery,  drawn  from  things 
around  us  and  palpable  to  our  senses. 
The  saints  in  glory  inhabit  a  city,  they 
wear  crowns,  sweep  golden  harps,  are 
clothed  in  white  raiment,  sit  on  thrones, 
sing  songs  of  praise.  A  representation 
of  that  which  is  unseen  and  eternal, 
could  not  in  human  language  be  other- 
wise made.  So  in  speaking  of  the  pun- 
ishments and  woe  of  the  lost,  the 
sacred  writers  were  obhged  to  use 
metaphorical  language  drawn  from 
well  known  objects  of  sense.  They  se- 
lected Gehenna,  derived  from  two  He- 
brew words  signifying  the  valley  of 
Hinnom,  to  denote  the  place  of  future 
punishment.  The  reason  is  quite  ob- 
vious. This  valley  had  been  the  scene 
of  the  abominable  idolatries  of  the 
ancient  Israelites.  Into  the  arms  of  a 
gigantic  image  of  Moloch,  heated  by 
fire  applied  to  the  hollow  recess  be- 
neath, the  children  of  these  vile  idol- 
aters were  thrown  and  consumed.  It 
was  also  called  Tophet,  from  a  Hebrew 
word  signifying  drums,  because  these 
were  beaten,  to  drown  the  cries  of  the 
children  thus  immolated.  Other  rites 
equally  bloody,  were  celebrated  in 
this  place.  The  pious  Israelites,  on 
their  return  from  Babylon,  held  this 
valley  in  such  abhorrence,  that  they 
cut  down  its  pleasant  groves,  and  con- 
verted it  into  a  receptacle  for  all  the 
filth  and  garbage  of  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  said  also  that  fires  were 
kept  constantly  burning,  to  consume 
the   dead  carcasses    thrown  there,   in 


whole  body  should  be  cast  into  hell. 
31  It  hath  been  said, '  Whoso- 
ever shall  put  away  his  wife,  let 
him  give  her  a  writing  of  divorce- 
ment : 

Z  De.  24 : 1 ;  Ja.  3 : 1 ;  see  ch.  19 :  3,  &o ;  Ma. 
10:2,  &c. 

order  to  avoid  the  contagion,  which 
would  otherwise  produce  pestilence. 
It  will  be  seen  from  this,  that  no  name, 
more  suitable  to  designate  the  abode 
of  lost  souls,  could  be  employed  than 
Gehenna,  the  name  of  this  abominable 
valley.  It  was  a  place  of  pollution,  and 
was  an  expressive  symbol  of  the  place, 
where  dwell  with  wicked  spirits,  those 
who  are  polluted  with  sin.  That  it  is 
used  here  of  the  place  of  future  punish- 
ment, there  can  be  no  doubt,  for  the 
nature  of  the  offence  here  spoken  of, 
viz.  lustful  emotions  and  desires,  does 
not  come  within  the  class  of  civil  mis- 
demeanors, and  a  casting  out  of  the 
offender  into  the  literal  valley  of  Hin- 
nom, is  wholly  out  of  the  question. 
Even  if  the  nature  of  the  offence  did 
not  compel  us  to  depart  from  the  literal 
signification,  the  idea  that  the  loss  of 
an  eye  would  prevent  one's  body  from 
being  thrown  into  the  valley  of  Hin- 
nom, being  in  its  literal  application  so 
absurd,  we  should  be  obhged  to  search 
for  some  higher  and  more  spiritual  sig- 
nification of  the  passage.  Dr.  Jahn 
says  that  "  the  word  Gehenna  is  used  in 
this  way  (viz.  for  the  place  of  punish- 
ment beyond  the  grave)  very  frequently 
in  Oriental  writers,  as  far  as  India." 

30.  If  thy  right  hand,  &c.  The  right 
hand  is  selected,  for  the  same  reason 
as  the  right  eye,  because  it  was  one  of 
the  most  important  members  of  the 
body.  The  repetition  of  the  idea  under 
this  varied  form,  gives  it  great  empha- 
sis. The  general  sentiment  is  that  we 
are  to  practise  the  most  rigid  self-denial, 
and  suffer  the  most  painful  privations, 
rather  than  to  permit  the  mind  to  be- 
come polluted  with  unchaste  thoughts 
and  desires. 

31.  Under  this  general  topic,  our 
Lord  proceeds  to  give  a  true  exposition 
of  the  law  relating  to  divorces,  which 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


49 


32  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 
"•■whosoever  shall  put  away  his 
wife,  saving  for  the  cause  of  forni- 

«i  Ch.  19 : 9 ;  Lu.  16 :  18 ;  Eo.  7 :  3 ;  1  Co.  7 :  10,11. 


had  become  much  abused,  by  the  great 
latitude  it  gave,  as  expounded  by  the 
Pharii^ees.  It  hath  been  said.  Reference 
is  had  to  Deut.  24  :  1.  Whosoeiier  shall 
put  awat)  his  wife.,  &c.  This  statute  of 
Moses  was  so  interpreted  by  Jews  of  a 
later  age,  as  to  permit  a  divorce  for  the 
most  trivial  reason.  This  was  particu- 
larly true  of  the  school  of  Hillel.  Their 
mistake  resulted  from  confounding  the 
moral  and  civil  law.  In  the  latter, 
Moses,  for  reasons  growing  out  of  the 
obstinacy  and  hardheartedness  of  the 
people,  for  whom  he  legislated,  gave  a 
latitude  in  respect  to  divorces,  which 
he  doubtless  intended  should  be  check- 
ed by  the  higher  authority  of  the  moral 
law,  one  of  the  fundamental  ideas  of 
which,  love  to  our  fellow  men,  required 
that  the  rights  of  the  woman  should  be 
regarded,  as  well  as  those  of  the  man. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  school  of  Sham- 
mai,  by  explaining  the  word  rendered 
uncleanness  in  Deut.  24  :  1,  to  mean 
actual  adultery,  contended  that  no 
license  was  given  by  Moses  for  a  divorce, 
except  for  the  reason  there  given.  But 
the  word  uncleanness.,  in  the  passage 
quoted,  must  be  taken  in  a  ceremonial 
rather  than  in  a  moral  sense,  and  we 
must  believe  that  Moses  permitted 
divorce  for  other  reasons,  and  justify 
him  in  so  doing,  by  referring  this  civil 
enactment  to  the  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  for  this  we  have  the  authority 
of  our  Lord  himself  in  19  :  8  ;  Mark 
10  :  5. 

32.  Saving  for  the  cause  of  fornication. 
Our  Lord  here  declares  in  positive  terms, 
that  for  no  other  reason  than  the  one 
here  given,  can  a  divorce  be  lawfully 
granted.  How  opposed  to  this  divine 
rule  are  the  enactments  of  many  of  our 
state  legislatures,  in  legalizing  so  many 
grounds  of  divorce,  some  of  which  are 
qiiite  trivial.  It  is  thought  with  good 
reason  by  Prof.  Stuart  and  others,  that 
Paul  (1  Cor.  7  :  15)  added  another 
ground  of  lawful  divorce,  wilful  and 
Vol.  I.— 3 


cation,  causeth  her  to  commit 
adultery :  and  whosoever  shall 
marry  her  that  is  divorced,  com- 
mitteth  adultery. 

persistent  desertion.  Causeth  her  to 
commit  adultery.  These  words  are  not 
to  be  forced  to  their  most  absoliate  and 
unqualified  sense.  This  idea  is  that 
divorced  persons,  especially  in  Oriental 
countries,  are  so  exposed  to  temptation 
by  the  degradation  of  their  social  posi- 
tion, that  in  a  great  majority  of  instan- 
ces, they  fall  into  the  sin  referred  to, 
and  thus  may  be  said  to  be  caused  to 
commit  adultery  by  those  who  put  them 
away.  In  the  searching  light  of  Christ's 
instructions,  all  sins  may  be  traced  to 
their  primary  source.  A  dreadful  train 
of  evil  is  oftentimes  found  to  follow  an 
act,  which  through  custom  or  bad  legis- 
lation, is  regarded  far  otherwise  than 
blameworthy.  Whosoever  shall  marry, 
&c.  According  to  our  Lord's  exposi- 
tion, unless  she  was  divorced  for  the 
crime  of  adultery,  she  was  still  the  wife 
of  the  one  who  put  her  away,  and  there- 
fore whoever  married  her  committed 
adultery,  as  marrying  another  man's 
wife.  This  does  not  therefore  refer  to 
one  who  is  lawfully  divorced.  Such 
a  person  has  the  same  right  to 
contract  a  second  marriage,  as  though 
she  had  never  before  been  married. 
What  a  flood  of  light  is  thrown  upon 
the  nature  and  obligations  of  the  mar- 
riage covenant,  by  these  words  of  our 
Savior.  What  new  and  exalted  views 
of  God's  law  must  have  been  imparted 
to  his  auditors,  as  they  listened  to  these 
disclosures  of  its  spirituality,  extent,  and 
power. 

33-37.  Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to 
descant  upon  the  nature  of  oaths,  and  to 
rebuke  the  Jewish  practice  of  confirming 
even  the  most  trivial  statements,  by  an 
oath,  considered  more  or  less  binding, 
according  to  the  dignity  or  value  of  the 
person  or  thing  named  in  the  oatli.  The 
subject  of  judicial  oaths  is  not  here 
touched  upon,  and  they  are  therefore 
in  an  error,  who  draw  from  this  passage 
any  prohibition  of  an  oath  before  a 
court  of  justice,   or  any  lawful  judica- 


50 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


33  ^  Again,  ye  have  lieard 
that  "  it  hath  been  said  by  them 
of  old  time,  "  Thou  shalt  not  for- 
swear thyself,  but  ^  shalt  perform 
unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths  : 

3-4  But  I  say  unto  you,  *  Swear 
not  at  all :  neither  by  heaven  ;  for 
it  is  '  Grod's  throne  : 

OTCh.23:16.        oEx.20:7;  Le.l9:12; 
Nu.  80:2;  De.  5:11. 

tory.  Nor  is  profanity  the  sin  against 
which  our  Savior  inveighs.  The  object 
in  general  was  to  show  the  obligations 
imposed  by  the  ninth  commandment  to 
speak  the  truth  on  every  subject,  and 
to  rebuke  the  habit  of  taking  an  oath 
on  every  trifling  occasion,  and  making 
such  a  distinction  in  these  oaths,  that 
some  were  regarded  of  binding  force, 
and  others  not.  As  the  Jews  consider- 
ed a  violation  of  the  sixth  and  seventh 
commandments,  to  consist  only  in  the 
overt  act  of  killing  or  committing  adul- 
tery, so  in  respect  to  the  ninth,  they 
considered  its  violation  to  consist  only 
in  swearing  falsely  by  the  name  of  God. 
They  thought  it  no  harm  to  utter  an  un- 
truth, and  even  to  confirm  it  by  an 
oath,  provided  that  this  oath  was  not 
made  in  the  name  of  Jehovah.  It  is 
necessary  to  keep  this  in  view,  in  order 
to  interpret  rightly  this  portion  of 
Christ's  discourse,  which  has  suffered 
strange  perversions  from  those  who  are 
opposed  to  judicial  oaths,  and  oftentimes 
been  misunderstood  by  sincere  inqui- 
rers after  truth. 

3.3.  Ar/ain,  ye  have  heard,  &c.  Refer- 
ence is  had  to  Levit.  9  :  12;  Deut.  23:23. 
Forswear  thyself\  i.  e.  swear  falsely  or  per- 
jure thyself.  But  shalt  perform  unto 
the  Lord  thine  oaths,  i.  e.  such  oaths 
as  were  taken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
All  other  oaths  with  them  imposed  no 
additional  obligation  to  speak  the  truth. 
Their  views  of  its  being  a  religious  duty 
to  perform  unto  the  Lord  their  oaths 
and  vows  were  correct.  But  they  had 
so  frittered  the  obligation  away,  that  its 
force  was  well  nigh  destroyed.  This  is 
evident  from  the  following  context,  in 
which  our  Savior  rectifies  their  theory 
and  practice. 


35  Nor  by  the  earth  ;  for  it  is 
his  footstool :  neither  by  Jerusa- 
lem ;  for  it  is  '  the  city  of  the 
great  king : 

36  Neither  shalt  thou  swear 
by  thy  head,  because  thou  canst 
not  make  one  hair  white  or 
black. 

p  De.  28 :  28.    q  Ch.  23 :  16, 18,  22 ;  Ja.  5 :  12. 
r  Is.  66  : 1.       s  Ps.  48 :  2,  &  87 :  3. 

34.  Swear  not  at  all,  as  you  are  in  the 
habit  of  doing  in  your  common  conver- 
sations and  on  every  occasion.  Such  is 
evidently  the  point  of  the  prohibition. 
It  has  no  reference  to  judicial  oaths, 
but  to  conversational  oaths  indulged  in 
as  above  referred  to.  Neither  by  heaven  ; 
for  it  is  God's  throne.  There  is  nothing 
by  which  one  can  swear,  that  is  not 
virtually  the  same  as  God's  name,  since 
all  things  belong  to  Him.  Heaven  is 
said  to  be  God's  throne,  because  there 
he  especially  dwells,  and  manifests  Him- 
self as  sovereign  of  the  universe. 

35.  For  it  is  his  footstool ;  literally, 
the  footstool  of  his  feet.     In  accordance 

with  human  language  and  customs, 
God  is  regarded  as  sitting  on  his  throne 
in  heaven,  and  resting  his  feet  upon  the 
earth.  See  Acts  7  :  49.  By  Jerusalem  ; 
literally,  towards  Jerusalem,  the  person 
taking  this  oath  being  supposed  to  turn 
and  look  towards  the  city.  For  it  is  the 
city  of  the  great  King.  Jerusalem  was 
called  God's  city,  because  there  was  his 
temple,  with  the  ordinances  pertaining 
to  his  worship. 

36.  By  thy  head.  This  was  a  very 
common  form  in  which  oaths  were 
taken  in  the  East,  and  the  custom  has 
continued  to  the  present  day.  Canst 
not  make,  &c.  This  shows  the  entire 
ownership  which  God  has  in  men.  They 
cannot  change  the  form  of  their  bodies, 
not  even  to  determining  the  color  of 
a  single  hair.  An  oath  by  one's  head 
or  beard,  is  made  therefore  by  that 
which  belongs  wholly  and  exclusively 
to  God,  and  is  substantially  the  same, 
as  though  made  in  his  name.  All  such 
oaths  are  of  solemn  import,  and  should 
not  be  employed  or  broken,  as  though 
of  no  moment. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


51 


37  '  But  let  your  communica- 
tion be,  Yea,  yea  ;  Nay,  nay  :  for 
■whatsoever  is  more  than  these 
Cometh  of  evil. 

<Col.4:6;  Ja.  5:12. 

37.  But  let  your  cotmnnnication  he 
yea^yea ;  nay^nay.  James  (5  :  12),  with 
his  eye  turned  on  this  direction  of  our 
Lord,  savs  :  "  let  your  yea  be  yea ;  and 
your  nay,  nay,"  i.  e.  when  you  have 
affirmed  or  denied  a  thing,  abide  by 
what  you  have  said,  and  seek  not  to 
add  to  its  claim  for  belief,  by  an  oath. 
A  simple  assertion  or  denial  of  a  thing, 
made  in  strict  accordance  with  truth, 
is  what  is  here  taught  by  Christ.  For 
7vhatsoever,  &c.  Any  attempt  by  these 
oaths  to  give  emphasis  or  credibility  to 
what  you  have  said,  is  sinful,  and  espe- 
cially so,  when  joined  to  statements 
known  to  be  false.  Such  appears  clear- 
ly to  be  the  meaning  of  this  passage,  so 
long  held  in  dispute.  Truthfulness,  as 
taught  in  the  ninth  commandment,  is 
the  great  duty  inculcated,  and  with  it  a 
prohibition  of  what  may  be  called  con- 
versational oaths,  or  such  as  are  used  in 
ordinary  intercourse,  to  give  point  or 
emphasis  to  things  asserted  or  denied. 
Judicial  oaths,  are  manifestly  not  for- 
bidden in  this  passage,  since,  as  Alford 
well  remarks,  they  are  not  inconsistent 
with  the  example  of  God  himself  (Heb. 
6  :  13-17  ;  7  :  21),  nor  of  our  Lord 
when  on  earth,  whose  "verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,"  was  a  solemn  assevera- 
tion, and  who  at  once  respected  the 
adjuration  of  Caiaphas  (26  :  63,  64); 
nor  of  his  apostles,  writing  under  the 
guidance  of  his  Spirit  (Gal.  1  :  20  ;  2 
Cor.  1  :  23  ;  Rom.  1:9;  Phil.  1  :  8  ;  1 
Cor.  15:  31);  nor  of  his  holy  angels 
(Rev.  10  :  6).  Neither  does  the  prohi- 
bition to  swear  not  at  all,  refer  other 
than  indirectly  to  profane  swearing, 
which  is  a  violation  of  the  third  rather 
than  of  the  ninth  commandment.  The 
word  rendered  evil,  may  by  the  pre- 
sence of  the  article  in  the  original,  be 
rendered  the  evil  one,  or  the  evil  in  man's 
corrupt  nature. 

38—12.  The  spirit  of  retaliation  and 
revenge,  from  a  false  interpretation  of 


38  1  Ye  have  heard  that  it 
hath  been  said,  "  An  eye  for  an 
eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth. 

M  Ex.  21:24;  Le.  24:20;  De.l9:21. 


the  lex  talionis,  or  law  of  retaliation,  as 
laid  down  by  Moses,  is  in  these  verses 
rebuked  by  our  Savior.  This  law  was 
a  part  of  the  civil  code,  and  constituted 
the  way  in  which  compensation  was  to 
be  made  for  injuries  done  to  one's  per- 
son or  property.  It  was  never  to  ex- 
ceed the  original  injury,  and  its  execu- 
tion could  be  prevented  by  a  timely  repa- 
ration of  the  wrong,  or  by  any  arrange- 
ment satisfactory  to  the  aggrieved 
party.  No  one  could  take  this  mode 
of  redress  into  his  own  hands.  It  was 
to  be  determined  by  a  legal  tribunal. 
In  early  and  ruder  times  this  was  the 
most  simple,  natural,  and  effective  way 
of  preventing  crime,  although  it  has  in 
most  countries  long  been  superseded  by 
milder  forms  and  modes  of  legal  proce- 
dure. In  the  time  of  our  Savior,  this 
reasonable  law,  as  the  state  of  society 
originally  was,  had  given  occasion  for  a 
spirit  of  retaliation  and  revenge,  wholly 
at  war  with  every  precept  of  love  and 
compassion.  It  was  considered  per- 
fectly justifiable  for  any  one,  who  con- 
sidered himself  aggrieved,  to  take  the 
law  into  his  own  hands,  and  retaliate 
upon  the  aggressor  any  amount  of  in- 
jury he  should  deem  proper.  It  is  with 
a  particular  eye  to  this  state  of  things, 
that  we  are  to  interpret  the  strong  and 
striking  language  made  use  of  by  our 
Lord  in  the  passage  before  us.  The 
principle  oi  non-resistanee  is  not  here  to 
be  found  at  all.  Nor  arc  we  taught  a 
passive  endurance  of  what  is  manifestly 
unjust.  The  simple  design  of  Christ  is 
to  prohibit  a  revengeful  spirit  of  retalia- 
tion, and  to  teach  his  followers  to  suffer 
rather  than  to  do  wrong. 

38.  An  eye  for  an  eye.  {\.  e.  Xhow  shalt 
give  an  eve  for  an  eve).  A  judicial 
formula  found  in  Ex.  21  :  24;  Deut.  Ill: 
21,  in  the  latter  passage  with  the  addi- 
tional words  :  "hand  for  hand,  foot  for 
foot."  It  will  be  seen  in  these  refer- 
ences, that  the  statute  belonged  to  the 


52 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


39  But  I  say  unto  you,  ''  That 
ye  resist  not  evil :  ^  but  whoso- 
ever shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right 
cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also. 

40  And  if  any    man  will  sue 

X  Pr.  20  :  22,  &  24:  29 ;  Lu.  6 :  29 :  Eo.  12  :  17, 
19;  lOo.  6:  T;  1  Tb.  5:15;  IPe.  8:9.  yls. 
50:6;  La.  3:30. 

civil  and  not  to  the  moral  law.  Contro- 
versies which  came  under  it,  were  to  be 
decided  by  judges,  and  no  ope  could 
anticipate  the  regular  operation  of  the 
law,  or  decide  his  own  case  through  a 
spirit  of  private  revenge.  As  it  respects 
punishment  by  mutilation  of  certain 
members  of  the  body,  it  was  practised 
not  only  by  the  ancient  Israelites,  but 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent  by  all  the 
nations  of  antiquity.  Xenophon  says, 
that  on  the  route  pursued  by  Cyrus  the 
Younger,  from  Sardis  to  Babylon,  it 
was  not  uncommon  to  find  along  the 
public  roads,  men  deprived  of  their 
feet,  hands,  or  eyes,  as  a  punishment 
for  crime.  As  Moses  laid  down  the 
principle  rather  than  the  mode  of  pun- 
ishment, it  may  fairly  be  presumed 
that  the  judges  would  often  devise 
some  way  by  which  the  ends  of  justice  \ 
might  be  met,  and  some  milder  punish-  ^ 
ment  inflicted,  especially  if  the  criminal 
could  plead  some  mitigating  circum- 
stances attending  his  commission  of  the 
crime.  i 

39.  That  ye  reaist  not  evil.  By  evil 
is  here  meant  personal  injury,  and  not 
moral  evil,  which  all  are  bound  to  re- 
sist. In  view  of  the  general  scope  of  the 
passage,  it  is  clear  that  the  thing  here 
forbidden,  is  a  spirit  of  retaliation  and 
revenge.  Those,  however,  who  take 
words  out  of  their  logical  connection, 
and  demand  the  literal  signification  of 
every  phrase,  against  the  laws  of  sound 
interpretation,  as  well  as  of  common 
sense,  regard  this  passage  as  teaching 
in  the  most  absolute  terms  the  duty  of 
non-resistance.  But  such  persons  are 
very  slow  to  obey  the  letter  of  v.  40, 
which  they  should  do,  to  be  consistent 
with  their  own  principles  of  interpreta- 
tion. Our  Savior  employed  strong  and 
unqualified  language  to  rebuke  the 
spirit  of  revenge,  to  which  the  perver- 


thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away 
thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak 
also. 

41  And  whosoever  'shall  com- 
pel thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him 
twain. 

sCh.  27:82;  Ma.  15:21. 

sion  of  the  Mosaic  law  of  retaliation 
had  given  rise.  The  whole  passage, 
stripped  of  its  figurative  dress,  is  simply 
this  in  sense :  Be  wilUng  rather  to 
suffer  injustice,  than  to  manifest  a 
quick,  passionate,  revengeful  spirit  of 
retaliation.  Had  this  patient,  enduring 
spirit  been  manifested  more  fully  and 
uniformly  by  Christ's  followers,  many  a. 
disgraceful  scene  of  contention  would 
have  been  avoided,  and  many  a  church 
rent  by  dissensions,  would  have  been 
blessed  with  the  spirit  of  harmony  and 
love.  But  whosoever  shall  smite  thee, 
&c.  A  proverbial  expression,  strongly 
setting  forth  the  duty  of  curbing  the 
spirit  of  retaliation,  which  sudden  and 
unprovoked  injuries  would  be  likely  to 
excite.  Compare  Isa.  50  :  6,  where,  in 
prophetic  language,  the  Messiah  is  said 
to  give  his  back  to  the  smiters,  and  his 
cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off"  the 
hair.  His  patient  and  unresisting  spirit 
under  contumely  and  suffering,  is  set 
forth  in  these  words,  for  we  are  not  to 
interpret  them,  as  though  our  Savior 
of  his  own  accord  presented  his  body 
to  receive  cruel  and  ignominious  blows 
(see  Lam.  3  :  30).  We  are  not  for- 
bidden in  this  passage,  to  defend  our- 
selves from  unlawful  attempts  upon  our 
persons  or  property.  Paul's  temper 
was  in  sympathy  with  that  of  Christ,  as 
much  so  probably  as  that  of  any  one 
who  has  lived,  and  yet  he  defended  his 
rights  with  great  spirit,  when  they  had 
been  unjustlv  assailed.  Compare  Acts 
16  :  37  ;  23  :  3  ;  25  :  10,  11.  The 
danger,  however,  lies  not  so  much  in 
this  quarter,  as  in  the  opposite  one  of 
betraying  too  hasty  a  spirit  of  retalia- 
tion and  revenge,  and  hence  upon  this 
falls  the  whole  weight  of  our  Lord's 
prohibition. 

40,  41.  These  verses  teach  the  same 
general  sentiment,  as  the  preceding  one. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


53 


42  Give  to    liim   that   asketli 
thee,  and  "  from   him  that  would 

a  Bo.  15:8,10;   Lu.  6:30,35. 


The  important  lesson  of  self-control  and 
patience  under  wrong,  was  rendered 
emphatic,  by  being  thus  enforced  under 
various  forms  of  expression.  Will  sue 
thee  at  the  law,  &c.  More  literally,  is 
ivishhig  to  contend  at  law  with  you,  and 
to  take  your  coat.  The  idea  is,  do  not 
wait  to  be  brought  before  the  court, 
and  lose  your  coat  by  the  decision  of 
the  judge,  but  give  at  once  to  your  ad- 
versary, not  only  your  coat,  but,  should 
he  demand  it,  your  cloak  also.  Every 
one  must  perceive  and  admit,  that  this 
command  is  not  to  be  taken  in  its  lit- 
eral sense.  The  exceedingly  strong 
language  made  use  of,  shows,  however, 
the  importance  of  forbearance,  and  a 
readiness  to  suffer  rather  than  to  man- 
ifest a  quarrelsome,  litigious  spirit. 
Coat.  This  was  the  tunic  or  inner 
garment,  worn  next  to  the  skin,  and 
extending  down  to  the  knees.  It  was 
kept  in  its  place  by  a  girdle,  and  some- 
times made  with  sleeves.  The  cloak 
was  a  piece  of  cloth  nearly  square, 
which  being  thrown  over  the  tunic, 
served  as  a  cloak,  and  also  to  wrap 
one's  self  in  at  night.  This  garment 
could  not  legally  be  taken  from  a  per- 
son, and  this  gives  still  greater  point  to 
our  Savior's  direction,  to  surrender  that 
also  to  a  grasping  creditor.  Wliosoever 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile.  The  Ro- 
man mile  here  meant,  was  about  140 
yards  less  than  the  English  mile.  Ref- 
erence is  had  in  this  passage,  to  the 
system  of  posts  established  by  the  Per- 
sian kings,  and  retained  in  some  of  its 
features  under  the  Roman  authority. 
Relays  of  horses  were  stationed  at  suit- 
able distances,  and  when  necessary, 
couriers  had  a  right  to  press  into  their 
service  men  or  horses,  to  hasten  them 
on  in  their  journey.  This  compulsory 
service  was  at  times  very  oppressive, 
and  hence  it  furnished  a  good  illustra- 
tration  of  the  point  which  our  Lord  was 
enforcing.  But  this,  like  the  preceding 
direction,  must  not  be  understood  in  a 
literal  sense.  It  would  be  a  sad  depar- 
ture from  the  high  spiritual  duty  of  a 


borrow  of  thee,  turn  not  thou 
away. 

43  %  Ye  have   heard    that    it 

quiet,  submissive  spirit,  which  had  ra- 
ther suffer  wrong  than  do  wrong,  to  in- 
terpret this  and  the  preceding  verse, 
as  containing  mere  prudential  maxims 
against  incurring  the  expense  and  delay 
of  tedious  lawsuits,  or  resisting  the  ex- 
actions of  civil  governments,  when 
there  was  no  hope  of  success.  Almost 
as  directly  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the 
passage  also,  is  the  notion,  that  we  are 
to  submit  to  wrong  and  oppression, 
without  taking  proper  means  of  re- 
dress. 

42.  Give  to  him  that  asJceth  thee,  &c. 
This  direction  must  be  referred  to  a 
spirit  of  kindness  and  benevolence, 
otherwise,  if  interpreted  literally,  it 
would  destroy  all  control  and  preser- 
vation of  property.  It  is  manifestly 
not  one's  duty,  to  give  to  every  worth- 
less and  indolent  vagabond,  who  asks 
a  gift,  nor  to  lend  articles  to  any  chance 
comer,  who  may  wish  to  live  by  bor- 
rowing. But  our  Savior  employs  this 
strong  language,  to  enforce  the  duty  of 
administering  freely  to  the  wants  of 
others,  when  in  the  exercise  of  our 
judgment,  they  are  deserving  objects 
of  charity,  and  even  when  they  are  not, 
provided  they  are  in  perishing  want  of 
assistance.  The  duty  of  alms-giving  is 
to  be  regulated  by  a  warm  and  active 
benevolence,  and  guided  by  sound  dis- 
cretion, as  to  the  best  method  of  its  ex- 
ercise. An  indiscriminate  support  of 
beggars,  such  as  throng  the  streets  of 
our  large  cities,  is  as  prejudicial  to  the 
true  interests  of  society,  and  even  in 
the  end  to  the  persons  thus  assisted,  as 
the  opposite  hardheartedness,  which 
drives  every  suppliant  away  unassisted. 
The  word  translated  would  borrow,  lit- 
erally signifies  to  lend  to  onc^s  self,  i.  e. 
to  effect  a  loan  from  some  person  to 
one's  self.  Interest  in  all  such  cases 
was  forbidden.  See  Ex.  22  :  2.5  ;  Levit. 
2.5  :  37  ;  Deut.  23  :  20.  Turn  not  away, 
i.  e.  refuse  not  his  request. 

43^8.  Our  Savior  in  these  verses, 
advances  to  the  high  and  heavenly  duty 
of  love  to  all,  even  to  one's  enemies. 


54 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


hath  been  said,  *  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor,  '  and  hate  thine 
enemy  : 

44  But  I  say  unto  you,  ''Love 
your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you,  do  good  to   them  that 

&Le.l9:18.  cDe.  23:  6;  Ps.41 :  10.  <?Lu. 
6 :  27,  85 ;  Ro.  12 :  14,  20.  e  Lu.  23 :  34 ;  Ac. 
T:60;  1  Co.  4:12, 13;  1  Pe.  2:23,  &3:9. 


Not  only  was  forbearance  under  ill- 
treatment  to  be  practised,  but  bene- 
volence was  to  be  cherished  for  all, 
even  our  greatest  foes.  This  does  not 
iuipl}'  that  we. are  to  approve  of  their 
bad  conduct.  We  may  detest  that  and 
reprove  them  for  it,  and  yet  be  filled 
with  the  most  ardent  and  benevolent 
desire  to  do  them  good,  and  secure 
their  eternal  well  being.  No  rebukes 
of  sin  were  more  pointed  and  terrible 
than  those  of  our  Lord,  and  yet  in 
order  to  do  them  good,  he  ate  with 
publicans  and  sinners,  and  turned  not 
away  from  the  vilest  and  most  degrad- 
ed. No  one  suffered  more  than  he, 
from  the  cruel  malice  of  his  enemies, 
and  yet  his  last  prayer  showed  the 
yearnings  of  his  benevolent  spirit 
over  their  sad  condition.  This  love 
toward  enemies  is  one  of  the  highest 
Christian  virtues.  It  is  unknown  to  the 
carnal  and  ungenerate  heart.  Only  by 
union  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  imbibing 
his  spirit,  can  one  possess  this  sweet 
and  heavenly  grace. 

43.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
(Levit.  19  :  18),  and  hate  thine  enemy. 
This  latter  clause  was  added  by  the 
Jews,  because  by  their  improper  re- 
striction of  the  meaning  of  neighbor  to 
their  friends  and  immediate  acquaint- 
ances, they  supposed  that  all  others, 
especially  the  Gentiles,  they  were  al- 
lowed to  hate.  In  the  parable  of  the 
good  Samaritan,  our  Lord  showed  the 
true  meaning  of  neighbor  to  be  a.fellow- 
mati,  any  member  of  the  human  family. 
The  Greek  word  for  neighbor,  literally 
signifies  07ie  who  is  near  by.  As 
members  of  the  human  family  and 
descended  from  a  common  ancestor,  we 
are  all  neighbors  to  one  another.  In 
this  general  sense  the  word  brother  is 


hate  you,  and  pray  '  for  them  that 
despitefuUy  use  you,  and  perse- 
cute you : 

45  That  ye  may  be  the  chil- 
dren of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven:  for  •'^ he  niaketh  his  sun 
to   rise   on  the   evil  and   on    the 

/Job  25 : 3. 

also  used.  See  N.  on  v.  22.  Hate 
thine  enemy.  This  has  reference  not 
only  to  the  feeling  of  hatred,  but  to  its 
active  exercise.  Enemy^  i.  e.  any  one 
out  of  thy  immediate  circle  of  friends. 
44.  Perhaps  there  is  no  precept  to  be 
found  in  the  whole  circle  of  language, 
sacred  or  profane,  of  more  transcendent 
beauty  and  excellence,  than  that  con- 
tained in  this  verse.  It  is  worthy  of 
being  engraved  on  every  heart,  in  the 
midst  of  so  many  temptations  to  a 
vindictive,  unforgiving  spirit,  as  be- 
set us  on  every  side  in  the  walks  of 
life.  Love  your  enemies.,  i.  e.  not  only 
those  you  call  your  neighbors,  but 
every  one  else.  The  love  of  benevolence 
is  here  required,  not  of  complacency, 
which  is  due  to  those  only  of  an  up- 
right character.  Even  our  personal 
enemies  are  to  be  embraced  in  our  be- 
nevolent regards,  not  because  they  are 
our  enemies,  but  our  fellow-men.  Bless 
them  that  curse  you.,  i.  e.  invoke  God's 
blessing  upon  them,  pray  for  their  wel- 
fare, and  address  them  with  words  of 
kindness.  Such  prayers  are  always  at- 
tended with  a  most  delightful  reflex  in- 
fluence upon  the  soul  of  the  petitioner. 
Nothing  is  so  promotive  of  a  spirit 
of  forgiveness,  as  to  pray  for  one's 
enemies  ;  nothing  brings  the  soul  into 
such  intimate  union  with  Christ,  as  in- 
voking blessings  upon  their  head. 
Curse  is  here  antithetic  to  the  word 
bless.,  and  therefore  means  to  denounce 
all  manner  of  evil  upon  one.  This  in- 
cludes not  only  all  private  and  per- 
sonal ebullitions  of  hatred  and  malig- 
nity, but  also  all  anathemas,  whether 
pronounced  by  wicked  men  in  their  in- 
dividual capacity,  or  as  religious  organ- 
izations, fulminating  their  decrees  of  ex- 
cision and  their  bulls  of  excommunica- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


55 


good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just 
and  on  the  unjust. 

46  ^  For  if  ye  love  them  which 
love  you,  what  reward  have  ye  ? 

C  Lu.  6 :  32. 

tion.  Do  good.  Exercise  towards  them 
acts  of  goodness,  as  opportunity  may  be 
furnished,  and  thus  endeavor  to  win 
them  to  tlie  possession  of  a  better 
spirit.  Tliat  hate  you,  i.  e.  who  mani- 
fest their  hatred  to  you,  by  doing 
you  every  possible  injury.  Pray  for. 
There  is  a  shade  of  ditference  between 
this,  and  the  word  bless  in  the  previous 
clause.  That  signifies  to  invoke  blessings 
upo7i,  this,  to  supplicate  in  one^s  behalf. 
In  their  application  here  there  is  not 
much  difference.  The  one  implies  the 
other.  That  dcspitefully  use  you.  A 
strong  expression,  denoting  abuse  of 
the  worst  kind.  So  the  word  persecute 
in»the  next  clause,  signifies  here  a  mali- 
cious and  unrelenting  effort  to  do  one 
mischief,  a  pursuit  of  one  with  mis- 
chievous intent,  as  animals  are  hunted 
down  by  their  pursuers  (see  N.  on  5  : 
10).  The  antithesis  in  all  these  clauses 
is  well  preserved.  The  most  heavenly 
temper  of  mind  is  commanded  by  our 
Lord  to  be  exercised  towards  those 
even,  whose  conduct  and  disposition  are 
the  very  opposite,  and  who  meet  all 
such  acts  of  kindness  with  hatred  and 
fresh  abuse. 

45.  Tliat  ye  may  be  the  children,  &c. 
i.  e.  like  your  Heavenly  Father  in  bene- 
volence and  well-doing.  This  is  the 
end  or  object  of  such  a  forgiving  temper, 
as  is  here  enjoined.  God's  treatment 
of  his  enemies  is  illustrated  in  the  next 
clause,  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise,  &c. 
All  the  agencies  of  nature  are  made 
subservient  to  the  temporal  welfare  of 
the  evil,  as  well  as  of  the  good.  The 
sunshine  and  the  rain,  the  two  great 
causes  of  the  earth's  productiveness, 
are  bestowed  upon  those,  who  in  their 
atheistic  hearts  are  continually  saying, 
no  God,  no  God.  Year  after  year  rolls 
away,  fruitful  seasons  follow  upon  one 
another,  worldly  possessions  and  com- 
forts increase,  temporal  blessings  are 
spread  all  along  the  pathway  of  life,  and 


do   not   even   the   publicans    the 
same. 

47  And     if    ye    salute    your 
brethren  only,  what   do  ye  more 


the  recipients  of  all  this  good,  express 
not  one  heartfelt  thank,  or  feel  one 
grateful  emotion.  Yet  the  benevolent 
care  of  God  suffers  no  abatement.  The 
sun  continues  to  rise  upon  them  in  all 
its  brilliancy  and  cheering  rays,  the  fer- 
tilizing showers  to  descend,  the  earth  to 
bring  forth  its  wonted  productions. 
What  evidence  of  God's  long-suffering, 
forbearance,  and  Isenevolence !  In  for- 
giving our  enemies  and  striving  to  do 
them  good,  we  imitate  the  example  of 
our  Heavenly  Father,  and  are  thus 
worthy  of  being  called  His  children. 

46,  47.  If  our  acts  of  kindness  were 
restricted  to  our  friends  only,  we  should 
not  be  distinguished  from  the  vilest  of 
men.  Even  publicans  are  capable  of 
entertaining  such  love.  They  are  ready 
to  show  favors  to  those  from  whom  they 
expect  a  like  return.  ^^llat  reward 
have  ye  ?  What  remarkable  thing  do 
ye,  which  entitles  you  to  any  special  re- 
ward ?  The  reward  is  that  referred  to 
in  the  preceding  verse,  of  being  like  our 
Heavenly  Father  and  receiving  his  ap- 
proval. Publicans,  i.  e.  Tax-gatherers. 
The  collection  of  revenue  in  conquered 
provinces  was  farmed  out  at  Rome,  gen- 
erally to  those  of  high  rank  and  in- 
fluence. These  persons  let  out  the  col- 
lection of  the  taxes  to  sub-contractors 
residing  in  the  province.  In  Judea, 
however,  the  farmers-general  and  the 
subordinate  agents  were  Jews.  To  the 
former  class  belonged  Zaccheus  (Luke 
19  :  2),  who  was  styled  "chief  among 
the  publicans."  Under  him  were  doubt- 
less many  sub-contractors,  who  em- 
ployed in  collecting  the  taxes  the  per- 
sons denominated  jmblicans.  In  order 
that  all  these  agents  might  be  remu- 
nerated, the  amount  actually  collected 
was  much  greater  than  the  sum  origi- 
nally assessed.  The  extortion  oftentimes 
practised  by  these  tax-gatherers  (see 
Luke  3  :  13),  made  the  burden  of  taxa- 
tion  still   more    oppressive.      On    this 


56 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


tha'ii   others  ?   do   not   even   the 
publicans  so  ? 

48  ''  Be  ye  therefore  perfect, 
even  '  as  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  is  perfect. 

AGe.  17:1;  Le.  11:44,  &19:2;  Lu.  6:86; 
Col.  1:  28,  &  4:12;  Ja.  1:4;  ]  Pe.  1 :  15, 16. 
i  Ep.  5 : 1. 


account,  the  publicans  were  held  in 
such  detestation,  that  they  were  classed 
with  the  vilest  persons  in  society.  In 
the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  6  :  3Jr,  the 
word  sinners  is  employed  instead  of 
publicayis.  Their  name  was  synony- 
mous with  every  thing  bad,  and  they 
were  as  odious  to  the  Jews,  as  the 
heathens  themselves  (see  18  :  17). 
Salute,  i.  e.  bestow  a  friendly  greeting. 
The  forms  and  modes  of  salutation 
were  observed  with  great  care  among 
all  Oriental  nations.  Brethren.  Here 
fellow  citizens,  countrymen,  neighbors 
in  the  Jewish  acceptation  of  the  term. 
See  N.  on  v.  43.  What  do  ye  more  than 
others?  You  do  nothing  of  any  re- 
markable excellence. 

48.  Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  i.  e.  in 
respect  to  this  duty  of  universal  bene- 
volence. So  Luke  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage (6  :  36),  "  Be  ye  merciful,"  &c.  The 
sentiment  is  that  it  should  be  the  great 
aim  of  life  to  conform  our  conduct, 
habits,  and  temper  to  the  requirements 
of  Jehovah,  especially  in  this  cardinal 
virtue  of  benevolence. 

In  this  chapter,  we  see  how  exalted 
and  spiritual  were  the  views  entertained 
by  our  Savior,  of  God's  moral  law.  The 
reference  to  particular  precepts,  in  the 
form,  "  ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been 
said,"  ends  with  this  chapter,  the  resi- 
due of  the  discourse  being  on  more 
general  topics,  and  yet  all  bearing  on 
the  extent  and  spirituality  of  the  divine 
requirements. 

CHAPTER  VL 

Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  rebuke 
the  ostentatious  manner,  in  which  the 
Pharisees  performed  their  acts  of  wor- 
ship and  benevolence.  He  teaches  that 
all  pomp  and  parade  are  to  be  avoided, 
and   that   instead   of  striving  to  gain 


CHAPTER  VL 

TAKE  heed  that  ye  do  not  your 
II  alms  before  men,  to  be  seen  of 
them :  otherwise  ye  have  no  re- 
ward of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven. 

II  Or,  righteousness.    De.  24:  1.3;  Ps.  112:9; 
Da.  4 :  27 ;  2  Co.  9 :  9,  10.     I  Or,  with. 

notoriety  from  our  good  deeds,  we 
should  seek  rather  to  conceal  them 
from  our  fellow-men.  The  favor  and 
approval  of  God  is  to  be  the  controlling 
motive  in  alms-giving,  devotional  exer- 
cises, and  all  other  duties.  This  great 
principle  is  illustrated  by  a  reference  to 
alms-giving  (vs.  1-4),  prayer  (5-15), 
fasting  (16-18),  after  which,  general 
directions  in  respect  to  entire  consecra- 
tion to  God,  and  the  relative  import- 
ance of  things  spiritual  over  those  that 
are  temporal,  fill  up  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  chapter. 

1.  Take  heed.  Be  watchful ;  be  on 
the  alert.  The  expression  is  highly  in- 
tensive. Do  not  your  alms.  Such  was 
the  oppression  of  the  Jews  under  tyran- 
nical and  rapacious  Roman  governors, 
that  in  the  time  of  Christ,  the  number 
of  mendicants  was  very  large.  They 
thronged  the  highways,  sat  in  the 
streets,  besieged  the  doors  of  the  rich, 
and  the  entrance  into  synagogues. 
Dr.  Jahn  thinks,  however,  that  there 
was  no  such  class  as  vagrant  beggars, 
presenting  their  supplication  for  alms 
from  door  to  door.  But  for  this  opin- 
ion, he  seems  to  furnish  no  adequate 
proof  In  the  most  critical  editions  of 
the  Greek  Testament,  the  word  for  the 
marginal  reading  ricfhteousness,  is  adopt- 
ed as  the  true  reading.  If  that  be  so, 
it  must  be  taken  in  its  generic  sense,  as 
embracing  the  specifications  of  alms- 
giving, prayer,  fasting,  brought  to  view 
in  vs.  2-18.  Before  men.  This  is  ex- 
plained and  limited  by  the  following 
clause,  to  be  see7i  of  them.  The  bestowal 
of  alms  in  the  sight  of  others  is  not  in 
itself  wrong,  and  may  be  often  unavoid- 
able, but  the  sin  consists  in  doing  so,  in 
order  to  be  seen  of  men,  and  gain  the 
eclat  and  notoriety,  which  such  acts 
would  be  adapted  to  call  forth.     Other- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


57 


2  Therefore,  "  when  thou  doest 
ihine  alms,  ||  do  not  sound  a  trum- 
pet before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites 
do  in  the  synagogues  and  in  the 
streets,  that  they  may  have  glory 
of  men.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
They  have  their  reward. 

a  Eo.  12 :  8.      II  Or,  cause  not  a  trumpet  to  be 
sounded. 

icise,  i.  e.  if  human  applause  is  your 
motive.  Ye  have  is  future  in  sense. 
Rewards  and  punishments  in  their  full 
measure,  will  be  given  beyond  the 
grave. 

2.  Therefore,  in  view  of  the  caution 
just  given.  Alms  in  the  sense  which 
it  has  in  the  preceding  verse.  Do  not 
sound  a  trumpet.  Some  refer  this  to 
the  sounding  of  a  horn  or  trumpet, 
under  pretence  of  gathering  together 
the  poor  to  receive  alms,  but  in  reality 
to  give  publicity  to  their  deeds  of  bene- 
volence. But  the  words  in.  the  ni/na- 
gogues,  seem  to  render  this  Uteral  inter- 
pretation inadmissible.  It  is  better, 
therefore,  to  regard  it  as  a  figurative 
representation  of  the  noisy,  ostentatious 
way  in  which  these  hypocrites  bestowed 
alms.  The  general  direction  is  to  be 
not  ostentatious  in  acts  of  benevolence. 
Before  you.,  either  referring  to  the  horn 
held  before  one,  Avhen  apphed  to  the 
mouth  to  be  sounded,  or  to  another 
person  going  before  as  horn-blower. 
Hypod-ites ;  literally,  those  who  play  on 
the  stage  or  act  a  part.,  hence,  those  who 
practice  an  outside  show,  i.  e.  dissem- 
blers, hypocrites.  In  the  synagogues. 
The  term  here  includes  public  assemblies 
of  any  sort.  It  was  the  custom  among 
eastern  nations  for  persons  to  distribute 
alms,  when  on  the  way  to  public  assem- 
blies. Streets,  not  lanes  or  alleys,  as  in 
Luke  14  :  21,  hnt  wide  streets,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  connection.  That  they 
may  hare  glory  of  men.  This  was  their 
rulifig  motive.  They  acted  from  pure 
selfishness.  Their  good  deeds  were 
thus  deprived  of  all  praiseworthiness, 
and  rendered  most  detestable  in  the 
sight  of  God.  Tliey  have  their  reivard. 
Human  praise  was  what  they  coveted. 
Vol.  I.— 3* 


3  But  when  thou  doest  alms, 
let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what 
thy  right  hand  doeth  : 

4  That  thine  alms  may  be  in 
secret :  and  thy  Father  which 
seeth  in  secret  himself  '  shall 
reward  thee  openly. 

I  Lu.  14 :  14. 

This  they  obtained.  There  was  nothing 
more  that  they  wished,  nothing  more 
they  wei-e  to  have.  The  divine  bless- 
ing, with  which  they  are  rewarded  who 
give  from  conscientious  motives,  these 
hypocrites  were  never  to  enjoy.  They 
had  the  reward  they  sought,  but  their 
due  reward  was  reserved  for  the  future 
life. 

3.  J]^en  thou.  The  singular  is  em- 
ployed to  give  emphasis  and  directness 
to  the  command.  Let  not  thy  left  hand, 
&c.  An  allusion  is  thought  to  be  found 
here  to  the  custom  of  placing  the  con- 
tribution box  for  the  poor,  on  the  right 
side  of  the  entrance  to  the  synagogue. 
Our  Lord's  direction  then  would  be  not 
to  so  elevate  the  hand,  when  the  money 
was  dropped  in,  that  persons  around 
might  see  the  amount  deposited,  but  to 
take  such  pains  to  conceal  the  act,  that 
the  left  hand,  if  possessed  of  the  power 
of  vision,  would  not  be  able  to  ascer- 
tain what  the  right  hand  had  been 
doing.  The  phrase  is  evidently  prover- 
bial, and  denotes  the  utmost  secrecy 
possible  in  performing  the  act.  A  sim- 
ple and  unostentatious  spirit  of  alms- 
giving is  here  required. 

4.  Hay  be  in.  secret,  i.  e.  as  far  as 
possible  concealed  from  others.  There 
are  occasions,  as  has  been  remarked 
(N.  V.  1),  where  it  is  impossible  and  un- 
desirable in  the  nature  of  the  case,  that 
absolute  privacy  in  the  bestowal  of 
alms  should  be  observed.  Nay,  there 
are  instances,  when  one  is  to  let  his 
light  shine  in  examples  of  self-denying 
benevolence,  that  others  may  imitate 
him  in  this  Christian  virtue.  See  5  : 
16  ;  2  Cor.  9  :  2.  It  is  necessary  also, 
in  the  multiplied  agencies  of  benevo- 
lence in  the  present  day,  that  associa- 


58 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  31. 


5  1"  And  when  thou  prayest, 
thou  shalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites 
are:  for  they  love  to  pray  stand- 
ing in  the  synagogues  and  in  the 
corners  of  the  streets,  that  they 
may  be  seen  of  men.  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  They  have  their 
reward. 

6  But  thou,  when  thou  pray- 
est, '  enter  into    thy  closet,  and 

c2Ki.  4:83. 

tions  and  individual  donors,  shall  be  in- 
formed of  the  reception  of  their  dona- 
tions. This  cannot  be  done  by  mailed 
letters  without  great  trouble  and  ex- 
pense, and  hence  the  acknowledgment 
must  be  made,  as  is  now  done,  in  the 
printed  publications  of  the  various  socie- 
ties. All  that  our  Savior  means  to  for- 
bid, is  parade  and  display  in  giving 
alms.  Secrecy  in  the  performance  of 
this  duty  is  to  be  observed,  whenever  it 
is  feasible,  and  does  not  conflict  with 
the  higher  duty  of  setting  an  example 
of  benevolence  to  others.  Seeth  in 
secret.  Some  interpret :  thivas  that 
are  done  in  secret.  But  Alford  well  re- 
marks, that  it  is  like  our  phrase,  seeth 
in  the  dark.  See  Ps.  139  :  11,  12. 
Openhi,  i.  e.  before  men  and  angels  at 
the  day  of  final  account. 

5.  The  duty  of  prayer  and  the  spirit 
with  which  it  is  to  be  offered,  are  now 
discoursed  upon  by  our  Savior.  When 
thou  prayeat.  It  is  here  assumed  that 
every  one  prays,  who  hopes  to  obtain 
God's  favor.  Shall  not  6e,  i.  e.  shall  not 
so  engage  in  this  exercise.  For  they 
love  to  pray.  The  collocation  of  the 
words  in  the  original  is  marked  and  em- 
phatic :  for  they  love,  in  the  synagoc/ues 
aiid  in  the  corners  of  the  streets  standing 
to  pray.  They  had  no  love  for  this 
act  of  devotion,  only  as  it  furnished  the 
occasion  of  an  ostentatious  display  of 
their  piety.  They  did  it,  "  that  they 
might  be  seen  of  men."  Standing.  The 
Pharisees  stood  in  the  streets,  and  of- 
fered their  prayers  and  doxologies,  in 
the  sight  of  every  passer-by.  No  argu- 
ment, however,  for  or  against  this  pos- 


when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door, 
pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  se- 
cret :  and  thy  Father,  which  seeth 
in  secret,  shall  reward  thee  open- 

7  But  when  ye  pray,  "^  use  not 
vain  repetitions,  as  the  heathen 
do  :  '  for  they  think  that  they  shall 
be  heard  for  their  much  speak- 
ing. 

d  Ec.  5 : 2.        el  Ki.  18  :  26,  29. 

ture  in  prayer,  can  be  drawn  from  this, 
passage.  It  would  appear  from  1  Sam. 
1  :  26  ;  1  Kings  8  :  22,  that  standing  was 
the  ordinary  posture  of  prayer.  Corners 
of  the  streets,  i.  e.  in  the  angles  or  corners 
where  streets  meet  or  cross  one  another, 
and  where  they  would  be  most  exposed 
to  public  notice.  T/tey  have  their  rc- 
ivard.  The  same  solemn  averment,  that 
such  mockery  of  prayer  receives  its  re- 
ward only  in  the  present  life,  is  made 
here,  as  in  v.  2,  in  relation  to  hypocrit- 
ical alms-giving. 

6.  When  thou  prayest.  Private  or 
secret  prayer  is  evidently  here  referred 
to.  Enter  into  thy  closet.  The  word 
rendered  closet,  literally  signifies  a  store- 
room, store-chamber,  and  hence,  as  these 
were  secured  against  improper  entrance, 
any  place  of  privacy,  as  a  chamber  or 
closet.  The  spirit  of  this  injunction  is 
kept,  if  we  retire  by  ourselves  to  pray, 
whether  in  a  private  closet,  chamber, 
open  field,  or  grove.  It  is  not  to  be 
taken  literally,  for  God  is  every  where 
present,  and  does  not  limit  his  worship- 
pers to  any  particular  place  for  their 
private  devotions.  It  is  very  desirable 
however,  for  all  to  have,  if  possible,  some 
fixed  place  and  season  for  their  daily 
prayers,  that  the  combined  influence  of 
habit  and  association,  may  lend  its  aid 
to  the  regular  and  uninterrupted  dis- 
charge of  the  duty.  When  thou  hast 
shut  thy  door,  i.  e.  used  every  pre«jnu- 
tion  against  being  interrupted.  UTiich 
is  in  secret,  i.  e.  who  is  invisible  to 
mortal  eyes. 

7.  Christ  now  proceeds  to  give  direc- 
tions, as  to  the  manner  in  which  prayer 


A.  D.  SI.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


59 


8  Be  not  ye  therefore  like  unto 
them :  for  your  Father  knoweth 
what  things  ye  have  need  of,  be- 
fore ye  ask  him. 

i?  to  be  offered.  Use  not  vain  repetitions; 
literally,  do  not  Battologize,  i.  e.  use 
words  as  Battus  did.  According  to 
some,  he  was  a  very  loquacious  poet, 
whose  hymns  were  full  of  repetitions. 
Others  say  that  he  was  a  Libyan  king, 
who  stammered  badly,  and  from  this  re- 
ceived his  name.  However  this  may 
be,  the  word  here  refers  unquestion- 
ably to  long  continued  prayers  filled  with 
irrelevant  and  unmeaning  repetitions, 
as  when  a  stammerer  repeats  words  or 
portions  of  words  without  meaning. 
Thus  the  prophets  of  Baal  prayed,  in 
their  contest  with  Elijah  (1  Kings.  18  : 
26).  Such  also  are  the  pater-nosters  and 
ave-3farias  of  the  Romish  church. 
Nothing  can  be  more  directly  opposed 
to  this  injunction  of  Christ,  than  the  pre- 
scription by  Romish  priests  of  the 
number  of  times  these  vain  forms  are 
to  be  repeated,  in  order  to  prove  effica- 
cious for  the  purpose  intended.  As  the 
heathen,  i.  e.  the  gentile  nations.  All 
these,  as  far  as  the  worship  of  the  true 
God  was  concerned,  were  really  hea- 
then. Much  speakinrf,  i.  e.  their  long 
prayers  and  repetition  of  the  same  thing 
over  and  over.  Augustine  says  in  effect, 
that  our  Lord's  injunction  is  against 
inuch  speaking,  not  against  much  pjray- 
ing. 

8.  Like  them,  in  an  empty  repetition 
of  words  and  prayers  of  inordinate 
length,  as  though  God  did  not  at  first 
hear  them,  and  had  no  intelligence  of 
their  wants.  For  your  Father  knoweth, 
&c.  It  is  not  the  design  of  prayer  to 
inform  God  of  our  condition,  as  though 
he  was  not  well  acquainted  with  it 
(Ps.  139  :  1-5).  It  is  a  divinely  appoint- 
ed instrumentality  or  channel,  through 
which  God  has  chosen  to  confer  bless- 
ings on  his  children.  Our  Savior  teaches 
us  here,  that  we  should  not  entertain 
low  ideas  of  God,  as  though  he  needed 
to  be  aroused  by  oft  repeated  ejacula- 
tions and  startling  cries,  like  the  heathen 
gods.     Fervent,  importunate  prayer  is 


9  After  this  manner  therefore 
pray  ye  :  •'^Our  Father  which  art  in 
heaven,  Hallowed  be  thy  name. 
/Lii.  11:2,  &c. 

not  forbidden.  Our  Lord's  example 
in  Gethsemane  shows  that  a  petition 
ofttimes  repeated,  when  it  comes  from 
the  depths  of  the  soul,  is  not  offensive 
to  God.  The  woman,  who  followed  the 
unjust  judge  with  the  continual  cry, 
"  avenge  me  of  my  adversary,"  furnish- 
ed an  illustration  of  the  cry  of  God's 
elect  day  and  night,  which  Jesus  de- 
clared should  be  effectual.  The  supph- 
cations  of  a  pious  parent  in  behalf  of 
an  impenitent  son,  may  be  attended 
with  such  anguish  of  heart  over  his  lost 
condition,  that  God's  converting  grace 
will  be  implored  in  petitions,  long  con- 
tinued and  of  almost  unvarying  form. 
So  from  the  heart  of  the  convicted  sin- 
ner, little  else  may  be  ejaculated  than 
the  cry,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner." In  all  these  and  similar  cases  of 
fervent,  intercessory  jirayer,  there  is  no 
violation  of  the  direction  here  given  by 
our  Savior. 

9.  After  this  manner.  Our  Lord's 
prayer  is  here  given  as  a  pattern  or 
form,  in  spirit  and  brevity  wholly  anti- 
thetic to  the  battologizing  prayers  con- 
demned in  the  preceding  verses.  It  is 
not  intended  as  an  absolute  formula.  The 
variations  between  this  and  that  given 
by  Luke  (11  :  2-4),  are  fatal  to  such  an 
assumption.  Nor  have  we  any  traces 
of  its  liturgical  use  in  apostolic  times. 
Tholuck  says,  that  it  does  not  occur  in 
the  Acts,  nor  in  any  writers  before  the 
third  century.  We  cannot  regard  it, 
therefore,  as  a  set  form  of  words,  to  be 
repeated  on  every  pubHc  or  social  occa- 
sion, but  rather  as  a  model  in  compre- 
hensiveness, brevity,  and  adaptednesa  (o 
our  relation  to  God  and  our  fellow-men. 
It  is  the  essence  and  spirit  of  this  pray- 
er, which  is  presented  for  our  imitation, 
and  not  its  very  words  and  form.  Yet 
it  may  be  uttered,  very  appropriately 
by  us,  both  in  our  public  and  private 
devotions. 

Our  Father.  God,  as  their  creator 
and  preserver,  is  the  Father  of  all  men. 


60 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  31. 


10  Thy  kingdom   come.    ^  Thy 

fifCh.  26:39,  42;  Ac.  21 :  14. 
APs.  103:20,21. 

But  to  Christians,  he  sustains  this  rela- 
tion in  a  peculiar  sense,  being  their 
spiritual  Father,  and  the  author  of  all 
their  spiritual  blessings.  The  plural  our 
is  used,  as  Tholuck  well  remarks,  be- 
cause Christians  are  members  of  one 
body,  and  hence  each  one  feels  the 
wants  of  the  whole,  and  shares  also  in 
the  glory  of  the  whole.  It  is  said  by 
Alford,  that  "  this  was  a  form  of  address 
almost  unknown  in  the  old  covenant : 
now  and  then  hinted  at,  as  reminding 
the  children  of  their  rebellion  (Isa.  1:2; 
Mai.  1  :  6),  or  mentioned  as  a  last  re- 
source of  the  orphan  desolate  creature 
(Isa.  63:  16);  but  never  brought  out 
in  its  fulness,  as  indeed  it  could  not  be, 
till  He  was  come  by  whom  we  have  re- 
ceived the  adoption  of  sons."  Wliich 
art  in  heaven.  The  Jews  made  a  three- 
fold division  of  the  upper  regions,  to 
each  of  which  they  assigned  the  name 
heaven  ;  1.  The  aerial  or  atmospheric 
heaven  (see  16:2;  Mark  14  :  62 ;  Luke 
8:5);  2.  The  starry  heaven  or  firma- 
ment, in  which  as  a  solid  concave  sphere 
(see  N.  on  3  :  16),  they  supposed  the 
sun,  moon,  and  stars  to  be  fixed  (see 
Mark  13:  25;  Heb.  11  :  12);  3.  The 
upper  or  higher  heaven,  far  above  the 
visible  firmament,  the  seat  of  God  and 
his  angels.  To  this  refers  their  expres- 
sion the  heaven  of  heavens,  the  hir/he-st 
heavens.  In  this  sense  the  word  is  used 
in  the  Lord's  prayer.  It  may  be  regard- 
ed in  a  twofold  aspect,  as  opposed  to 
the  heathen  notion,  that  the  Deity  had 
his  abode  on  some  mountain  Hke  Olym- 
pus, and  as  representative  of  the  infi- 
nite power,  omnipresence,  and  glory  of 
God.  It  is  equivalent  to  Our  Father, 
the  fflorious  and  almighty  God,  opposed 
to  idols  and  images,  the  work  of  men's 
hands,  and  to  every  pantheistic  notion, 
that  God  is  identical  with  ourselves 
and  every  thing  around  us.  In  other 
words,  it  assumes  that  he  is  a  personal 
Being,  every  where  present,  yet  dwell- 
ing especially  in  heaven,  the  seat  of  his 
glory.  The  expression  must  then  be 
regarded,  as  symboUcal  of  God's  omni- 


will  be  done  in  earth,  *  as  it  is  in 
heaven. 


presence,  and   his  exaltation  above  all 
space  or  local  habitation. 

Hallowed  be  thy  name,  i.  e.  let  thy 
name  be  revered  or  sanctified  in  our 
heart  (1  Pet.  3  :  15).  The  proper  name 
of  God  is  not  here  referred  to,  but  his 
being  and  essence,  known  only  to  us,  as 
far  as  it  is  revealed  in  his  word.  For  this 
mysterious  and  unfathomable  nature, 
the  name  of  God  is  often  put  in  Scrip- 
ture. Hence  his  name  Jehovah,  re- 
vealed to  Moses  (Ex.  6  :  2,  3),  wag 
held  in  such  profound  reverence  by  the 
Jews,  that  they  deemed  it  profanity 
even  to  speak  it.  In  a  higher  and  more 
spiritual  sense,  God's  name  is  to  be  rev- 
erenced by  us.  It  should  call  for*h 
the  most  profound  adoration.  It  should 
never  be  lightly  spoken,  inasmuch  as  it 
belongs  to  the  great  and  glorious  Being, 
compared  with  whom  the  whole  created 
universe  and  all  its  intelUgences,  are  as 
the  dust  in  the  balance. 

10.  Ihy  kingdom  come.  This  petition 
refers  to  the  establishment  and  univer- 
sal acknowledgment  of  Christ's  kingdom 
on  earth.  Its  position  in  the  prayer 
shows  its  paramount  importance.  In- 
deed it  includes  every  other  blessing. 
In  praying  for  the  advancement  of  this 
kingdom,  we  pray  for  the  individual,  as 
well  as  the  general  interests  of  all  men. 
We  pray  for  the  diffusion  of  Christianity 
with  all  its  attendant  blessings.  We 
pray  for  the  moral  and  political  eleva- 
tion of  all  men,  for  the  uprooting  and 
disappearance  of  every  vice,  and  for  the 
practice  of  every  virtue.  We  pray  that 
man  may  be  restored  to  the  image  of 
his  God,  and  that  this  earth  may  be- 
come a  moral  paradise,  where  the  taber- 
nacle of  God  may  again  dwell  with  men. 
Of  what  unspeakable  moment  is  the 
right  utterance  in  prayer  of  the  short 
petition,  contained  in  these  words, 
"  Thy  kingdom  come."  Thy  will  be 
done  (literally,  become,  take  place)  in 
earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven ;  literally,  as  in 
heaven  (thus)  also  upon  earth.  This  is 
the  result  of  the  universal  prevalence  of 
the  Messiah's  kingdom  on  earth.     God's 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


61 


1 1  Give  us  this  day  our  '  daily 
bread. 

i  See  Job.  23:12;  Pr.  30:8. 

revealed  will  is  here  referred  to.  His 
secret  will  or  purpose  is  being  accom- 
plished, at  all  times  and  in  all  places  of 
his  dominion  (Dan.  4  :  35  ;  Isa.  46  :  10  ; 
Rom.  9  :  19).  The  will  of  God  referred 
to  in  this  petition,  relates  to  his  com- 
mands and  precepts.  These  are  obeyed 
in  heaven.  We  are  to  pray  that  they 
may  receive  equal  obedience  on  earth. 
Holy  men  in  every  age  of  the  Christian 
church  have  offered  up  this  petition. 
Thousands  of  the  pious  are  now  praying 
for  its  accomplishment.  The  time, 
though  long  deferred,  will  come,  when 
the  heathen  shall  be  given  to  Christ,  as 
his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  for  a  possession  (Ps.  2  :  8). 
It  is  no  argument  against  the  power  and 
importance  of  prayer,  that  this  glorious 
consummation  has  been  so  long  delayed. 
The  times  and  seasons  for  the  fulfilment 
of  God's  promise  to  his  Son,  he  reserves 
in  his  own  keeping,  and  none  should 
doubt  His  faithfulness,  because  the 
world's  conversion  is  not  at  once  ac- 
complished. 

11.  Give  us  this  day.  Our  temporal 
wants  are  to  be  the  subjects  of  prayer, 
as  well  as  spiritual  blessings.  Both  are 
essential  to  our  happiness  and  useful- 
ness. In  importance,  however,  the  one 
infinitely  transcends  the  other,  for  a 
failure  in  our  temporal  supplies  involves 
the  death  only  of  the  body,  but  spiritual 
destitution  is  the  death  of  the  soul.  This 
petition  shows  the  necessity  of  daily 
prayer.  "  Give  us  this  day.''''  No  other 
wants  are  referred  to,  save  those  of  the 
day  on  which  the  prayer  is  offered. 
We  are  thus  taught  our  daily  depend- 
ence. This  petition  is  as  necessary  and 
appropriate  for  the  wealthy  as  the  poor. 
All  are  indebted  to  Him,  for  the  supply 
of  their  daily  wants.  Our  daily  bread. 
The  word  translated  daily.,  might  be 
more  properly  rendered,  substantial,  ne- 
cessary, that  which  is  just  enough,  or 
required  for  our  subsistence.  The  word 
is  found  only  here,  and  seems  to  have 
been  coined  for  the  occasion.     The  di- 


12  And  *  forgive  us  our  debts, 
as  we  forgive  our  debtors. 

*  Ch.  18 :  21,  &c. 

versity  of  senses  given  it  by  com- 
mentators, on  purely  etymological 
grounds,  will  always  therefore  prob- 
ably remain.  The  word  bread  is  here 
used  generically,  for  all  the  temporal 
necessities  and  wants  of  life. 

12.  And  forgive  us  our  debts.  In  a 
moral  sense,  the  word  debt  is  used  to 
denote  sin.  There  is  a  fitness  in  this. 
Full  and  perfect  obedience  is  due  to 
God  from  all  his  creatures.  Failing  as 
we  do  to  perform  this  duty,  we  become 
his  debtors,  and  we  pray  that  our  debts 
may  be  remitted  to  us,  or  in  other 
words,  that  our  sins  may  be  forgiven. 
As  we  forgive  our  debtors  (i.  e.  those 
who  have  injured  us).  The  word  as  is 
susceptible  of  two  significations,  which 
impart  a  shade  of  difference  to  the  gen- 
eral sense.  If  it  be  translated  inasmuch 
as,  then  the  clause  with  which  it  stands, 
denotes  a  reason  or  argument,  why  for- 
giveness of  sin  is  implored  of  God,  viz. 
the  practice  of  forgiveness  on  the  part 
of  the  petitioner.  The  sentiment  would 
then  be  :  If  we,  frail,  erring  men,  for- 
give one  another,  may  we  not  hope  that 
the  merciful  God  will  forgive  us  our  of- 
fences against  Him  ?  The  other  sense, 
according  as,  like  as,  denotes  similarity 
in  kind,  but  not  in  degree,  as  the  sura 
total  of  all  the  instances  of  human  for- 
giveness, would  not  equal  the  amount 
forgiven  in  a  single  soul,  whom  God  re- 
ceives into  his  favor.  It  also  makes  a 
readiness  on  the  part  of  the  suppliant  to 
forgive  those  who  have  offended  him,  a 
condition  on  which  God  is  asked  to  for- 
forgive  sin.  This  appears  to  be  the 
true  sense  of  as,  although  the  other 
sense  is  in  a  measure  implied  in  it. 
Forgiveness  of  injury  on  our  part,  is  an 
essential  prerequisite  to  obtaining  par- 
don from  God  (see  vs.  14,  15).  We  are 
not  to  include  those  cases,  where  the 
offender  gives  no  evidence  of  having  re- 
pented. Yet  in  reference  to  such  per- 
sons even,  we  are  to  manifest  a  spirit 
of  forgiveness,  and  be  in  readiness  to 
grant  it,  when  they  are  in  a  frame  of 


62 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


13  And  'lead  us  not  into  temp- 
tation, but  "'  deliver  us  from  evil. 
"For  tliiue  is  the  kingdom,  and 
the  power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever  : 
Amen. 

14  "  For  if  ye  forgive  men  their 

ICh.  26:41;  Lu.  22:40,46;    1  Co.  10:  13;  2 
Pe.  2:9;    Ke.  3:10.        m  Jno.  17  :  15. 

mind,  which  shall  render  them  suitable 
to  receive  it.  We  must  not  suppose, 
however,  that  our  forgiveness  of  injury 
lays  God  under  any  obligation  to  pardon 
us.  It  is  an  act  of  grace  on  his  part,  what- 
ever we  do,  or  whatever  the  relations  we 
sustain  to  our  fellow  men.  Doddridge 
well  remarks  on  this  passage,  that  "it 
is  hardly  possible  to  imagine  a  more  ef- 
fectual expedient  to  promote  the  for- 
giveness of  injury  than  this,  of  making 
it  a  part  of  our  daily  prayer,  to  ask  such 
pardon  from  God  as  we  impart  to  an  of- 
fending brother." 

13.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation. 
In  this  petition  we  do  not  pray,  that 
God  will  not  induce  us  to  sin,  for  in  this 
sense  God  tempts  no  man  (James  1  :  13). 
But  we  pray,  that  he  will  not  bring  us 
by  his  providence  into  circumstances  of 
temptation  and  sin.  This  sense  is  de- 
manded by  the  antithetic  clause,  but 
deliver  us  from,  evil,  where  evil  or  the 
evil  (see  N.  on  5  :  37)  is  opposed  to 
temptation,  and  imparts  to  it  a  deeper 
signification  than  mere  trial.  When  we 
pray,  however,  that  God  will  not  lead  us 
into  temptation,  we  necessarily  include 
in  it  the  idea  of  exposure  to  temptation. 
Sometimes  God  in  his  wise  providence 
sees  fit  thus  to  expose  us,  in  order  to 
test  our  principles,  try  our  faith,  and 
correct  our  faults.  We  are  then  com- 
manded to  rejoice  (James  1  :  2),  but  are 
not,  nevertheless,  through  self-confi- 
dence to  expose  ourselves  to  tempta- 
tions, but  are  rather  to  pray  for  deliv- 
erance from  such  fiery  trials.  For  thine, 
&c.  This  doxology  is  wanting  in  Luke 
11  :  1-4,  and  is  regarded  by  the  best 
critics,  as  being  probably  introduced  in 
the  fourth  century.  If  not  genuine,  the 
sentiment  is  yet  true,  and  comports  ad- 
mirably with  the  prayer  to  which  it  is 
appended.      The  introduction    of  this 


trespasses,  your  heavenly  Father 
will  also  forgive  you  : 

15  But ''  if  ye  forgive  not  men 
their  trespasses,  neither  will  your 
Father  forgive  your  trespasses. 

16  IT  Moreover,  '  when  ye  fast, 

jilCh.  29:11.  o  Ma.  11 :  25,  26  ;  Ep.  4:33; 
Col.3:13.    />  Ch.  18 :  85 ;  Ja.  2  :  13.    218.58:5. 

doxology  by  for,  shows  that  the  glory  of 
God  is  to  be  the  ultimate  object  of  our 
prayers.  Kingdom.  The  kingly  power 
of  the  universe.  Power,  Omnipotence, 
sovereignty.  Glory.  Majesty,  royal 
dignity.  AH  these  terms  are  borrowed 
from  earthly  royalty,  but  how  infinite  in 
sense  when  used  of  Jehovah.  Forever. 
This  expression  denotes  endless  duration. 
In  Luke  1  :  33,  it  is  said  that  Christ 
shall  reign  for  ever,  and  of  his  kingdom 
there  shall  be  no  e?id,  where  the  paral- 
lelism shows  that  for  ever  is  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  of  unlimited  duration. 
Amen.  A  solemn  and  emphatic  so  let  it 
be,  so  be  it  (see  N.  on  5  :  IS). 

14,  15.  Our  Lord  here  enlarges  upon 
the  duty  of  forgiveness,  as  a  preparation 
of  heart  for  prayer.  These  verses  must 
be  regarded,  therefore,  as  an  expanded 
repetition  of  v.  12.  Your  heavenly 
Father  will  also  forgive  you.  The  sacred 
writers,  in  treating  of  any  Christian 
virtue,  often  speak  of  it,  as  though  it 
were  the  chief  one.  In  12  :  37,  our 
Lord  says,  "  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be 
justified."  Paul  says  (Rom.  3  :  28)  that 
"  a  man  is  justified  by  fiiith  without 
the  deeds  of  the  law ;"  but  James  (2  : 
24)  declares  that  "  by  works  a  man  is 
justified  and  not  by  faith  only."  In  the 
passage  before  us,  our  Savior  makes  for- 
giveness of  injury  a  prime  virtue.  The 
implication  in  all  the  passages  quoted  is, 
that  the  possession  of  one  Christian 
virtue  implies  the  possession  of  all  the 
rest.  The  prominence  given  to  one  over 
another  arises  from  the  connection  in 
which  it  stands,  and  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  introduced.  The  object 
of  Paul  was  to  prove  the  necessitv  of 
ftiith,  that  of  James,  to  show  that  faith 
was  dead  unless  accompanied  by  good 
works.  Our  Lord  in  12  :  37  was  speak- 
ing against  the  utterance  of  idle  words, 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


63 


be  not,  as  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad 
countenance  :  for  they  disfigure 
their  faces,  that  they  may  appear 
unto  men  to  fast.  Verily,  1  say 
unto  you,  They  have  their  reward. 
17  But  thou,  when  thou  fast- 
est, '  anoint  thine  head,  and  wash 
thy  face  ; 

r  Kuth3:3;  Da.  10:3. 

and  here  his  great  design  is  to  impress 
upon  his  hearers  the  duty  of  forgiveness. 
There  is  no  disagreement  in  this  diversity 
of  expression,  in  reference  to  these  car- 
dinal virtues. 

16.  Fastings  were  frequently  ob- 
served by  the  Jews,  especially  by  the 
Pharisees.  See  Luke  18  :  12.  Our 
Savior  now  proceeds  to  show  in  what  a 
fast  truly  consisted,  and  rectifies  the 
false  views  of  those,  who  loolvcd  only 
upon  the  outward  tokens  of  its  observ- 
ance. ]V7ie7i  ye  fast.  While  our  Lord 
did  not  expressly  enjoin  the  particular 
duty  of  fasting,  yet  it  is  evidently  im- 
plied that  occasional  fasts  were  proper, 
and  that  his  disciples  and  followers 
would  observe  such  days.  Of  a  sad 
countenance.  Stripped  of  their  external 
garments  and  covered  with  sackcloth, 
with  downcast  looks,  and  faces  deformed 
with  ashes  or  dust  of  the  earth,  the 
Pharisees  made  the  most  ostentatious 
display  of  their  fastings,  and  thus  gained 
the  reputation  of  great  sanctiiy.  J^'or 
they  disfigure  their  faces.  The  word 
rendered  disfigure,  signifies  to  cause  to 
disappear,  to  conceal  from  sight,  and 
refers  here  to  such  a  defilement  of  face 
■with  dust  and  ashes,  and  such  a  dejec- 
tion of  the  features,  as  almost  to  conceal 
the  true  countenance.  Tliat  they  may 
appear,  &c.  This  was  the  sole  object 
of  their  bodily  mortifications.  They 
loved  the  praise  of  men  more  than 
that  of  God,  and  like  those  who  made 
a  merit  of  alms-giving  and  prayer  (vs. 
2  :  6),  had  their  sole  reward  in  the  pre- 
sent life. 

17.  Anoint  thy  head,  &c.  The  Jews 
were  in  the  habit  of  doing  this  at  stated 
times  each  day.  Hence  our  Lord  vir- 
tually directs  his  followers,  to  let  their 


18  That  thou  appear  not  unto 
men  to  fast,  but  uuto  thy  Father, 
which  is  in  secret  :  and  thy  Fa- 
ther which  seeth  in  secret  shall 
reward  thee  openly. 

19  1  '  Lay  not  up  for  your- 
selves treasures  upon  earth,  where 
moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and 

sPr.  28:  4;  1  Ti.  6 17 ;  He.  13 :  5;  Ja.  5  :  1,  &c. 


external  appearance  be  the  same  on 
fast  days,  as  on  other  days,  and  to  avoid 
the  filthy  practice  of  the  Pharisees  on 
such  occasions.  It  need  hardly  to  be 
said,  that  this  direction  is  not  to  be  taken 
in  its  literal  sense.  No  one  can  well  sup- 
pose that  all  Christ's  followers,  in  what- 
ever place  or  time  they  may  live,  are  to 
wash  and  anoint  themselves,  previous 
to  entering  upon  the  duty  of  fasting. 
.The  only  thing  intended  is  to  caution 
them  against  ostentation  and  hypocrisy 
in  religious  duties. 

18.  That  thou  appear  not,  kc.  There 
is  no  injunction  here  for  absolute  pri- 
vacy in  fasting.  There  may  be  social 
and  public  fasts.  The  members  of  one's 
family,  and  those  with  whom  there  is 
daily  intercourse,  cannot  well  be  kept 
in  ignorance,  when  a  day  is  set  apart  for 
religious  fasting  and  prayer.  Every 
such  direction  must  be  interpreted  as 
involving  a  principle,  and  is  not  to  l^e 
regarded  according  to  the  teachings  of 
the  mere  letter. 

19.  A  covetous  disposition,  looking 
only  to  the  amassing  of  earthly  riches, 
is  here  forbidden  by  our  Savior.  The 
acquisition  of  wealth  for  its  own  sake, 
turns  the  heart  away  from  God,  and 
sets  up  the  idol  of  Mammon,  which  is 
more  difficult  to  be  dethroned  and  more 
insatiate  in  its  demands,  than  any  other 
form  which  the  God  of  this  world  as- 
sumes, to  darken  and  debase  the  human 
mind.  Against  nothing  are  such  tre- 
mendous threats  directed  in  God's  word, 
as  against  the  pursuit  and  possession  of 
riches  for  one's  own  gratification  (Mark 
10  :  23,  24  ;  Luke  18  :  24  ;  James  5  : 
1-.5).  Lay  up  not  for  yourselves.  The 
prohibition  is  not  against  the  accumula- 
tion  of  wealth    in    itself    considered. 


64 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  Gl. 


where  thieves  break  through  and 
steal : 

20  '  But  lay  up  for  yourselves 
treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither 

<Ch.  19:21;   Lu.  12:33,  34,  &  18:  22:  1  Ti.  6: 
19 ;  1  Pe.  1 :  4. 

Many  branches  of  business  require  an 
extensive  capital.  Works  of  public 
utility  are  dependent  mainly  on  large 
capitalists.  It  is  right  also  to  make 
suitable  provision,  against  the  time  of 
sickness  and  old  age.  But  we  are  forbid- 
den the  laying  up  treasures  ybr  ourselves, 
to  gratify  carnal  ease  and  indulgence, 
to  make  a  display,  and  to  gain  the  no- 
toriety and  worldly  i-espect,  which  the 
possession  of  great  wealth  confers.  The 
evil  lies  in  the  selfish  motive,  which  ac- 
tuates one  to  acquire  riches.  If  a  man's 
purpose  in  gaining  wealth  is  to  employ 
it  in  the  service  of  God,  he  commits  no 
sin  in  thus  doing.  Every  thing  depends 
upon  the  motive.  But  here  there  is 
need  of  great  caution,  and  of  prayerful 
self-examination,  since  even  all  one's 
goods  may  be  bestowed  to  feed  the 
poor  (1  Cor.  13  :  3),  and  tithes  may  be 
given  of  all  one  possesses  (Luke  18  :  12), 
and  yet  the  donor  fall  short  of  the  true 
charity  of  the  gospel,  and  be  all  the 
while  laying  up  treasures  for  himself  on 
earth.  Where  vioth  and  rust  doth  cor- 
rupt (the  same  word,  rendered  disfgure 
in  V.  16).  Oriental  treasures  consisted 
principally  in  garments,  and  in  gold, 
silver,  and  other  precious  metals.  The 
former  were  liable  to  be  injured  by 
moth,  the  latter  by  rust.  The  treasures 
referred  to  include,  however,  every 
thing  upon  which  the  heart  is  fixed. 
But  tlie  uncertainty  of  these  objects  of 
earthly  desire,  is  set  forth  under  the 
imagery  of  apparel,  laid  carefully  by 
for  future  use,  and  found  afterwards 
destroyed  by  moth,  and  of  the  corrod- 
ing influence  of  rust,  or  the  wear  or  tear 
of  time,  on  the  valuable  metals.  The 
word  rendered  rust,  signifies  any  thing 
which  eats  into  and  coiisumes  one's  pro- 
perty, and  may  therefore  have  a  wider 
signification  than  mere  rust.  Where 
thieves  break  through  and  steal.  This 
represents  another  way  in  which  earthly 
treasures  may  disappear,  and  like  the 


moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and 
where  thieves  do  not  breakthrough 
nor  steal. 

21   For  where  your  treasure  is, 
there  will  your  heart  be  also. 


destructive  influence  of  moth  and  rust, 
is  figuratively  employed  to  denote  the 
uncertainty  and  sublunary  character  of 
all  earthly  possessions.  The  houses  in 
the  East,  especially  those  of  the  com- 
mon classes  of  society,  were  constructed 
of  clay  (Job  4  :  19),  hardened  in  the 
sun  or  by  the  fire,  or  of  loose  stones, 
which  rendered  it  comparatively  easy 
for  thieves  to  dig  through  the  wall,  and 
thus  gain  access  to  the  room  where  the 
treasures  were  kept.  The  word  ren- 
dered break  through  (literally  dig 
through),  is  almost  always  used  of 
the  wall  of  a  house  thus  constructed. 

20.  Lay  up  for  yourselves,  &c.  Here 
the  qualifying  expression, /or  yourselves, 
is  essential  to  the  observance  of  the 
command.  We  cannot  lay  up  treasures  in 
heaven  for  others.  Each  person  must 
do  this  for  himself  There  is  nothing 
selfish  in  the  most  ardent  desire  for  the 
personal  enjoyment  of  God's  favor.  In- 
deed this  is  the  only  means  of  eradica- 
ting selfishness  from  the  heart,  and  fill- 
ing it  with  true  benevolence.  Whoever 
is  striving  to  possess  this  heavenly 
treasure,  will  always,  to  a  correspond- 
ing degree,  be  found  desirous  that  it 
should  be  enjoyed  by  others.  So  in- 
variably united  is  a  personal  interest  in 
Christ,  with  efforts  for  the  salvation  of 
others,  that  the  existence  of  the  one 
implies  that  of  the  other.  See  Ps.  51 : 
13;  John  1:41-46;  4  :  29 ;  Acts  26:  19, 
20.  Treasures  in  heaven .  This  is  to  be 
interpreted  of  the  spiritual  rewards, 
reserved  in  heaven  for  the  truly  pious. 

21.  For  where  yoxir  treasure  is,  &c. 
This  is  the  reason  why  treasures  are  to 
be  laid  up  in  heaven.  The  heart  is  al- 
ways placed  upon  the  governing  object 
of  pursuit.  If  this  be  earthly,  the  heart 
will  be  given  to  earthly  olijects.  If  it 
be  heavenly,  the  aftoctions  will  be 
drawn  heaven-ward.  The  state  of  the 
heart  is  what  gives  one  favor  or  dis- 
favor in  the  sight  of  God. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


65 


22  "  The  light  of  the  body  is 
the  eye  :  if  therefore  thine  eye  be 
single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be 
full  of  light. 

23  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil, 
thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of 
darkness.     If  therefore  the  light 

u  Lu.  11 :  34,  35.         X  Lu.  16 :  13. 


22.  The  design  of  this  verse  is  to 
illustrate  and  enforce  the  preceding 
sentiment.  As  the  eye  of  the  body  is 
to  a  man  physically  considered,  so  is 
the  eye  of  reason  or  the  mind,  to  the 
moral  man.  If  that  become  diseased 
by  being  set  upon  worldly  treasures,  it 
does  not  discern  heavenly  things  clear- 
ly, and  soon  becomes  entirely  blinded. 
The  light  (Hterally  the  lamp)  of  the  body. 
As  a  lamp  or  candle  is  the  source  of 
light  in  the  absence  of  the  sun,  so  the 
eye  serves  to  give  light  to  the  body. 
If  therefore  thine  eye  he  single,  i.  e.  in  a 
sound  healthful  state,  so  that  objects 
are  seen  distinctly,  and  do  not  appear 
double  or  confused.  Full  of  light,  i.  e. 
wholly  enlightened,  having  all  the  light 
necessary  for  the  clear  discernment  of 
external  objects. 

23.  Be  evil,  i.  e.  be  in  a  diseased  con- 
dition, so  as  not  to  present  a  faithful 
image  of  external  things.  Thy  whole 
body  is  full  of  darkness  (i.  e.  without 
light).  This  is  the  very  opposite  of  the 
correspondiug  phrase  in  the  preceding 
verse.  If  therefore  the  light  (not  here 
the  lamp,  as  the  natural  eye  was  called 
in  V.  22)  that  is  in  thee.  Reference  is 
had  to  the  mind,  the  intellectual  light 
of  a  man.  If  that  be  darkened  by  false 
views  of  the  great  purpose  of  life,  how 
great  and  fatal  is  that  darkness.  Moral 
darkness  is  as  much  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  natural  blindness,  as  the  mind  or 
soul  is  of  more  value  than  the  body. 
To  err  in  regard  to  the  comparative  value 
of  earthly  and  heavenly  riches,  is  proof 
that  the  soul  is  enshrouded  in  this  fatal 
darkness.  Somo  refer  this  inner  light 
to  the  conscience,  with  this  sense  :  "if 
the  conscience,  the  eye  and  light  of  the 
soul,  be   darkened,  in  how  much  gross- 


that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how 
great  is  that  darkness  ! 

24  "^  •^  No  man  can  serve  two 
masters :  for  either  he  will  hate 
the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or 
else  he  will  hold  to  the  one,  and 
despise  the  other.  "  Ye  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon. 
yGa.  1:10;  ITi.  6:17;  Ja.4:4;  IJo.  2: 15. 

er  darkness  will  all  the  passions  and 
faculties  be,  which  are  of  themselves 
naturally  dark."  Alford.  But  not  to 
speak  of  the  grammatical  objection 
(arising  from  the  presence  of  the  article), 
against  making  the  second  "  darkness" 
refer  to  something  distinct  and  differ- 
ent from  the  first,  it  seems  clear  that 
the  7nind,  the  seat  of  intelligence,  which 
decides  upon  the  governing  objects  of 
pursuit,  and  which  in  view  of  that  deci- 
sion receives  the  approval  or  disappro- 
val of  conscience,  is  referred  to. 

24.  This  verse  further  enforces  the 
sentiment  contained  in  v.  21.  Some 
might  flatter  themselves,  that  they 
could  set  their  heart  on  riches  as  an 
intrinsic  good,  and  yet  give  to  God  an 
equal,  or,  if  necessary,  a  greater  shai'e 
of  their  affections.  The  fallacy  of  this 
is  shown  by  the  acknowledged  fact, 
that  a  man  cannot  serve  at  the  same 
time  two  masters.  Literally,  no  man 
can  he  the  slave  of  two  masters,  i.  e.  he 
cannot  belong  wholly  and  entirely  to 
two  diff"erent  masters.  This  brings  out 
the  nature  of  the  impossibihty  better 
than  our  common  translation.  Involun- 
tary service  is  here  referred  to.  Any 
other  service  might  be  rendered  to 
various  individuals,  as  occasion  might 
require.  Will  hate  the  one,  i.  e.  hold 
his  authority  in  contempt.  And  love, 
i.  e.  yield  prompt  and  hearty  obedience. 
Will  hold  to  the  one.  A  strong  expres- 
sion, showing  the  fidelity  and  attach- 
ment of  a  servant  to  the  master  whom 
he  loves.  The  master  here  referred  to 
is  the  one  previously  supposed  to  be 
hated,  so  that  it  is  not  a  mere  repeti- 
tion of  the  preceding  proposition.  And 
despise,  i.  e.  have  no  regard  for  his 
person  and    authority.     Thus    clearly 


66 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


25  Therefore  I  say  unto  you, 
'  Take  no  thought  for  your  life, 
what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye  shall 
drink ;  nor  yet  for  your  body, 
what  ye  shall  put  on.  Is  not  the 
life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body 
than  raiment  ? 
a  Ps.  55 :  22 ;  Lu.  12 :  22,23 ;  Phi.  4 :  6 ;  1  Pe.  5 :  T. 

does  Christ  show  how  utterly  impossible 
it  is  for  a  man  to  be  under  the  supreme 
influence  of  two  principles,  so  antago- 
nistic as  the  love  of  God  and  love  of  the 
world.  This  is  expUcitly  asserted  in 
what  follows,  ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
inammon.  This  latter  word  is  the 
Chaldaic  personification  of  riches,  like 
the  Greek  PluUis.  Tholuck  has  shown 
clearly  that  Mammon  was  not  the  name 
of  a  Syrian  deity,  as  Schleusner  and 
others  have  asserted.  This  declaration 
of  our  Savior  should  be  pondered  upon, 
by  all  who  are  exposed,  in  these  money- 
making  days,  to  the  worship  and  service 
of  Mammon. 

25-34.  The  train  of  thought  in  these 
verses,  is  intimately  connected  with 
what  has  just  been  said  by  our  Lord, 
about  the  true  end  and  purpose  of  Ufe. 
If  that  be  the  service  and  glory  of  God, 
then  clearly  we  are  not  to  be  troubled 
about  worldly  things  which  are  of  minor 
importance.  The  great  end  of  our 
being  is  to  be  kept  continually  in  view, 
without  any  interruption  from  the  petty, 
distracting  cares  of  life,  which  agitate 
and  perplex  those  whose  only  portion  is 
in  this  world.  The  beautiful  and  appo- 
site illustrations,  with  which  Jesus  en- 
forces this  truth,  render  this  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  striking  portions 
of  God's  word. 

25.  Therefore,  i.  e.  in  view  of  what 
has  just  been  said.  Take  no  thought  ; 
literally,  be  not  distracted.  Our  com- 
mon translation  gives  a  sense,  which 
renders  the  command  impossible  of  ob- 
servance. The  idea  is,  that  we  are  not 
to  be  over-anxious,  or  solicitous  about 
the  concerns  of  the  present  life.  For 
your  life ;  literally,  soul,  but  here  put 
figuratively  for  natural  life,  or  the  wants 
of  the  body.  WTiaf  ye  shall  eat,  &c. 
This  is  the  object  of  solicitude  referred 


26  "  Behold  the  fowls  of  the 
air  :  for  they  sow  not,  neither  do 
they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns ; 
yet  your  heavenly  Father  feedeth 
them.  Are  ye  not  much  better 
than  they  ? 

a  Job  38  :  41 ;  Ps.  147:  9  ;   Lu.  12  :  24,  &c. 

to  in  the  preceding  clause.  Nor  yet  for 
your  body.  The  sentiment  is  parallel 
with  the  preceding.  Food  sustains  the 
life  of  the  body,  raiment  keeps  it  warm 
and  comfortable.  These  are  generi- 
cally  put  for  all  temporal  necessities  and 
comforts.  Is  not  the  life  more  (i.  e.  of 
more  worth,  importance,  and  dignity) 
than  meat  ?  The  sentiment  is :  Will 
not  God,  who  made  the  body,  provide 
things  necessary  for  its  support  ?  A 
prudent  management  of  our  temporal 
concerns,  and  a  well  regulated  industry 
are  not  here  forbidden.  It  is  undue 
anxiety,  and  apprehension  of  future 
want,  attended  with  distrust  of  God's 
providential  care,  against  which  our 
Savior  warns  his  followers. 

26.  The  argument  of  this  verse  is 
from  the  less  to  the  greater.  (See  N. 
on  5  :  15.)  If  God  provides  for  the  fowls 
of  the  air,  will  he  not  much  more  at- 
tend to  the  wants  of  man,  his  noblest 
work  ?  Consider  thefoivls,  &c.  Literally, 
consider  the  fowls  of  the  heaven,  that  they 
do  not  sow  ;  equivalent  to,  consider  that 
the  fowls  of  the  heaven  do  not  sow,  &c. 
By  fowls  is  here  meant  the  birds.  Of 
the  air  ;  literally,  of  heaven,  i.  e.  the 
aerial  or  lower  regions  of  the  firmament 
above  us.  See  N.  on  v.  9.  Tholuck 
well  remarks,  that  these  words  are  not 
superfluous,  but  serve  to  show  the  free 
and  uncaring  condition  of  these  birds, 
flying  from  one  place  to  another  at 
their  pleasure.  For  they  soio  not,  &c. 
They  engage  in  no  labor,  like  that  with 
which  man  makes  provision  for  his 
wants.  They  manifest  no  forethought 
for  their  sustenance,  but  are  supported 
each  day  by  the  watchful  care  of  the 
Being  who  created  them.  What  a  beau- 
tiful and  appropriate  illustration  of  God's 
providential  care  and  watchfulness.  It 
hardly  need  be  said,  that  no  warrant 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


67 


27  Which  of  you  by  taking 
thought  can  add  one  cubit  unto 
his  stature  ? 

28  And  why  take  ye  thought 
for  raiment  ?  Consider  the  lilies 
of  the  field  how  they  grow ;   they 

for  indolence  can  be  drawn  from  this 
passage,  the  example  of  the  birds  being 
adduced  only  to  enforce  the  precept 
laid  down  in  v.  25.  Are  ye  not  much 
better^  &c.  (literally,  do  ye  not  differ 
much  from  them.  See  N.  on  10  :  29), 
i.  e.  do  you  not  greatly  excel  the  birds, 
both  in  dignity,  and  in  the  capacity  of 
providing  for  your  wants  ?  Man  is  the 
highest  in  the  scale  of  creation,  and 
would  not,  therefore,  be  left  without 
the  means  of  subsistence.  God  has  also 
endowed  him  with  prudence  and  fore- 
thought, by  the  proper  exercise  of 
which  he  may  provide  for  all  his  reason- 
able wants. 

27.  The  uselessness  of  this  immoder- 
ate anxiety  is  shown,  by  man's  inability 
to  make  any  change  in  his  being  or 
physical  condition.  By  taking  thought.^ 
i.  e.  with  the  most  anxious  thought. 
One  cithit.  This  measure,  w'hich  took 
its  name  and  came  into  use,  from  the 
habit  of  measuring  from  the  elbow  to 
the  tip  of  the  middle  finger,  was 
reckoned  at  1^  foot,  although  the 
Greek  and  Roman  cubit  varied  a  little, 
the  one  above,  and  the  other  below 
this  exact  measure.  To  his  stature. 
The  context,  as  well  as  the  prevailing 
meaning  of  the  word,  requires  this  to 
be  translated  life,  or  time  of  oneh  life. 
It  is  the  design  of  food  and  clothing  to 
prolong  life,  not  to  increase  the  size  of 
the  body.  Besides,  nothing  is  more 
common  than  to  apply  to  duration  of 
time  epithets,  which  properly  belong 
to  the  measurement  of  space  or  solid 
bodies.  Thus  we  speak  of  an  inch  of 
time,  the  hand's  breadth  ofonr  life,  &c. 
See  Ps.  39  :  5  ;  2  Tim.  4  :  7.  Our  in- 
ability to  prolong  life  beyond  the  limits 
assigned  it  by  God,  is  evidently  the 
point  upon  which  our  Lord  is  enlarging. 

28.  Our  Savior  now  proceeds  to 
illustrate  the  folly  of  excessive  anx- 
iety in  respect  to  raiment,  by  showing 


toil    not,  neither    do  they    spin  ; 

29  And  yet  I  say  unto  you, 
That  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these. 

30  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe 
the  grass   of  the   field,  which  to- 

that  even  to  plants  is  granted  a  more 
gorgeous  array,  than  was  ever  possessed 
by  the  richest  of  earthly  monarchs. 
If  to  inanimate  objects  is  granted  there- 
fore such  beauteous  costmne,  how  un- 
worthy is  the  desire  in  man  to  be  clad 
in  robes  of  splendor,  when  his  highest 
efibrts  will  not  place  him  on  a  level,  in 
this  respect,  with  the  wild  plants  of  the 
field.  Consider ;  literally,  learn  thor- 
oughly,  note  with  accuracy  as  one  who 
is  a  learner,  llie  lilies.  Reference  is 
had,  as  some  think,  to  the  crown  im- 
perial ;  others  suppose  that  the  amaryl- 
lis  lutea,  "whose  liliaceous  golden 
flowers  cover  the  autunmal  fields  of  the 
Levant"  (Alford),  is  meant.  Other 
species  of  the  lily  family  are  named  by 
different  travellers  and  writers,  as  claim- 
ing the  distinction  here  given  by  our 
Lord.  Of  the  field.  Not  those  of  the 
flower-garden,  cultivated  by  the  care  of 
man,  but  growing  in  the  common  field, 
watched  over  by  no  eye,  but  that  of 
the  Being  who  gave  them  such  robes  of 
beauty.  Now  they  grow.  This  is  not 
interrogative  but  relative,  «w  what  man- 
gier they  grow.  They  toil  not,  Sac.  They 
do  nothing  to  ensure  the  perfection  of 
beauty  which  they  reach. 

29.  JSve7i  Solomon,  &c.  This  monarch 
was  celebrated,  throughout  the  Oriental 
world,  for  his  glory  and  magnificence. 
No  higher  example  of  human  splendor 
could  have  been  selected,  with  which 
to  compare  the  gorgeous  robes  of  the 
lily.  The  argument  is  one  of  surpass- 
ing beauty,  and  the  influence  such,  as 
should  cause  all  misgivings  of  God's 
watchful  care  and  providence,  to  cease 
for  ever. 

80.  So  clothe  in  garments  of  beauty. 
The  grass  of  the  field.  These  splendid 
lilies  ranked  only  with  the  common 
grass  or  herbage  of  the  field,  blooming 
for  a  day,  and  then  perhaps  cut  down 
by  the  scythe  and  cast  into  the  fire. 


68 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into 
the  oven,  shall  he  not  much  more 
cloilie  you,  0  ye  of  little  faith  ? 

31  Therefore  take  no  thought, 
saying,  What  shall  we  eat  ?  or, 
What  shall  we  drink  ?  or.  Where- 
withal shall  we  be  clothed  ? 

32  (For  after  all  these  things 
do  the  Grentiles  seek  :)  for  your 


How  this  enhances  the  argument  of  our 
Lord,  in  reasoning  from  God's  care  of 
such  short-lived,  evanescent  flowers  to 
man,  whom  he  has  endowed  with  rea- 
son and  made  immortal.  The  imrivalled 
beauty  in  which  objects  so  inferior  to 
him  are  clothed,  is  designed  to  teach 
him  that  he  has  a  nobler  destiny,  and 
that  his  anxiety  for  dress  and  equipage, 
is  unworthy  of  his  birthright  of  im- 
mortaUty.  To-morroiv.  Not  absolutely 
the  next  day,  as  ordinarily  the  grass 
would  be  too  green,  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  cast  into  the 
oven.  Future  time  near  at  hand  is 
designated,  and  in  this  indefinite  sense, 
we  often  use  the  term.  Oven.  A 
large,  round,  earthen  pot,  conical  in 
shape,  and  two  or  three  feet  high,  upon 
the  heated  sides  of  which  the  dough 
was  spread  in  thin  cakes,  and  thus 
baked.  0  ye  of  little  faith.  This  is 
said  in  reference  to  the  distrust  in 
God's  watchful  care,  which  causes  the 
anxiety  and  care  here  condemned. 

31.  Therefore  take  no  thought^  &c. 
An  emphatic  repetition  of  the  injunc- 
tion in  V.  25,  presented  here  in  the  form 
of  an  inference. 

32.  For  after  all  these  things.,  &c. 
An  additional  reason  is  here  given, 
why  the  followers  of  Christ  should  not 
be  anxious  in  respect  to  the  supply  of 
their  temporal  wants.  These  are  the 
things  which  constitute  the  chief  good 
in  the  estimation  of  the  heathen,  who 
have  no  correct  views  of  the  providence 
and  government  of  God.  Another 
reason  is  contained  in  the  next  clause  : 
For  your  heawnly  Father,  &c.  A  most 
precious  declaration,  which  should  dis- 
pel all  gloom  and  apprehension  respect- 
ing the  future,  and  in  the  darkest  hour, 


heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye 
have  need  of  all  these  things. 

33  But  '  seek  ye  first  the  king- 
dom of  Grod,  and  his  righteous- 
ness, and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you. 

34  Take  therefore  no  thought 

&SeelKi.3:13;  Ps.37:25;  Ma.  10 : 30 ;  Lu. 
12:31;  1  Ti.  4:8. 

cheer  us  with  the  reflection,  that  God 
knows  our  condition  and  wants,  and 
will  not  overlook  us  in  the  distribution 
of  his  mercies. 

33.  But  seek  ye  first.  Make  this  the 
first  and  principal  object  of  your  efforts 
and  desires.  Tlie  kingdom,  of  God,  i.  e. 
an  interest  in  the  promised  blessings  of 
the  Messiah's  reign.  His  righteousness, 
i.  e.  the  possession  of  piety,  godliness, 
vital  rehgion,  without  which  no  one  can. 
share  in  the  blessings  of  Christ's  king- 
dom. Alford  well  remarks,  that  the 
righteousness  of  jiistification  is  not  here 
meant,  but  the  spiritual  purity  inculca- 
ted in  this  discourse.  All  these  things 
shall  he  added,  &c.  This  does  not  imply 
that  the  possession  of  grace  in  the 
heart,  will  ensure  the  supply  of  tempo- 
ral wants  without  personal  exertion. 
But  it  constitutes  a  great  promise,  that 
God  will  not  forsake  those  who  put 
their  trust  in  Him,  and  though  for  wise 
reasons  he  may  sorely  try  their  faith 
and  constancy,  yet  he  will  prove  faith' 
ful  to  his  word,  and  deliver  them  from 
all  their  troubles.  All  these  things  ; 
literally,  these  things — all  (of  them),  the 
emphasis  being  on  all.  The  promise  is 
therefore  very  full  and  explicit.  The 
possession  of  the  grace  of  God  includes 
every  minor  blessing. 

34.  Take  no  thotight,  &c.  An  empha- 
tic repetition  of  the  sentiment  in  vs.  25, 
31.  77ie  morrow,  i.  e.  the  futx:re.  See 
N.  on  v.  30.  For  the  morrow,  &c.  The 
sentiment  is,  that  God  who  supplies  our 
daily  wants,  will  provide  for  the  wants 
of  the  future.  It  hardly  need  be  said, 
that  neither  the  spirit  nor  letter  of  this 
passage,  forbids  our  making  suitable 
provision  for  future  wants.  The  duty 
of  reliance  upon  God,  and  the  banish- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


69 


for  the  morrow  :  for  the  morrow 
shall  take  thought  for  the  things 
of  itself.  Sufficient  unto  tlie  day 
is  the  evil  thereof. 


ment  of  corroding  care  and  anxiety  in 
respect  to  the  future  supply  of  our 
necessities,  is  what  is  manifestly  taught 
in  this  part  of  our  Lord's  discourse. 
The  expression,  take  no  thought  in  this 
verse,  is  used  in  two  different  senses. 
In  the  first  clause,  it  has  the  sense,  be 
not  anxious:  ;  in  the  second,  shall  pro- 
vide for,  take  care  for.  The  morrow  is 
said  to  take  care  for  its  own  wants,  to 
express  in  a  striking  manner,  that  he 
who  is  "  the  same,  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  for  ever,"  will  as  readily  grant  us 
needed  blessings  on  the  morrow,  or 
any  subsequent  period,  as  at  the  present 
moment.  Alford  explains  the  latter 
clause  differently ;  "  the  morrow  will 
bring  care  enough  about  its  own 
matters."  But  this  idea  is  contained  in 
the  proverbial  sentence  which  follows, 
and  which  constitutes  a  .second  reason 
against  undue  anxiety  respecting  the 
future.  The  exposition  of  Alford  would 
make  our  Savior  utter  a  flat  tautology. 
Sufficient  unto  the  day,  &c.  This  is  a 
proverbial  expression  against  the  anti- 
cipation of  future  evil,  inasmuch  as 
each  day  brings  its  own  proportion  of 
trials,  and  we  ought  not  to  add  to  them 
by  borrowing  future  trouble.  Evil. 
Here  trouble,  care,  forming  a  part  of  the 
evils  and  afflictions  of  life. 

This  chapter  is  replete  with  the  most 
important  instructions  and  exalted 
sentiments.  Great  principles  are  laid 
down  in  respect  to  the  discharge  of  re- 
ligious duties,  the  forgiveness  of  in- 
juries, the  danger  of  amassing  wealth, 
anxiety  respecting  temporal  wants, 
which  are  so  plain  and  easy  of  applica- 
tion, that  no  one  can  be  at  loss  in  ap- 
plying the  truth  to  his  own  heart  and 
conscience.  Religious  ostentation,  an 
implacable  and  revengeful  temper,  love 
of  riches,  a  divided  heart  in  the  service 
of  God,  an  anxious,  fretful  state  of 
mind  in  regard  to  the  future,  are  all 
forbidden  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

JUDGrE  "not,  that   ye  be  not 
judged. 
2  For  with  what  judgment  ye 

aLu.6:87;   Eo.2:l,  &  14:3,4, 10,  13;   1  Co. 
4:3,5;  Ja.4:ll,  12. 


a  cheerful  and  religious  frame,  freedom 
from  all  parade  in  the  discharge  of  duty, 
secret  communion  with  God,  Christian 
forgiveness,  and  a  calm,  holy  reliance 
upon  divine  providence,  are  all  en- 
joined upon  us  in  the  most  impressive 
manner. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
In  this  chapter  our  Lord  continues  to 
caution  his  disciples  against  common 
and  prevalent  errors,  and  instructs 
them  in  regard  to  the  duties  of  judging 
leniently  and  impartially,  of  fervent 
and  importunate  prayer,  of  resolution 
and  perseverence  in  the  ways  of  reli- 
gion, and  closes  by  enjoining  upon  all 
a  practical  regard  for  his  precepts. 

1.  Judge  not.  Be  not  censorious, 
nor  hasty  to  form  an  unfavorable 
judgment  in  regard  to  the  conduct 
of  others.  This  is  not  a  prohibition 
against  all  judgment,  as  is  clear  from 
John  7  :  24  ;  1  Cor.  6  :  5.  Tliat  ye  be 
not  judged  with  like  severity.  This  may 
refer  to  the  judgment  of  our  fellow 
men,  often  provoked  to  severity  by  the 
censorious  spirit  we  manifest,  so  that 
we  receive  like  for  like  ;  or  it  may  refer 
in  a  higher  sense  to  God's  judgment, 
which  shall  fall  heavily  upon  such  as 
are  censorious  critics  of  others.  Per- 
haps both  these  senses  are  to  be  given 
it,  as  both  are  unquestionably  true. 
The  additional  direction  in  Luke  6  :  37, 
"  condemn  not  and  ye  shall  not  be  con- 
demned," shows  clearly  that  the  spirit 
here  rebuked  is  a  censorious  one,  which 
leads  to  rash  and  unfavorable  decisions 
respecting  the  character  and  motives  of 
acts.  That  (in  order  that)  denotes  the 
end  or  purpose  of  what  precedes.  Some 
erroneously  interpret  it,  so  that,  as  de- 
noting the  result. 

2.  For  with  (i.  e.  according  to)  what 
jxidgment,  &c.  This  illustrates  and  con- 
firms the  preceding  assertion.  They 
who  show  no   mercy   (James  2  :  13), 


70 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


judge,  ye  shall  he  judged  :  *  and 
with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again. 

3  '  And  why  beholdest  thou  the 
mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye, 
but  considerest  not  the  beam  that 
is  in  thine  own  eye  ? 

4  Or  how  wilt  thou  say  to  thy 
brother,  Let  me  pull  out  the  mote 

6  Ma.  4:24;  Lu.  6:88.        cLu.6:41,42. 

must  expect  judgment  without  mercy, 
on  the  principle  of  equity.  With  what 
measure  ye  mete  (i.  e.  measure  out  to 
others).  The  same  sentiment  in  a 
varied  form.  The  administration  of 
justice,  in  its  most  full  and  unmitigated 
form,  is  often  figuratively  expressed  as 
something  measured  out  in  full  com- 
pletion. There  is  no  doubt  that  our 
Savior  here  made  use  of  a  proverbial 
expression. 

3.  And  «!% (literally,  but  why)?  de- 
notes surprise  at  the  sharp-sightedness 
with  which  the  faults  of  others  are  de- 
tected, in  view  of  the  great  principle, 
like  for  like,  referred  to  in  vs.  1,  2. 
Beholdest  with  the  outward  eye,  as  con- 
siderest refers  to  the  mental  eye  by 
which  we  discern  our  own  faults.  Tlie 
mote.  A  small  particle  of  chaff,  or  here, 
as  opposed  to  beam,  a  very  small  twig, 
a  splinter.  These  figuratively  repre- 
sent the  small  faults,  which  we  are 
quick  to  detect  in  others,  and  the  great 
ones,  which  are  unobserved  in  our- 
selves. 

4.  Or  how  (with  consistency)  wilt 
thou  (i.  e.  canst  thou)  say  ?  See  Luke 
V  :  42.  The  argument  is  still  illustrative 
of  vs.  i,  2.  Thy  brother.  Thy  fellow 
man.  See  N.  on  5  :  22.  Let  me  jmll 
oiit ;  literally,  suffer  or  permit  that  I 
cast  out,  words  naturally  used  by  one,  who 
wishes  to  remove  some  irritating  sub- 
stance from  the  eye  of  another.  And 
behold  a  beam  (i.  e.  while  at  the  same 
time  a  beam)  is  in  thine  own  eye.  This 
shows  how  inconsistent  was  the  act 
proposed  to  be  done. 

5.  First  cast  out  the  beam,  &c.  Rec- 
tify thine  own  faults.  And  then  shalt 
thou  see  clearly  (i.-B.  with  perfect  and 


out  of  thine  eye  ;  and  behold,  a 
beam  is  in  thine  own  eye  ? 

5  Thou  hypocrite,  first  cast  out 
the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye ; 
and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to 
cast  out  the  mote  out  of  thy 
brother's  eye. 

6  ^  "^Give  not  that  which  is 
holy  unto  the  dogs,  neither  cast 

dPr.  9:T,  8,&23:9;  Ac.  13:45,46. 

• 

unobstructed  vision).  One  who  amends 
his  own  ways,  is  qualified  to  correct  the 
conduct  of  others.  It  is  worthy  of  note, 
that  self-correction  and  reformation  are 
not  here  followed  by  a  mere  staring  or 
gazing  at  the  faults  of  others,  as  in  v. 
3,  but  by  a  desire  to  assist  an  erring 
brother  in  getting  rid  of  whatever  is 
wrong.  This  desire  is  now  practicable. 
But  ibr  an  unreformed  man  to  under- 
take to  reform  others,  is  always  looked 
upon  as  an  impertinent  and  odious  in- 
terference. Such  a  person  is  also  dis- 
qualified for  the  duty  of  a  reformer, 
by  his  self-ignorance  and  want  of  self- 
discipline.  How  can  one  kindly  and 
judiciously  administer  reproof  to  others, 
who  has  never  seriously  set  about  the 
correction  of  his  own  faults,  nay,  who 
is  too  self-righteous,  to  admit  that  he 
has  any  imperfections?  But  let  him 
learn  humility,  by  seeing  and  acknow- 
ledging before  God  and  his  fellow  men 
his  own  sins,  and  he  becomes  fitted  at 
once  to  be  a  kind  and  faithful  monitor  to 
others. 

6.  Give  not  that  which  is  holy,  &c. 
The  interpretation  of  this  verse  and  its 
precise  application,  is  attended  with 
some  difficulty.  Of  the  various  expla- 
nations, however,  none  appears  to  an- 
swer to  the  grammatical  construction 
and  the  sense  demanded  by  the  con- 
text, better  than  that  contained  in  the 
following  paraphrase :  Give  not  that 
which  is  holy  to  the  dogs,  lest  they 
being  disappointed  in  obtaining  their  ex- 
pected food,  should  turn  upon  and  rend 
vou ;  neither  cast  pearls  before  swine, 
iest  they  also  expecting  food  and  ge  • 
ting  none,  should  trample  them  under 
their  feet.     Alford   and  some   others 


A.  D.  32.] 


CriAPTEll  YU. 


71 


ye  your  pearls  before  swine,  lest 
they  trample  them  under  their 
feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you. 


refer  both  these  acts  of  violence  to  the 
swine,  who  being  infuriated  at  their 
disappointment  in  not  finding  these 
pearls  to  be  acorns,  which  they  re- 
sembled, trample  them  under  their  feet, 
and  turn  against  the  donor  to  rend 
him  with  their  tusks.  The  injunction 
against  giving  that  which  is  holy  to  the 
dogs,  is  derived  from  Levit.  22  :  6,  7  ; 
lu  :  14,  where  no  unclean  person,  or 
stranger  or  sojourner,  was  to  eat  of  the 
holy  things.  Much  less  was  that  which 
was  holy,  (here  the  meat  ottered  in  sac- 
rifice), to  be  profaned  by  being  cast 
to  dogs.  As  the  dogs  would  not  refuse 
this  meat,  there  seems  to  be  some  rea- 
son, with  Alford,  in  limiting  the  acts  of 
violence  to  the  swine,  making  the  simi- 
litudes shghtly  dirterent,  the  former 
being  against  the  profanation  of  sacred 
things,  the  latter,  against  infuriating 
savage  animals,  by  giving  them  that 
which  has  the  appearance  of  food,  but 
which  is  not  such,  nor  adapted  to  their 
wants  and  desires.  To  whichever  in- 
terpretation we  incline,  they  are  so  es- 
sentially alike,  that  the  same  general 
principle  can  be  deduced  from  either. 
We  are  to  study  the  characters  of  those 
whom  we  attempt  to  reform,  and  wisely 
adapt  our  instruction  and  reproof  to 
their  physical  and  moral  condition. 
There  may  be  instances,  in  which  men 
become  so  hardened  and  so  abusive 
under  reproof,  as  to  render  useless  all 
attempts  for  their  reformation.  We 
are  to  waste  neither  our  time  or  ener- 
gies on  such  brutal  and  profane  per- 
sons, whom  our  Lord  well  likens  to 
ferocious  dogs ;  nor  are  we  to  cast  the 
pearls  of  religious  truth  to  profligate 
and  abandoned  men,  who  may  with 
equal  propriety  be  termed  swine.  This 
appears  to  be  the  sentiment,  which  the 
context  gives  to  this  remarkable  verse. 
Tlie  connection  is  very  strongly  mark- 
ed :  Attempt  the  correction  of  no  one's 
faults,  until  you  have  first  aimed  at 
correcting  your  own.     And  in  the  cor- 


7  ^  '  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you ;     seek,    and   ye    shall    lind ; 

e  Ch.  21 :  22;  Ma.  11 :  24;  Lu.  11  : 9, 10,  &  IS  : 
1 ;  John  11 :  13,  A;  15 :  T,  &  IG :  23,  24 ;  Ja.  1 :  5, 
6;  IJo.  3:22,&5:14,  15. 

rection  of  others,  there  is  a  limit  re- 
sulting from  the  more  aggravated  forms 
of  sin  and  vice,  beyond  which  it  is  no 
one's  duty  to  go.  Some  think  that 
Jesus  has  reference  to  admission  to  his 
visible  church,  and  that  he  here  forbids 
his  ministers  and  people  to  receive  into 
membership,  those  who  are  devoted  to 
the  indulgence  of  their  carnal  and  un- 
holy appetites  (see  Bib.  Repos.  2d  ser. 
vol.  xii.  p.  16S).  But  this  interpreta- 
tion so  entirely  overlooks  the  demands 
of  the  preceding  context,  that  it  cannot 
be  admitted  as  the  true  one.  Some 
expositors  are  drawn  away  from  the 
right  interpretation  of  the  passage, 
through  fear  that  the  principle  laid 
down  may  be  abused,  and  may  furnish 
a  shelter  for  a  timid  forbearance  to 
speak  the  truth,  when  there  is  the  least 
danger  of  opposition.  But  the  rule, 
properly  interpreted  and  applied,  ad- 
mits of  no  such  shrinking  from  the  bold 
discharge  of  duty.  It  simply  refers  to 
the  line  of  conduct  to  be  observed, 
when  we  come  in  contact  with  such  vile 
and  polluted  beings,  as  are  sometimes 
found  in  almost  every  community. 
"  For  such  men  the  law  alone  is  lit. 
The  gospel  they  misunderstand  to  the 
injury  of  those  who  proclaim  it  to 
them."     Olshausen. 

7.  The  connection  here  may  be  seen, 
by  supposing  the  hearer  to  mentally 
exclaim  :  If  that  which  is  holy  is  not 
to  be  given  to  the  dogs,  and  if  pearls 
are  not  to  be  thrown  to  swine,  what 
hope  is  there  for  man,  so  infinitely  un- 
worthy of  the  divine  mercy  ?  In  refer- 
ence to  such  an  inquiry,  our  Lord  pro- 
ceeds to  unfold  the  readiness  of  God,  to 
bestow  his  favors  upon  such  as  humbly 
and  devoutly  implore  them.  Ask  and 
it  shall  be  given  you,  &c.  This  refers 
primarily  and  principally  to  spiritual 
blessings,  which  will  never  be  refused 
to  the  humble  repentant  applicant.  It 
does  not  follow,  however,  that  God  will 
answer   our  prayer,    in   the  time  and 


72 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32, 


knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened 
unto  you  : 

8  For  -^  every  one  that  asketh, 
receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh, 
findeth ;  and  to  him  that  knock- 
eth,  it  shall  be  opened. 

9  ^  Or  what  man  is  there  of 

/  Pr.  8 :  IT ;  Je.  29 :  12, 13.      jr  Lu.  11 :  11, 12, 13. 

way  which  to  us  seem  best.  He  knows 
far  better  than  we,  wh^it  is  conducive  to 
our  highest  good.  But  the  promise  in 
this  and  the  following  verse,  has  no 
limitation,  and  we  may  feel  the  highest 
confidence,  that  prayer,  oifered  in  the 
right  spirit,  will  receive  an  answer, 
which  in  the  end  will  be  seen  to  be 
just  such,  as  our  chief  and  ultimate 
good  required.  We  should  therefore 
cheerfully  leave  the  time  and  manner  of 
the  answer  to  prayer  with  Him,  who 
has  made  the  promise,  and  to  which  He 
will  ever  prove  faithfid.  In  respect  to 
what  is  called  the  prayer  of  faith,  see 
N.  on  21  :  22.  The  repetition  of  the 
words  ask,  seek,  and  knock,  gives  great 
emphasis  and  fullness  to  the  promise. 

8.  I^or  every  one  that  asketh,  &c.  In 
illustration  of  the  promise  just  made, 
our  Lord  appeals  to  a  common  and  well- 
known  fact.  Men  act  on  the  expecta- 
tion, that  what  they  earnestly  ask  for 
and  seek  aftei%  they  will  obtain,  and 
this  expectation  is  generally  realized. 
In  the  experience  of  praying  Christians, 
it  is  eminently  true.  They  have  so 
often  been  made  sensible  that  God  hears, 
and  answers  prayer,  that  it  becomes  the 
language  of  their  experience,  "  every 
one  that  asketh  receiveth." 

9.  An  argument  in  proof  of  God's 
readiness  to  grant  suitable,  spiritual 
blessings  to  his  people,  is  here  drawn 
from  the  conduct  of  parents  to  their 
children.  This  is  the  argument  ad 
hominem.  See  N.  on  12  :  12.  Or. 
This  particle  introduces  the  question, 
as  a  kind  of  denial  of  what  precedes. 
But  the  question  implies  a  negative, 
being  equivalent  to,  there  is  no  man  of 
you,  whom  if  his  son,  &c.  So  Olshauson  : 
"  or  does  it  ever  happen  otherwise  ?" 
Hence  it  serves  to  confirm  the  senti- 


you,  whom  if  his  son  ask  bread, 
will  he  give  him  a  stone  ? 

10  Or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he 
give  him  a  serpent  ? 

11  If  ye  then  ''  being  evil  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your 
children,    how   much  more  shall 

AGe.  6:5,  &1S:21. 


ment  of  the  preceding  verse.  What 
man  is  there  of  you  ?  Is  there  a  single 
man  of  those  whom  I  now  address? 
Doddridge  gives  it  this  shade  :  "which 
of  you  is  there,  though  but  a  man  ?"  which 
is  a  slight  departure  from  the  original. 
Would  he  give  him  a  stone  ?  Would  he 
be  so  unnatural,  as  to  withhold  bread 
from  his  hungry  child,  and  give  him 
that  which  was  not  food  ?  Would 
he  not  seek  to  adapt  his  gift  to  the 
urgent  and  perishing  need  of  his  child  ? 
Here  is  a  limitation  to  the  promise 
made  in  vs.  7,  8.  God  will  not  grant 
even  to  our  most  urgent  solicitations, 
that  which  is  unsuited  to  our  condition. 
If  we  in  our  bhndness  ask,  as  we  think, 
for  bread,  but  in  reality  for  something 
unsuited  to  our  wants,  as  a  stone  would 
be  to  a  starving  child,  God  will  answer 
the  spirit  of  our  prayer,  but  deny  us 
the  thing  for  which  we  bUndly  asked 
Him.  Thus  this  passage  teaches  not 
only  the  readiness  of  God  to  grant 
needed  blessings,  but  his  wise  adapta- 
tion of  them  to  our  wants,  and  his  care 
not  to  grant  any  request  of  his  children, 
which  would  prove  hurtful  to  them,  or 
not  promotive  of  their  best  interests. 

10.  Will  he  give  him  a  serpent  ? 
Something  that  would  do  him  positive 
injury  instead  of  sustaining  life  ?  The 
interrogative  form  is  employed  to  ex- 
press a  strong  negation.  Hence  our 
Lord  proceeds  to  draw  the  inference 
contained  in  the  next  verse,  without  as- 
serting in  so  many  words  that  no  parent 
would  thus  treat  his  beloved  child.  The 
question  could  receive  no  other  than  a 
negative  response  in  th,e  heart  of  every 
one  present. 

11.  The  sentiment  is:  If  ye  then, 
being  but  partially  or  imperfectly  pos- 
sessed with  benevolent  feelings,   know 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


73 


your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 
give  good  things  to  them  that  ask 
him  ? 

12  Therefore  all  things  '  what- 
soever ye  would  that  men  should 

i  Lu.  6  :  31. 

how  to  treat  with  tenderness  your  chil- 
dren, how  much  more  shall  an  infinitely 
benevolent  Being  be  compassionate  to- 
wards his  spiritual  children.  Being 
evil,  i.  e.  imperfect,  not  free  from  moral 
imperfections.  This  is  true  of  the  most 
holy  men  that  have  ever  lived.  See 
Eccles.  7  :  20.  Augustine's  remark 
must  not  be  forgotten,  that  the  persons 
now  addressed  are  the  same,  who  have 
just  been  taught  to  say.  Our  Fcdher. 
The  expression  has  reference,  therefore, 
to  the  general  corruption  of  their 
nature,  which  even  when  renewed  and 
sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  only 
partially  so,  while  they  are  yet  in  this 
world.  Stier  remarks,  that  this  is  one 
of  the  strongest  proofs  of  original  sin 
to  be  found  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
Know  how,  i.  e.  have  the  disposition. 
Good  gifts.  Things  necessary  for  their 
comfort.  How  much  more.  There 
never  was  an  instance  where  the  argu- 
ment a  fortiori  (see  N.  on  5  :  15)  was 
employed  in  a  more  striking  manner, 
than  in  this  passage,  unless  perhaps  in 
Eom.  5  :  10,  where  the  same  super- 
abundance of  God's  grace  in  his  Son, 
over  man's  unworthiness,  is  the  theme 
of  the  discourse.  The  love  and  tender 
care,  with  which  an  earthly  parent 
watches  over  his  child,  bears  no  con- 
ceivable proportion  to  that  love,  which 
our  Heavenly  Father  feels  for  his  obe- 
dient, believing  children.  To  them  that 
a.tk  him.  Prayer  is  the  means  by  which 
God's  people  obtain  the  blessings  he 
has  in  store  for  them.  Even  if  this 
wei-e  otherwise,  it  should  be  regarded 
as  an  inestimable  privilege  to  address 
the  Deity,  in  prayer,  and  to  call  him 
our  Father  in  heaven.  But  how  much 
more  should  we  prize  this  privilege, 
connected,  as  prayer  is,  with  the  richest 
blessings  the  human  mind  can  conceive. 
12.  The  sentiment  of  this  verse  is  so 
Vol..  l.—i 


do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them  : 
for  '^  this  is  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets. 

18  ^  '  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait 
gate  :  for  wide  is  the   gate,  and 

ALe.  19:18;  ch.  22:40;  Eo.  13:8,  9,10;  Ga.5: 
14;  ITi.  1:5.        ZLu.  13:24. 


heavenly,  and  so  unlike  the  teachings 
of  heathen  moralists,  that  it  has  by  com- 
mon consent  been  denominated  the 
GOLPEN  KULE.  It  is  an  inference  from 
the  whole  of  the  preceding  portion  of 
the  chapter,  yet  more  immediately  from 
the  latter  part  of  the  preceding  verse, 
as  it  enjoins  upon  us  the  imitation  of 
our  Heavenly  Father,  in  the  exercise  of 
love,  and  acts  of  kindness  to  all  our 
fellow-men.  If  we  would  hope  to  secure 
the  love  and  favor  of  God,  and  receive 
mercy  at  his  hands,  we  must  ourselves 
exercise  a  like  spirit  towards  all,  who  may 
come  within  the  reach  of  our  influence. 
MTiatsoever  ye  would  that  ')nen  shoidd  do 
unto  you,  i.  e.  regard  as  reasonable  and 
proper  to  be  done,  were  you  in  their 
circumstances  and  they  in  yours.  For 
this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets  (see  N. 
on  5  :  17).  The  whole  spirit  of  the 
law  and  prophetical  writings  of  the  Old 
Testament,  is  contained  in  this  one 
great  principle  of  treating  others,  as  in 
like  circumstances  we  would  wish  to  be 
treated.  How  different  would  be  the 
state  of  society,  did  men  act  in  accord- 
ance with  this  rule. 

13.  Cautions  against  false  teachers, 
and  the  necessity  of  obedience  to  the 
requisitions  of  the  gospel,  are  now 
urged  by  our  Lord  upon  the  attention 
of  his  hearers.  This  occupies  the  re- 
mainder of  the  discourse.  Enter  ye  in 
at  tlie  strait  gate.  The  entrance  to  the 
Christian  course,  or,  perhaps  more  pro- 
perly, the  entrance  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  by  a  life  of  self-denial  and 
active  obedience,  is  here  figuratively 
represented  by  crowding  one's  self 
through  a  very  narow  side-gate  into 
an  edifice.  In  the  Table  of  Cebes,  there 
is  a  remarkably  similar  expression, 
"  Do  you  not  see  a  certain  small  door 
to  which  a  path  leads,  not  much  thronged 
as  very  few  travel  it  ?  that  is  the  way 


74 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to 
de.-truction,  and  mauy  there  be 
which  go  in  thereat : 

14  Because,  strait  is  the  gate, 
and  narrow  is  the  way,  which 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be 
that  find  it. 

TO  De.  13:3;  Je.  23:16;  ch.  24:  4,  5, 11,  24; 
Ma.  13 :  22 ;  Ko.  16 :  17,  IS ;  Ep.  5 :  6 ;  Col.  2  :  8 
2;  Pe.  2:1,  2,3;  1  Jo.  4:  1. 


which  leads  to  true  mental  culture." 
For  wide  is  the  gate.  The  ease  and 
luxury  of  self-indulgence,  here  repre- 
sented by  the  wide  gate  and  broad  way, 
are  given  as  a  reason,  why  men  should 
strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.  See 
Luke  13  :  24,  where  we  have  that  re- 
markable direction:  "Strive  (hterally, 
agonize)  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate."  llany  there  be  which  go  in  thereat. 
All  pass  thoughtlessly  along.  The  gate 
is  wide.  There  is  no  crowding  or  jost- 
ling among  the  multitudes,  who  sweep 
through  its  portals.  A  broad  and  in- 
viting way  lies  before  them.  Thou- 
sands upon  thousands  are  walking  there- 
in, in  all  the  wanton  joyousness  of  sen- 
sual ease  and  indulgence.  Who  would 
think  of  squeezing  through  a  small  and 
obscure  gate,  and  treading  a  narrow 
path,  with  this  broad  gate  and  way  full 
in  sight,  along  which  his  fellow-men 
were  passing  in  countless  numbers  ? 

14.  Because  strait  (i.  e.  narrow)  is  the 
gate.  This  verse  contains  the  reason 
why  so  many  enter  the  wide  gate,  and 
why  the  avenue  is  so  broad.  The  only 
remaining  way  is  so  narrow  and  ob- 
scure, that  few  enter  it  or  even  find  it. 
A  different  reading  in  the  original  is 
adopted  by  some  editors,  which  would 
make  the  passage  intensive  :  How  .strait, 
or  how  greatly  strait,  &c.  In  that  case 
the  verse  loses  its  causal  sense,  and  is 
to  be  regarded  as  an  enforcement  of 
the  direction  in  v.  13.  Narrow;  lit- 
erally, crushed  in,  compressed  in  width. 
A  very  strong  expression.  Feic  there  be, 
&c.  The  eye  of  the  approaching 
traveller  is  fastened  upon  the  broad 
and  imposing  gate.  The  narrow  side- 
entrance  is  unnoticed.  A  few  draw 
near  and  press  through  it,  but  are   re- 


15  1"""  Beware  of  false  pro- 
phets, "  which  come  to  you  in 
sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they 
are  "  ravening  wolves. 

16  ^  Ye  shall  know  them  by 
their  fruits.      ''  Do    men    gather 


»iMi.  3:5;  2Ti.3:5.       o  Ac.  20 :  29,  30. 
p  Ver.  20 ;  ch.  12 :  83.        g  Lu.  6 :  43,  44. 


garded   by  the    masses  as    insane,    to 
choose  so  narrow  and  rugged  a  path. 

15.  Beware  (literally,  but  beiuare)  of 
false  prophets  or  false  teachers,  de- 
ceiving guides  (see  24  :  24).  The  dif- 
ficulty in  finding  the  strait  gate,  nat- 
urally suggests  the  idea  of  guides,  who 
would  proffer  their  services  to  point  it 
out,  and  give  directions  as  to  the  best 
manner  of  entrance.  But  unfortunately 
among  these  are  found  many,  who  are 
themselves  ignorant  of  the  way,  and 
make  it  their  object  to  deceive  all  who 
trust  themselves  to  their  guidance. 
Come  to  you  as  guides  and  teachers. 
In  sheep's  clothing,  i.  e.  having  the  ex- 
ternal appearance  of  innocence  and  up- 
rightness, clad  in  the  robes  of  God's 
spiritual  flock.  Sheep  have  ever  been 
regarded  as  the  emblem  of  harmlessness 
and  innocence.  But  inwardly,  in  heart 
and  disposition.  Ravening  wolves.  The 
very  opposite  of  their  counterfeit  inno- 
cence. The  rapacious,  cruel,  deceitful 
character  here  given  to  false  teachers, 
has  been  possessed  by  many  professed 
ministers  of  Christ,  especially  by  the 
Romish  hierarchy  (2  Pet.  2  :  1).  It  was 
alse  pre-eminently  the  character  of  the 
Pharisees  in  the  time  of  Christ.  No 
greater  curse  can  be  inflicted  on  a  reli- 
gious community,  than  false,  ungodly, 
and  rapacious  teachers. 

16.  Ye  shall  knoio  them  (i.  e.  learn 
their  true  character)  by  their  fruits. 
Their  corrupt  doctrines  and  profligate 
lives  will  show  how  worthless  are  their 
professions  of  piety.  Men  of  the  most 
consummate  address  and  power  of  dis- 
simulation, when  thrown  from  their 
guard  by  some  sudden  and  unexpected 
occurrence,  often  betray  themselves  by 
intemperate  acts  and  expressions,  so  that 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


75 


grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  this- 
tles ? 

17  Even  so  *■  every  good  tree 
bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;  but  a 
corrupt  tree  briugeth  forth  evil 
fruit. 

18  A  good  tree  cannot  bring 
forth  evil  fruit,  neither  can  a  cor- 
rupt tree  bring  forth  good  fruit. 

19  '  Every  tree  that  briugeth 

rJe.  11:19;  ch.  12:33.        s  ch.  3:10;  Lu  8: 
9;  John  15:2,  (j. 


their  real  character  is  made  manifest. 
The  guise  of  hypocrisy  will  sooner  or 
later  be  seen  throujrh.  Sin  brings  forth 
its  own  fruit,  which  in  the  light  of 
truth  cannot  be  mistaken  for  the  fruit 
of  holiness.  This  great  fact  is  brought 
out  more  distinctly  in  the  next  clause. 
Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns  (?)  &c. 
It  was  as  reasonable  to  expect  clusters 
of  grapes  upon  a  thorn-bush,  or  figs 
upon  thistles,  as  the  fruits  of  hohness 
from  men  of  a  bad  character.  01s- 
hausen  refers  thorns  to  what  is  called 
buck-thorn,  with  fruits  like  grapes  but 
■disagreeable.  So  thistles,  he  suggests, 
may  be  the  Opuntien  cactus  (Indian 
fig  tree),  which  produces  fruit  similar  to 
the  fig,  but  worthless.  Our  Lord  often 
draws  his  similitudes  from  the  olijects 
of  nature.  Nothing  could  be  more  ex- 
pressive than  the  illustration  here  made 
use  of  Tholuck  understands  doctrines 
by  the  term  fruits.  But  while  these  are 
included,  it  is  better  to  make  the  ex- 
pression more  comprehensive,  embra- 
cing all  the  moral  acts  of  a  man  which 
bring  out  his  true  character. 

17,  18.  Even  so,  i.  e.  in  accordance 
with  the  law  of  nature,  that  like  pro- 
duces like.  Every  good  tree,  &c.  If 
these  religious  teachers  are  what  they 
profess  to  be,  they  will  be  character- 
ized by  moral  purity,  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  truth,  forgiveness  of  injuries,  a 
zealous  interest  in  the  welfare  of  others. 
These  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  (Gal. 
5  :  22),  which  do  not  grow  and  ripen  in 
a  corrupt  heart.  But  a  corrupt  tree, 
&c.  The  same  principle  applies  to  false 
and  wicked   teachers.     The   fruit   will 


not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down, 
and  east  into  the  fire. 

20  Wherefore,  by  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them. 

21  T[  Not  every  one  that  saith 
unto  me,  '  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but 
he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven. 

22  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that 

nio.  8:2;  ch.  25:11,12;   Lu.  6:  46,  &  13:  25; 
Ac.  19 :  13 ;  Eo.  2 :  13 ;  Ja.  1 :  22. 

conform  to  the  nature  of  the  tree. 
Whatever  may  be  their  outward  pro- 
fession, if  their  conduct  belies  it,  they 
are  entitled  to  no  claim  to  genuine 
piety.  Corrupt,  i.  e.  decayed,  rotten. 
A  good  tree  cannot,  &c.  See  12  :  33- 
35,  where  the  same  sentiment,  under  a 
slightly  varied  form,  is  again  brought 
forward.  This  verse  is  an  emphatic  re- 
petition of  V.  17,  the  sentiment  being 
expressed  in  a  negative  form. 

19.  From  the  common  use  for  fuel, 
to  which  old  and  decayed  trees  are  put, 
our  Lord  in  these  verses  pronounces  the 
dreadful  doom  of  hypocritical  teachers, 
and  all  others,  who  put  on  a  false  garb 
to  lead  men  astray. 

20.  Wlierefore  by  their  fruits,  &c. 
A  general  inference  from  the  foregoing 
illustration,  as  well  as  an  emphatic  re- 
petition of  what  was  declared  in  v.  16. 
Ye  shall  know ;  literally,  ye  shall  thor- 
oughly know. 

21.  From  pronouncing  the  doom  of. 
false  teachers,  our  Lord  proceeds  to 
show  that  a  practical  regard  for  his 
precepts,  and  not  a  mere  profession  of 
his  name,  will  entitle  one  to  admission 
into  his  kingdom.  Thus  the  doom  of 
all  hypocrites,  is  declared  in  the  most 
solemn  and  striking  terms.  Not  every 
one,  i.  e.  it  is  not  every  person  who  ad- 
dresses me  with  Lord,  Lord,  that  .shall 
enter,  &c.  There  are  some  who,  from 
a  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  utter  the 
name  of  their  Lord.  Those  constitute 
an  exception  to  the  exclusion  from 
heaven  here  referred  to.  Otherwise 
our  Savior  would  have  said,  every  owe 
that  saith  Lord,  Lord,   &c.     It  is   not 


76 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  31. 


day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  "  not 
prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in 
thy  name  have  cast  out  devils? 

wNu.  24:4;  Jo.  11:51;  1  Co.  13:2. 

against  their  calling  him  Lord^  that  he 
inveighs,  but  the  liollow-heartedness  of 
this  outward  homage,  unattended  as  it 
was  with  an  obedient  humble  spirit. 
Kingdom  of  heaven,  i.  e.  the  place  of 
future  blessedness.  But  he  (only)  that 
doeth  the  will,  i.  e.  the  commands  and 
precepts. 

22.  Many  ivill  say,  &c.  The  day  of 
final  account  is  here  referred  to,  in 
which  our  Lord  declares  in  no  ambigu- 
ous terms,  that  he  is  to  be  the  principal 
personage.  Whether  the  people,  on 
this  occasion,  understood  him  as  claim- 
ing the  office  of  final  Judge,  is  quite 
doubtful.  Many  things  which  he  ut- 
tered that  are  plain  to  us,  were  to  them 
obscure,  blinded  as  they  were  by  the 
prejudices  of  their  nation  in  favor  of  a 
temporal  Messiah.  Lord,  Lord.  The 
repetition  denotes  the  earnestness  of 
their  appeal,  and  their  professed  respect 
for  his  dignity  and  authority.  Have  ive 
not  prophesied  in  thy  name?  i.  e.  im- 
parted religious  instruction,  as  thy  au- 
thorized ministers.  Foretelling  future 
events  is  not  necessarily  implied  in  the 
term  (see  1  Cor.  12  :  10),  for  it  includes 
all  the  varieties  of  religious  teaching, 
/n  thy  name  cast  out  devils.  These  were 
deceived  souls,  who  imagined  that  they 
had  performed  miracles.  No  wicked 
persons  ever  performed  miracles  vol- 
untarily, as  was  done  by  the  true  ser- 
vants of  God,  but  only  as  they  were 
instrumentally  used  to  do  this,  by  a 
power  which  they  could  not  resist,  and 
contrary  to  their  will  and  expectation. 
Balaam  was  forced  to  prophesy  good 
concerning  Israel,  contrary  to  his  own 
wish,  and  that  of  the  king  of  Moab 
(Num.  23  :  20,  26  ;  2-1: :  13).  The  witch 
of  Endor  was  overwhelmed  with  aston- 
ishment, when  she  saw  that  she  had 
actually  called  up  the  spirit  of  Samuel. 
This  shows  that  she  had  no  expectation 
of  such  an  event,  and  proves  most  con- 
clusively that  she  did  not  raise  him,  but 
that  God  took  that  opportunity  to  let 


and  in  thy  name  done  many  won- 
derful works  ? 

2o  And  '  then  will   I   profess 

X  Ch.  25 :  12  ;  Lu.  13 :  25,  27 ;  2  Ti.  2 :  19. 


Saul  know  his  approaching  doom, 
through  the  spirit  of  Samuel,  whom  lie 
was  so  impiously  evoking  from  the  re- 
pose of  the  grave.  The  magicians  of 
Egypt  practised  legerdemain,  which  was 
successful  in  two  or  three  of  the  first 
miracles  or  plagues,  which  admitted  of 
a  sort  of  imitation  by  expert  jugglers, 
but  they  soon  gave  over  and  confessed 
their  impotence  (Ex.  8  :  18,  19;  9:  11). 
We  have  no  evidence  that  Judas  ever 
performed  a  miracle.  It  is  said  of  the 
Twelve  whom  Jesus  sent  forth,  that  he 
gave  them  power  over  unclean  spirits 
(Mark  6  :  *?),  and  that  they  cast  out 
many  devils  (Mark  6:13).  It  is  not 
asserted  or  necessarily  imphed,  that 
every  individual  of  the  number  ejected 
evil  spirits.  They  went  forth  two  by 
two  (Mark  6  : 7),  and  at  no  time,  pro- 
bably during  the  time  of  pubhc  instruc- 
tion, was  Judas  by  himself,  so  that  we 
could  affirm  of  him  that  he  personally 
wrought  miracles,  as  did  the  other  apos- 
tles. But  even  if  Judas  had  this  power, 
and  exercised  it,  his  case  could  only  be 
regarded  as  an  exception,  resulting  from 
his  being  for  a  time  one  of  the  chosen 
apostles  of  Christ,  and  endowed  thereby 
with  an  honor,  of  which  he  was  person- 
ally undeserving.  As  to  what  our  Lord 
said  (12:  27)  about  the  ejection  of  de- 
mons by  the  children  of  the  Pharisees, 
he  refers  to  what  they  pretended  to  do, 
and  not  to  an  actual  fact.  On  the  na- 
ture of  his  argument,  see  N.  on  that 
passage.  The  word  of  God  does  not, 
therefore,  justify  us  in  believing  that 
these  self-deceived  persons  ever  cast 
out  devils,  as  they  pretended  to  have 
done,  and  in  many  instances  thought 
they  did.  3fany  wonderftd  works,  i.  e. 
miracles.  See  N.  on  11  :  21.  In  claim- 
ing this  power,  they  also  spoke  falsely. 
One  great  arm  of  the  argument,  that 
the  writers  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments were  what  they  professed  to  be, 
servants  and  messengers  of  God,  was 
their  power  to  work  miracles.    But  this 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


77 


unto  them,  I  never  knew  you: 
•'  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work 
iniquity. 

24    *|[    Therefore,   "^whosoever 

y  Ps.  5  :  5,  &  6  :  8  ;  ch.  25  :  41. 


ceases  to  be  an  evidence  of  their  divine 
mission,  if  it  be  admitted  that  wicked 
men  have  voluntarily  performed  mira- 
cles. See  Jer.  27  :  9, 10;  29:8;  2 Cor. 
11 :  13  ;  2  Tim.  3  :  13,  in  all  which  pas- 
sages, and  others  which  might  be  quoted, 
these  wicked  prophets  and  jugglers  are 
I'ogarded  as  deceivers  both  of  themselves 
and  others.  How  could  this  be,  if  they 
had  the  same  credentials  of  their  being 
sent  of  God,  which  the  true  prophet  and 
teacher  possessed,  in  his  endowment 
with  miraculous  powers?  Olshausen  (on 
8:1)  maintains  that  "the  Scriptures 
assert  not  merely  holy,  but  also  evil 
power,  to  be  the  cause  of  miracles.  Two 
series  of  miracles  [one  divine,  the  other 
Satanic]  extend  throughout  Scripture 
history."  But  his  reasoning  in  proof 
of  this  is  confused,  and  far  from  being 
conclusive. 

23.  Will  I  profess,  i.  e.  declare  openly 
before  the  assembled  universe.  "  /  vnll 
tell  them  the  plain  truth,  as  opposed  to 
their  false  coloring  and  self-deceit." 
Alford.  They  had  deceived  themselves 
and  their  fellow-men,  with  their  appa- 
rent sanctity  and  power  to  do  wonderful 
things.  Now  at  the  bar  of  judgment, 
their  false  and  flimsy  covering  was  to  be 
torn  off,  and  their  true  character  pub- 
licly exposed.  I  never  knew  1J0U.  I  never 
recognized  or  acknowledged  you  as  my 
accredited  servants  and  ambassadors. 
This  shows  that  they  had  never  known 
Christ,  in  the  spiritual  sense  here  in- 
tended, and  had  received  no  power  from 
him  to  work  miracles,  and  were  there- 
fore impostors.  He  had  never  approved 
of  their  doings.  They  had  always  been 
strangers  to  him,  and  had  acted  on  their 
own  authority  and  responsibility.  De- 
part from  me.  See  2.5:  41.  That  work 
iniquity,  i.  e.  are  guilty  of  iniquitous 
practices.  This  is  put  in  strong  con- 
trast with  their  professions  of  zeal  and 
activity  in  his  service.  Their  prophe- 
syings  and  pretended  miracles  were  all 


heareth  these  sayings  of  mine, 
and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him 
unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his 
house  upon  a  rock  : 

s  Lu.  6  :  47,  &c. 

acts  of  impiety  and  wickedness.  The 
wonderful  works,  which  they  urged  as 
a  claim  to  favor,  are  thus  shown  to  be 
far  different  from  the  miracles  wrought 
by  men  of  God,  and  by  divine  power. 

24.  The  practical  conclusion  of  this 
sublime  discourse  is  enforced  by  a  simi- 
litude, drawn  from  the  selection  of  a 
site  for  the  building  of  a  house.  The 
Jews  built  in  the  ravines  of  mountains 
and  hills,  by  the  side  of  streams  of 
water,  which,  when  swollen  by  freshets, 
became  raging  torrents,  wearing  away 
the  banks  on  either  side,  as  the  force 
of  the  stream,  by  some  obstruction,  was 
diverted  from  its  main  channel.  In  such 
cases,  if  the  house  was  erected  close  by 
the  stream,  and  on  a  sandy  foundation, 
it  would  gradually  be  undermined  and 
overthrown.  But  if  the  site  was  farther 
from  the  stream,  and  the  foundation  of 
rock,  instead  of  sand,  no  such  disaster 
could  take  place.  The  improvident  and 
indolent  would  be  apt  to  select  the 
sandy  beach  of  the  stream  for  their 
dwelling,  which  could  there  be  erected 
with  less  labor,  a  fit  representation  of 
those  who  thoughtlessly  and  indolently 
neglect  the  duties  of  religion.  On  the 
other  hand,  they  who  with  a  wise  fore- 
cast laid  the  foundations  of  their  houses 
on  a  rock,  aptly  represented  those  per- 
sons who  obey  the  truth,  and  conform 
their  lives  to  its  requisitions.  Whoso- 
ever heareth.  Twill  liken  him.  An  em- 
phatic grammatical  arrangement  for, 
/  v)ill  liken  every  one  who  heareth,  &c. 
TTiese  sayings,  i.  e.  the  words  he  had 
just  been  speaking.  This  binds  the 
whole  Sermon  on  the  Mount  together, 
as  a  continuous  discourse.  It  was  not 
made  up  of  fragmentary  discourses, 
pronounced  on  different  occasions,  but 
was  one  single  address.  Some  of  its 
sentiments  were,  however,  repeated  in 
other  connections.  Wise,  i.  e.  prudent, 
provident.  A  rock ;  literally,  the  rock 
of    which   the    mountains    and    hills, 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


25  And  the  ram  descended,  and 
the  floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  ; 
and  it  fell  not  :  for  it  was  founded 
upon  a  rock. 

26  And  every  one  that  heareth 
these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth 
them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a 


through  which  these  torrents  ran,  were 
composed.  So  the  sand  (v.  26)  refers  to 
the  sand  along  the  banks  of  the  streams, 
waslied  down  and  deposited  from  the 
mountains  and  hills  above.  The  houses 
of  the  wise  were  built  upon  the  sides 
of  these  elevations,  either  in  natural 
excavations,  or  such  as  were  arti- 
ficially made  for  the  purpose. 

25.  T/ie  rain — the  flooik — the  winds. 
These  words  take  the  article,  because 
they  are  the  common  and  well-known 
elements,  which  test  the  stabihty  of  a 
house.  Emphasis  is  also  given  them  by 
it,  as  though  our  Lord  had  said,  the 
great  fall  of  rain — the  deeply  swollen 
torrent — the  violent  wind  (see  N.  on  8  : 
12).  The  Greek  language  is  remarka- 
ble for  the  shades  of  meaning  given  to 
words  by  the  article,  which  the  literal 
translation  into  English  often  fails  to 
fully  express.  Floods;  literally  rivers, 
expressive  of  the  torrents  swollen  by 
the  rains.  J7ie  winds  blew.  The  winds 
sweep  through  the  valleys  of  the  moun- 
tains and  hills  of  Palestine  with  great 
fury.  Unless  a  house  was  well  founded 
and  constructed,  it  could  not  stand  this 
combined  force  of  winds  and  waters. 
Beat  upon  that  house.  The  rushing 
waters  could  not  reach  the  house, 
built,  as  it  was,  upon  the  slope  of  the 
mountain,  at  a  safe  and  convenient 
distance  from  its  base.  They  were 
said,  therefore,  to  beat  upon  it,  because 
they  dashed  against  its  rocky  founda- 
tion. The  winds  of  course  struck  it 
with  equal  violence,  as  though  it  had 
been  built  in  the  vale  below.  Was 
founded;  literally,  had  been  founded. 
The  foundation  must  be  laid  against  the 
approaching  storm.  It  will  be  too  late 
to  do  this,  when  the  clouds  begin  to 
gather  round  the  horizon. 


foolish  man,  which  built  his  house 
upon  the  sand : 

27  And  the  rain  descended,  and 
the  floods  came,  and  the  winds 
blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house ; 
and  it  fell :  and  great  was  the  fall 
of  it. 

28  And  it  came  to  pass  when 

26.  Foolish.  Not  possessed  of  pru- 
dence or  forethought.  Wldch  built 
his  house.  There  was  an  outward  re- 
semblance in  the  structure  erected  by 
these  foolish  men,  to  that  of  the  good. 
All  build  their  hopes  of  future  happiness 
on  some  foundation.  But  here  the  re- 
semblance ceases.  One  class  found 
their  hopes  on  the  rock  of  salvation ;  the 
other  repose  on  a  sandy  foundation, 
which  will  be  swept  away  in  the  storms 
of  the  judgment.  Upon  the  sand,  i.  e. 
upon  the  sandy  vale,  where  a  building 
could  be  more  easily  constructed,  and 
be  also  near  the  stream  of  water.  All 
this  beautifully  represents  those,  who, 
for  the  gratification  of  their  carnal 
desires  and  love  of  ease,  neglect  to 
found  their  happiness  on  obedience  to 
the  claims  of  the  gospel. 

27.  Great  was  the  fall  of  it.  The 
destruction  of  the  house  was  complete, 
and  more  remarkable  from  its  preten- 
sions to  great  beauty  and  strength.  The 
broken  portions  were  all  carried  away 
in  the  impetuous  stream,  and  nothing 
was  left  but  the  naked  sand.  Thus  is 
shadowed  forth  the  awful  doom  of  those, 
who  make  no  provisions  against  the 
tempests  of  the  last  day. 

28.  IVIien  Jesus  had e?ided,  kc.  Here 
again  (see  N.  on  v.  24)  it  is  clearly 
shown  that  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
was  one  continuous  discourse,  and  that 
the  portions  detailed  by  the  other 
Evangelists,  are  to  be  considered  as  re- 
petitions on  the  part  of  Christ  of  some 
of  its  precepts  and  instructions.  T7iese 
sayi7igs,  i.  e.  this  discourse.  77ie  peo- 
ple. See  N.  on  5:1.  Were  astonish- 
ed, i.  e.  were  filled  with  wonder  and  ad- 
miration. It  was  not  strange  that  the 
discourse  had  this  effect  upon  them. 
Even  those  at   the  present  time  who 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


79 


Jesus  had  ended  these  sayings, 
"  the  people  were  astonished  at  his 
doctrine  : 

29  *  For  he  taught  them  as  one 
having  authority,  and  not  as  the 
scribes. 

o  Ch.  13 :  54 ;  Ma.  1 :  22,  &  6  :  2 ;  Lu.  4 :  32. 


have  been  instructed  from  their  very 
childhood,  in  the  nature  and  duties  of 
true  rehgion,  and  have  attained  to  clear 
views  of  the  extent  and  sanctity  of  tlie 
divine  requirements,  cannot  read  it, 
without  feeling  as  if  they  were  gazing 
at  some  great  mountain  of  truth,  hav- 
ing its  foundation  in  God's  law  as  re- 
vealed to  man,  and  towering  upward, 
until  its  summit  is  lost  in  a  blaze  of 
heavenly  glory.  It  is  a  most  wondrous 
discourse,  whether  viewed  in  relation 
to  its  external  or  internal  qualities. 
The  simphcity  and  clearness  of  the  dic- 
tion, the  natural  and  logical  connec- 
tion of  its  parts,  the  pungency,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  tenderness,  with 
which  the  claims  of  God's  law  are  laid 
down  and  enforced,  the  grand  climax 
to  which  Jesus  gradually  conies,  in  as- 
serting that,  humble  and  despised  as  he 
then  was,  the  time  would  be,  when  as 
Lord  and  Judge  of  the  universe,  he 
should  say  to  his  enemies,  "  Depai-t 
from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity,"  and 
his  sublime  conclusion,  in  respect  to  the 
practical  obedience,  which  all  should 
render  to  his  words,  constitute  an  as- 
semblage of  wonders,  at  which  the  peo- 
ple, who  had  never  heard  such  senti- 
ments, might  well  be  astonished.  At 
his  doctrine,  i.  e.  the  truths  which  he 
had  uttered,  as  a  religious  teacher. 

29.  He  taucfht  them;  literally,  xoas 
teaching,  or  had  been  teaching  them. 
As  one  having  power  (to  teach),  i.  e.  with 
divine  authority.  The  words  seemed  to 
come  as  from  the  mouth  of  God  himself. 
Indeed  it  was  Emmatiicel,  God-man,  who 
thus  addressed  them,  although  they 
then  knew  it  not.  "  He  spoke  as  him- 
self the  source  of  knowledge,  and 
the  authoritative  expounder  of  duty." 
Kendrick  on  Olshausen.  How  striking 
the  contrast    between   those  precepts 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WHEN  he  was  come  down  from 
the  mountain,  great  multi- 
tudes followed  him. 

2  "  And  behold,  there  came  a 
leper  and  worshipped  him,  saying, 

6  Jn.  T  :  46.    a  Ma.  1 :  40,  &c. ;  Lu.  5 :  12,  Ac. 


and  injunctions,  uttered  in  tones  of 
deep  solemnity,  and  the  puerile  senti- 
ments and  frivolous  teachings  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  to  which  they 
had  hitherto  been  accustomed  to  listen. 
The  people  came  down  from  that  Mount 
of  Beatitudes,  with  such  new  and 
awakened  interest  in  spiritual  religion, 
that,  in  many  instances  at  least,  they 
never  submitted  themselves  again  to 
those  blind  guides.  How  many  were 
led  to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  under  the 
influence  of  this  sermon,  we  have  no 
means  of  knowing.  But  we  doubt  not, 
that  numbers  were  so  wrought  upon  by 
the  convicting,  subduing,  and  quicken- 
ing influences  of  God's  Spirit,  accom- 
panying the  word  thus  spoken  by  God's 
Son,  that  from  that  time  onward,  they 
were  travellers  in  the  narrow  path 
which  leads  to  life  everlasting. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

1.  Alford  remarks,  that  "we  have 
now  in  this  and  the  following  chapter, 
as  it  were,  a  solemn  procession  of  mira- 
cles, contirming  the  authority  with 
which  our  Lord  had  spoken."  So  Ols- 
hausen :  "  After  this  portraiture  of 
Jesus  as  a  teacher,  Matthew  proceeds 
to  describe  him  as  a  worker  of  7/tiracles." 
Wlten  (literally  and  when)  lie  was  covie 
down,  &c.  The  numbers  of  those  who 
descended  with  him,  were  swelled  by 
accessions,  after  they  reached  the  plam. 
What  were  midtitudes  in  5  :  1  ;  7  :  28, 
are  now  great  inultitudes  or  crowds  of 
people,  who  had  assembled  from  every 
quarter. 

2-4  The  Healing  of  the  Leper.  Gali- 
lee.   Mark  1  :  40-45  ;  Luke  5  :  12-16. 

The  healing  of  the  leper  is  placed  by 
our  best  harmonists,  with  the  miracles 
referred  to  in  4  :  23-2.5.  Alford,  how- 
ever, remarks  that  "  the  plain  assertion 


80 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


Lord,   if    thou   wilt, 
make  me  clean. 


thou    canst 


of  the  account  in  the  text,  reciuires 
that  the  leper  should  have  met  our 
Lord,  on  his  descent  from  the  mountain, 
while  great  multitudes  were  following 
him."  So  also  Trench :  "  As  he  was 
descending  from  the  mountain  there 
came  a  leper,"  &c.  Both  these  exposi- 
tors seem  to  lose  sight  of  the  obvious 
connection  of  v.  1,  with  the  preceding 
chapters,  and  the  commencement  in  v. 
2,  of  a  new  and  independent  transac- 
tion. A  leper.  The  etymological  sig- 
nification of  this  word,  is  scaly,  scabbi/, 
from  the  appearance  of  the  skin  of  one 
diseased  with  leprosy.  This  disease, 
which  was  quite  common  in  the  East, 
was  so  repulsive  and  difficult  of  cure, 
that  it  was  generally  regarded  as  a 
special  infliction  of  the  divine  displea- 
sure. There  were  four  kinds  of  leprosy. 
In  one  form  of  its  appearance,  it  was  so 
severe  as  to  separate  the  joints  and 
limbs,  and  mutilate  the  body  in  the 
most  awful  manner.  A  second  form 
was  the  white  leprosy ;  a  third,  the 
black ;  and  the  fourth,  the  red  leprosy. 
It  began  with  spots  about  the  nose  and 
eyes,  small  as  the  punctures  of  a  needle, 
which  gradually  enlarged  and  spread, 
until  they  covered  the  whole  body,  pro- 
ducing great  physical  and  mental  debil- 
ity, and  causing  such  dreadful  misery, 
that  it  might  well  be  called  a  living 
death.  The  disease  is  hereditary,  being 
transmitted  to  the  third  and  sometimes 
to  the  fourth  generation.  Dr.  Jahn 
remarks,  that  it  is  also  communicated 
by  much  intercourse  with  the  leprous 
person,  and  that  to  prevent  this,  Moses 
made  the  laws  concerning  the  inspec- 
tion and  separation  of  those  afflicted 
with  the  disease.  This  dreadful  and 
loathsome  malady  is  often  employed 
by  the  sacred  writers,  to  symbohze  the 
awful  di.sease  of  sin,  its  insidious,  spread- 
ing, and  deeply  seated  nature,  and  the 
impossibility  of  its  cure  except  by  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God  ;  and  this  may 
in  part  have  been  the  reason  why  Moses 
made  the  laws  above  referred  to,  in 
o'der  to  show  the  contaminating  influ- 
ence of  sin,    of  which   leprosy  was   a 


3  And  Jesus  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ; 

standing  emblem.  And  worshipped  him. 
Divine  homage  is  not  here  intended, 
but  reverence  to  a  superior  personage, 
from  whom  a  great  favor  was  about  to 
be  asked.  See  N.  on  2  :  2.  In  Mark 
1  :  40,  he  is  said  to  have  kneeled  to 
Jesus;  in  Luke  5:  12,  to  have  fallen 
on  his  face.  There  is  no  essential  dis- 
agreement in  the  two  accounts.  In  his 
disti'ess,  he  may  have  preferred  his  re- 
quest, at  first,  with  a  simple  inchnation 
of  reverence,  and  at  last,  with  entire 
prostration  npon  the  ground.  Lord. 
An  honorary  title,  as  Master,  teacher, 
Heb.  Rabbi.  After  our  Savior's  ascen- 
sion, it  was  applied  to  him  in  its  higher 
signification,  of  Supreme  Lord  and  Head 
of  all  things,  to  whom  all  power  was 
given  in  heaven  and  on  earth  (28  :  18). 
Alford  after  Stier,  makes  this  an  expres- 
sion of  faith,  on  the  part  of  the  leper,  in 
Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  This  may  be  true, 
and  yet  have  been  attended  with  a  very 
imperfect  knowledge  of  our  Lord's  true 
nature.  It  was  a  long  time  before  the 
apostles  even  fully  understood  this.  The 
faith  of  this  leper  and  others  in  a  simi- 
lar condition,  was  rather  a  susceptibility 
of  the  heart  to  put  itself  under  the  guid- 
ing, controlling,  renovating  influence 
of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  than  any  well 
defined  belief  in  the  nature  of  his  king- 
dom, or  the  spirituality  of  his  mission. 
//'  thou  wilt.  If  such  be  thy  pleasure. 
71wu  canst.  Thou  hast  the  ability. 
When  the  incurable  nature  of  this 
disease  is  taken  into  consideration,  it 
was  no  small  exhibition  of  faith  in  the 
leper,  to  avow  this  belief  in  Christ's 
power  to  heal  him.  Make  me  clean.  So 
loathsome  and  filthy  a  disease  was  the 
leprosy,  that  persons  afflicted  with  it 
were  regarded  as  unclean,  and  its  cure 
was  denominated  a  cleansing. 

3.  Put  forth,  i.  e.  extended.  Our 
Lord  generally  accompanied  his  mirac- 
ulous cures  with  some  external  act,  in 
order  that  there  might  be  a  visible  con- 
nection, between  the  exertion  of  his 
healing  power  and  the  effect  which  fol- 
lowed. It  was  not  necessary  to  the 
performance  of  this,  or  any  other  of  his 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


81 


be  tbou  clean.  And  immediately 
bis  leprosy  was  cleansed. 

4  And   Jesus   saitb  unto  bim, 
*  See   tbou  tell   no   man ;  but  go 

6Ch.  9:80;   Ma.  5:43. 

miracles,  that  he  should  be  brought  in 
physical  contact  with  the  diseased  per- 
son. It  is  therefore  a  wretched  and 
baseless  resort  of  scepticism,  to  at- 
tribute his  cures  to  the  manipulations 
of  mesmerism  or  animal  magnetism.  In 
the  case  of  the  centurion's  servant  (vs. 
5-13),  the  miracle  of  healing  was 
■wrought  upon  him,  while  lying  at  home 
upon  his  bed,  and  not  having  seen  our 
Savior.  In  touching  the  leper,  he 
showed  his  power  to  suspend  the  cere- 
monial law,  which  forbade  the  touching 
of  such  a  person  (Levit.  5  :  3)  ;  as  he 
afterwards  healed  on  the  Sabbath,  the 
Lord  of  which  he  claimed  to  be  (1'2  :  8), 
when  reproved  as  a  sabbath-breaker  by 
the  cavilling  and  hypocritical  Phari- 
sees. /  will.  How  promptly  did  he 
respond  to  the  words  of  faith  uttered 
by  the  leper.  It  is  well  remarked  by 
Alford,  that  he  nobly  illustrated  his 
own  precept  so  lately  delivered  (6  :  42), 
"  give  to  him  that  asketh  thee."  Im- 
mediatch).  The  cure  was  instantaneous, 
and  therefore  miraculous.  There  could 
be  no  doubt  of  this.  The  most  malig- 
nant form  of  leprosy  (see  N.  on  v.  2), 
yielded  to  no  skill  of  the  physician.  The 
milder  forms,  unless  taken  at  their  com- 
mencement, admitted  seldom  of  any 
remedy.  An  instantaneous  cure  of  so 
dreadful  and  deep-seated  a  disease, 
could  be  attributed  to  no  human 
agency.  The  fact  that  Jesus,  at  a 
single  word,  could  expel  from  the  sys- 
tem so  inveterate  a  malady,  and  render 
a  man,  from  being  a  most  disgusting 
and  hideous  object,  perfectly  fair  and 
healthy, was  one  of  the  strongest  proofs 
of  his  power,  which  could  be  brought 
before  a  Jewish  mind. 

4.  See  thou  tell  no  man.  This  miracle 
w'as  wrought  in  comparative  private. 
The  design  of  the  secrecy  here  enjoined, 
was  to  obtain  from  the  priest  a  testi- 
mony to  the  validity  of  the  cure,  be- 
fore he  or  the  other  enemies  of  Christ, 
Vol.  I.— 4* 


tby  way,  sbew  tbyself  to  tbe  priest, 
and  offer  tbe  gift  tbat  '  Moses 
commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto 
tbem. 

c  Le.  14  :  3,  4 ;  10  Lu.  5  :  14 

knew  how  it  was  effected.  A  know- 
ledge of  this  would  have  so  prejudiced 
the  priest,  that  he  probably  would  have 
withheld  the  testimonial  of  the  man's 
cleanness.  The  injunction  of  secrecy 
was  only  binding,  until  after  this  testi- 
monial had  been  obtained.  It  is  to  be 
remembered,  in  this  and  other  instances, 
where  secrecy  was  enjoined  upon  the 
persons  cured,  that  Jesus  always  wished 
to  avoid  all  publicity  and  display  for  the 
reasons  given  in  12:  15-21,  that,  as  Al- 
ford remarks,  "  he  might  be  known  as 
the  Messiah,  not  by  wonder-working 
power,  but  by  the  grand  result  of  his 
work  upon  earth."  Olshausen  refers  it, 
from  Mark's  account,  to  the  desire  to 
prevent  popular  tumults ;  but  from 
Matthew,  he  finds  a  reason  for  the  pro- 
hibition in  the  person  cured,  there  being 
seen  in  him  something  which  required 
that  his  attention  should  be  directed  with- 
in, instead  of  to  his  outward  cure.  Go 
t/n/ wa//,  "  he  forthwith  sent  him  away" 
(literally,  put  him  forth).  Mark.  Prompt 
and  speedy  action  is  here  represented. 
The  miracle  would  soon  be  noised  abroad, 
and  coming  to  the  priest's  ears,  the  ob- 
ject which  Jesus  had  in  view  would  be 
defeated.  To  the  priest  at  Jerusalem. 
The  priest's  duty,  in  such  a  case,  was  to 
carefully  examine  the  man,  and  if  there 
was  evidence  of  a  cure,  to  superintend 
the  rites  pertaining  to  his  cleansing 
(Levit.  14  :  1-32).  For  a  testimo7iy 
unto  them.,  i.  e.  for  a  proof  to  the  people 
of  the  miraculous  cure  of  the  leper. 
J  This  confirms  the  view  given  of  the 
i  reason  why  our  Lord  enjoined  secrecy. 
It  was  that  the  man  might  obtain  the 
highest  legal  proof  of  his  cure,  by  which 
to  convince  the  people  of  its  reality. 
Unto  them  does  not  refer  to  the  priests 
(as  Olshausen  affirms,  taking  the  word 
priest  collectively),  but  to  the  people, 
whom  Christ  wished  to  convince  of  the 
miraculous  cure,  and  upon  whom  this 
law    of  purification   was   yet    binding. 


82 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


5  T  "^  And  when  Jesus  was  en- 
tered into  Capernaum,  there  came 
unto  him  a  centurion,  beseeching 
him, 

6  And  saying,  Lord,  my  servant 

d  Lu.  7  :  1,  &c. 

AH'ord  translates,  against  them,  and  re- 
fers to  Mark  6:11;  Luke  9:  5,  but  the 
context  is  there  different. 

5-13.  The  Healing  of  the  Cen- 
turion's Servant.  Capernaum.  Luke 
n  :  1-10. 

5.  A7id  when  Jesus  was  entered,  01- 
shausen,  was  enteriiig,  but  against  the 
tense  of  the  Greek  participle.  This 
was  soon  after  the  deUvery  of  the  Ser- 
mon on  the  Mount.  Tliere  came  unto 
him  a  centurion.  In  Luke  7  :  3,  it  is 
said  that  the  centurion  sent  unto  Jesus 
the  elders  of  the  Jews,  beseeching  him 
to  come  and  heal  his  servant.  The 
same  diversity  of  statement  is  found  in 
John  4:1,  where  Jesus  is  said  to  bap- 
tize, when  he  did  it  by  his  disciples.  It 
is  said  (John  10:1)  that  Pilate  scourged 
Jesus,  yet  he  did  it  not  with  his  own 
hands.  So  James  and  John  (Mark  10  : 
85)  made  a  request  of  Jesus,  while  in 
Matt.  20  :  20,  it  was  their  mother  who 
did  it  for  them.  In  these  instances, 
there  is  no  discrepancy  between  the 
Evangelists,  since  nothing  is  more  com- 
mon, than  to  attribute  to  a  man  himself 
what  is  done  through  his  agency.  In 
respect  to  the  healing  of  the  centurion's 
servant,  Luke  (7  :  1-10)  narrates  the 
circumstances  more  fully  than  Matthew. 
A  centurion,  as  the  name  imports,  was 
the  captain  of  a  hundred  men  in  the 
Eoman  army.  That  this  centurion  was 
a  worshipper  of  the  true  God,  is  evident 
from  the  narration  of  both  Matthew  and 
Luke.  Perhaps  he  was  a  proselyte  of 
the  gate,  i.  e.  one  who  had  forsaken 
Paganism,  but  remained  uncircumcised, 
and  in  this  and  other  respects,  was  dis- 
tinguished from  one  who  was  called  a 
proselyte  of  righteousness,  and  took  upon 
himself  the  observance  of  the  whole 
Mosaic  ritual,  and  was  received  into  the 
privileges  of  Jewish  citizenship.  Such 
proselytes,  however,  were  usually  char- 
acterized as  devout,  fearing  God,  &c. 
See  Acts  2  :  5 ;  10  :  2. 


lieth  at  home  sick  of  the  palsy, 
grievously  tormented. 

7  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I 
will  come  and  heal  him. 

8  The  centurion  answered  and 


6.  Ify  servant;  literally,  my  boy,  a 
common  and  familiar  term,  as  at  the 
present  time,  for  a  favorite  servant  or 
slave.  This  slave,  as  Calvin  remarks, 
on  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke,  was 
probably  one  of  rare  fidelity  and  endow- 
ments, to  thus  render  his  master  so  ex- 
tremely solicitous  respecting  his  life. 
That  he  was  a  slave  is  evident  from  Luke 
7  :  2,  where  he  is  thus  expressly  called. 
The  great  faith  which  our  Lord  found 
in  this  centurion  (Luke  7  :  9),  as  well 
as  the  kind  terms  in  which  he  address- 
ed him,  are  worthy  of  the  profoundest 
reflection,  in  discussing  the  subject 
which  is  now  agitating  this  country. 
At  home,  i.  e.  in  the  centurion's  house. 
Sick  of  the  palsy,  fc^ee  N.  on  4  :  24. 
Grievously  tormented,  i.  e.  in  great 
agony  of  pain.  Luke  says  that  he  was 
on  the  point  of  death.  Trench  thinks, 
that  his  disease  was  paralysis,  with  the 
contraction  of  the  joints,  which  is  ac- 
companied with  strong  pain,  and  when 
thus  united,  causes  extreme  suffering, 
and  rapidly  brings  on  dissolution.  It 
was  evidently  an  extreme  case  of  suf- 
fering and  danger. 

7.  How  promptly  does  our  Lord  ac- 
cede to  this  request  of  the  centurion, 
and  how  gracious  are  his  words.  I  ivill 
come  and  heal  him.  The  confidence 
with  which  he  spoke  of  healing  one  so 
near  his  end,  shows  that  his  power  to 
work  miracles  was  not  a  derived  one, 
but  inherent  in  himself.  In  an  official 
sense,  as  Messiah,  God-man,  his  power  is 
represented  as  a  delegated  one,  but  this 
does  not  infringe  upon  the  attributes 
of  divinity  which  are  his,  and  upon 
which,  as  an  everlasting  and  immutalile 
foundation,  repose  the  power  and  glory, 
which  he  receives  in  his  mediatorial 
office  from  his  Father  who  sent  him. 

8.  The  centurion  answered  and  said. 
It  appears  from  Luke's  account  (7  :  6) 
that  our  Lord  accompanied  the  messen- 
gers, and  that  when  he  was  near  the 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


83 


said,  Lord,  '  I  am  not  worthy  that 
thou  .shoulde.st  come  under  my 
roof:  but 'speak  the  word  only, 
aud  my  servant  shall  be  healed. 

9  For  I  am  a  man  under  au- 
thority, having  soldiers  under  me  : 
aud  I  say  to  this  man,  Go,  and 
hegoeth;  and  to  another.  Come, 
and  he  cometh ;  and  to  my  ser- 
vant, Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it. 

10  When   Jesus   heard  it,  he 
6  Lu.  15 :  19,  21.       /Ps.  lOT :  20. 

house,  he  was  met  by  other  messengers, 
conveying  to  him  the  humble  message 
of  the  centurion,  as  here  given.  /  am 
not  worthy.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find 
elsewhere  such  a  beautiful  instance  of 
humility  and  strong  faith  in  the  power 
of  Christ.  This  Roman  centurion,  rich, 
influential,  powerful,  was  so  struck  with 
the  dignity  and  moral  excellence  of  our 
Savior,  that  regardless  of  his  lowly  condi- 
tion in  life,  he  openly  professed  his  own 
unworthiness  to  receive  from  him  even 
a  peri^oiial  visit.  Such  also  was  his  con- 
fidence in  Christ's  power  to  heal  whom- 
soever he  would,  that  he  deemed  it  only 
necessary  for  him  to  speak  the  word, 
and  it  would  be  done.  It  is  hardly  to 
be  wondered,  that  our  Lord  marvelled 
at  such  humility  and  faith. 

9.  Under  authority,  i.  e.  subject  to 
the  authority  of  others.  The  sentiment 
is :  I  who  am  but  a  subordinate  officer, 
issue  my  orders  to  those  who  are  under 
me,  and  they  are  promptly  obeyed. 
Much  more  then  may  Christ,  the  sover- 
eign Lord  of  all,  issue  his  commands, 
and  cause  sickness,  disease,  and  every 
form  of  suffering  to  disappear.  It  was 
this  belief  in  our  Lord's  true  character, 
wrought  in  his  mind  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  which  constituted  the  centurion's 
faith.  To  my  servant.  It  is  strange 
that  Alford  should  draw  from  this  the 
inference,  that  the  centurion  had  but 
one  slave.  The  singular  is  used  gene- 
ricaily  for  the  whole  class,  as  in  James 
5  :  6";  2  :  6;  1  Pet.  4  :  18,  etc. 

10.  Heard  it.,  i.  e.  the  words  of  the 
centurion.    He  marvelled ;  literally,  was 


marvelled,  and  said  to  them  that 
followed.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
I  have  not  found  so  great  faith, 
no,  not  in  Israel. 

11  And  I  say  unto  you.  That 
^many  shall  come  from  the  east 
and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  : 

12  But  Hhe  children  of  the 

C  Ge.  12  :  3;  Is.  2  :  2,  3,  &  11 :  10  ;  Mai.  1 : 
11;  Lu.  13:29;  Ac.  10:45,  &  11  :  18,  &  14  : 
27  ;  Ko.  15:  9,  &c. ;  Ep.  3  :  6.       h  Ch.  21 :  43. 

amazed  at  the  correct  views  of  the  cen- 
turion in  regard  to  his  mission  and 
character.  Not  one  of  the  apostles 
even  had  yet  made  such  a  profession 
of  faith  in  the  Messiah.  Them  that  fol- 
lowed, i.  e.  his  disciples.  Not  in  Israel. 
Among  the  chosen  people  of  God,  with 
whom  were  the  prophetic  writings, 
which  pointed  so  clearly  to  the  charac- 
ter and  office-work  of  the  Messiah. 

11.  As  the  centurion  was  a  Roman, 
whom  the  Jews  regarded  as  having  no 
part  in  the  Messianic  blessings,  Jesus 
took  occasion  for  the  first  time,  so  far 
as  we  know,  to  teach  that  those  bless- 
ings were  to  be  enjoyed  by  the  remot- 
est nations,  and  that  from  all  quarters 
of  the  habitable  world,  there  would 
come  those,  who  with  the  holy  patria- 
archs,  would  enjoy  the  blissful  enter- 
tainment  of  this  divinely  constituted 
kingdom.  Many  refers  to  the  Gentiles, 
who,  as  Bloomfield  remarks,  were  such 
compared  with  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom, i.  e.  the  Jews,  the  natural  descend- 
ants of  these  holy  Patriarchs,  whose 
were  the  promises,  the  covenants,  the 
giving  of  the  law,  the  service  of  God,  and 
of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ 
came.  See  Rom.  9  :  4,  5.  From  the 
east  and  west  (Luke  13  :  29  adds  north 
and  south),  i.  e.  from  every  quarter,  all 
parts.  Shall  sit  down  ;  literally,  shall 
recliiie,  as  at  a  banquet,  the  blessings  of 
the  Messianic  reign  being  represented 
by  a  magnificent  feast,  at  which  these 
converts  from  heathenism  are  to  recfine 
with  the  patriarchs  and  founders  of  the 
Jewish  nation. 


H 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


kingdom  '  sliall  be  cast  out  into 
outer  darkness :  there  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

13  And  Jesus  said  unto  the 
centurion,  Go  thy  way;  and  as 
thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done 

i  Ch.  13 :  42,  50,  &  22  :  13,  &  24 :  51,  &  25 ':  30  ; 
Lu.  13  :  2S  ;  2  Pe.  2  :  17  ;  Jude  13. 

12.  Shall  he  cast  out,  i.  e.  disin- 
herited of  the  rich  blessings,  which 
had  been  theirs  by  natural  descent. 
Into  outer  darkness.  The  imagery,  as 
in  tlie  preceding  verse,  is  founded  upon 
a  banquet-chamber,  illuminated  and 
filled  with  joyous  guests,  but  outside  of 
which  and  far  off,  are  the  regions  of 
darkness,  to  which  these  rejected  chil- 
dren of  the  kingdom,  for  whom  the 
feast  was  originally  spread,  are  to  be 
for  ever  banished.  Outer  signifies  the 
most  extreme  distance  from  the  feast, 
where  the  darkness  is  thickest.  T/tere 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ; 
literally,  the  weeping,  &c.  See  N.  on 
the  power  of  the  article,  7  :  25.  The 
emphasis  thus  given  by  the  article,  may 
be  rendered  in  an  idiom  familiar  to  us  : 
weeping  that  is  weeping ;  such  tceeping  as 
was  never  known  elsewhere.  What  a 
dreadful  expression !  How  unavailing 
will  be  their  tears  of  anguish,  and  how 
impotent  the  gnashing  or  grating  of 
teeth,  when  the  persons  here  spoken  of 
become  outcasts  of  God's  kingdom. 
What  a  lesson  is  here  taught  to  those 
who  trust  in  natural  descent  or  privi- 
leges, as  a  title  to  the  inheritance  of 
Christ's  kingdom.  Some  critics  give 
this  power  to  the  article,  the  leeeping 
and  gtiashing  of  teeth,  which  are  well- 
known  as  belonging  to  that  place. 
This  explanation  is  good,  but  less  natu- 
ral and  forcible,  and  in  sense  repeats 
the  adverb  of  place,  with  which  the 
clause  commences.  I  cannot  agree 
with  Olshausen,  that  these  two  contrast- 
ed states  do  not  directly  refer  to  the 
final  happiness  and  misery  of  mankind, 
only  as  symbolical  of  them.  No  just 
meaning  can  be  given  the  passage,  which 
does  not  directly  enter  upon  the  future 
in  all  its  eternal  relations. 


unto  thee.     And  his  servant  was 
healed  in  the  self-same  hour. 

14  ^  *  And  when  Jesus  was 
come  into  Peter's  house,  he  saw 
'  his  wife's  mother  laid,  and  sick  of 
a  fever. 

15  x^nd  he  touched  her  hand, 

AMa.  1 :  29,  30,  31 ;  Lu. 4:  38,  39.      Zl  Co.  9 :  5. 

13.  Go  thy  way.  These  words  were 
addressed  to  the  persons,  who  brought 
the  centurion's  message,  and  who  thus 
were  his  representatives.  He  does  not 
himself  appear,  at  this  time  at  least,  to 
have  seen  Jesus  at  all.  As  thou  hast 
believed,  &c.  His  faith  was  great,  and 
so  also  was  the  corresponding  blessing. 
His  servant  was  healed,  and  his  own 
soul,  doubtless,  refreshed  with  peace 
and  joy.  Tlie  selfsame  hour.  Luke  (7  : 
10)  says  that  the  servant  was  found 
well,  when  they  who  had  been  sent  to 
Jesus  returned  to  the  house. 

14-17.  The  healing  of  Peter's 
Wife's  Mother,  &c.  Capernaum.  Mark 
1  :  29-34;  Luke  4  :  38-41. 

14.  The  healing  of  Peter's  wife's  mo- 
ther is  to  be  placed  in  the  order  of 
events,  close  upon  the  call  of  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  narrated  in  4  :  18-22. 
They  went  from  the  lake-shore  into 
Capernaum,  and  on  the  next  sabbath, 
Jesus  taught  in  the  synagogue,  and 
healed  the  man  with  the  unclean  spirit 
(Mark  1  :  21-28).  From  the  synagogue, 
it  appears,  that  he  went  into  Peter's 
house,  and  performed  the.  miracle  here 
spoken  of  See  Mark  1  :  29,  31  ;  Luke 
4 :  31-39.  Laid,  i.  e.  confined  to  her 
bed.  The  words,  and  sick  of  a  fever, 
are  added,  to  show  what  was  her  dis- 
ease. This  fulness  of  expression  is  quite 
common  in  the  Bible,  and  other  ancient 
writings. 

15.  Touched  her  hand  {\.  e.  took  her 
by  the  hand).  See  N.  on  v.  3.  77ie 
fever  left  her.  The  cure  was  instanta- 
neous, and  therefore  miraculous.  Arose 
and  ministered  unto  (i.  e.  waited  upon) 
them.  This  shows  the  completeness  of 
the  cure,  as  a  fever  always  leaves  one 
weak  and  helpless.  It  also  indicates 
that  she  belonged  to  those  pious  women 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


85 


and  the  fever  left  her :  and  she 
arose,  and  ministered  unto  them. 
16  *!1  '"  When  the  even  was 
come,  they  brought  unto  him 
many  that  were  possessed  with 
devils :  and  he  cast  out  the  spirits 
with  his  word,  and  healed  all  that 
were  sick : 

wi  Ma.  1 :  S2,  &c. ;  Lu.  4 :  40,  41. 


in  Galilee,  who  were  always  ready  to 
minister  to  Jesus,  both  personally  and 
of  their  substance  (Luke  8  :  3). 

16.  Whe7i  the  even  was  come.  The 
later  evening  (see  N.  on  14  :  15)  is  here 
referred  to.  The  Jewish  sabbath  ended 
at  sunset,  and  they  were  then  at  liberty 
to  do  any  secular  work.  So  strict  was 
their  external  observance  of  the  sab- 
bath, that  they  would  not  bring  their 
afflicted  friends  to  be  healed  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  until  evening.  Compare  John  5  : 
10-16,  where  the  Jews  charged  our  Lord 
with  a  breach  of  the  sabbath,  in  healing 
the  impotent  man,  and  sought  to  slay 
him  on  that  account.  Tliei/  brortr/hf 
unto  him  on  bods  and  couches.  This 
shows  that  they  were  greatly  diseased, 
and  enhances  the  power  of  our  Savior 
in  their  miraculous  cure.  Many  that 
were  possessed  with  devils.  See  N.  on 
4  :  24.  Tlie  spirits.  The  epithet,  un- 
clean, is  generally  added.  With  his  word 
(literally,  by  a  word),  i.  e.  at  a  single 
authoritative  command.  There  were  no 
incantations,  nostrums,  or  charms  made 
use  of,  as  was  done  by  the  Jewish  ex- 
orcists ;  no  senseless  forms  of  exorcisms, 
and  sprinklings,  and  mumbling  of  lit- 
anies, psalms,  and  prayers,  as  have  been 
practised  since  by  the  Romish  priest- 
hood. A  single  word  was  all  which  ac- 
companied this  mighty  power  to  expel 
malignant  spirits.  Luke  (4  :  41)  says 
that  the  demons  cried  out  and  said, 
"  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;"  and 
both  Mark  and  Luke  say,  that  he  suf- 
fered them  not  to  speak,  "  because  they 
knew  him."  If  nothing  but  diseases  are 
here  referred  to,  as  some  persons  claim, 
the  personified  sicknesses  must  have 
been  endowed  with  more  than  human 
intelligence,   and  the    command,   that 


17  That  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the 
prophet,  saying,  "  Himself  took 
our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  sick- 
nesses. 

18  ^  Now  when  Jesus  saw 
great   multitudes  about  him,  he 

n  Is.  53:  4;  1  Pe.  2:  24. 

they  (the  diseases)  should  not  speak, 
one  of  the  most  singular  ones  that  ever 
was  given.  See  N.  on  4  :  24.  And 
healed  all  that  were  sick.  The  fact  that 
sick  persons  are  here  spoken  of  in  con- 
nection with  demoniacs,  has  been  seized 
upon  as  an  argument,  that  the  latter 
was  only  a  separate  class  of  sick  per- 
sons, afflicted  with  hypochondria,  in- 
sanity, epilepsy,  madness,  and  other 
incurable  diseases.  But  the  connection 
is  natural.  They  were  different  forms 
of  affliction.  To  the  one  form,  how- 
ever, were  attributed  personal  attri- 
butes, inteUigence,  malignity,  fear  (v. 
29),  while  the  other  is  a  mere  class  of 
diseases. 

17.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled,  &c. 
See  N.  on  1  :  22.  This  prophecy  is  in 
Isa.  53  :  4,  being  quoted  in  sense,  but 
not  in  the  exact  words.  The  original 
seems  to  refer  clearly  to  the  sins  of 
man,  which  our  Lord  bore  in  his  own 
body  upon  the  tree  (1  Pet.  2  :  24),  but 
as  all  physical  suftering  proceeds  from 
sin,  it  may  well  be  accommodated  to 
the  healing  and  removing  of  diseases, 
sucli  as  are  here  enumerated.  To  this 
view  the  words  in  the  original  pro- 
phecy have  a  fulfilment,  if  it  be  borne 
in  mind,  as  Olshausen  well  remarks, 
that  "  his  whole  soul  entered  with 
heartfelt  sympathy  into  the  necessities 
of  the  sufferers,  that  he  really  suffered 
with  them." 

18-27.  Jescs  gives  directions  to 
CROSS  the  Lake.  Incidents  before 
embarking.  Stills  the  Tempest.  Lal-e 
of  Galilee.  Mark  4 :  35-41  ;  Luke  8  : 
22-25  ;  9  :  57-62. 

18.  The  occurrences  here  narrated 
took  place  some  time  after  those  re- 
ferred    to   in    the    preceding    verses. 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  82. 


gave  commandment  to  depart  unto 
the  other  side. 

19  '  Aud  a  certain  scribe  came, 
and  said  unto  him,  Master,  I  will 
follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest. 

20  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 

o  Lu.  9  :  57,  58. 


Matthew,  in  this  chapter,  seems  to 
have  grouped  together  incidents,  with- 
out much  regard  to  the  order  of 
time  in  which  they  occurred.  It  was 
after  Jesus  had  made  his  second 
crrcuit  in  Galilee  (Luke  8  :  1-3),  and 
had  pronounced  the  parables  of  the 
sower,  the  tares,  the  grain  of  mustard 
seed,  &c.  by  the  lake  of  Galilee,  that  he 
gave  commandment  to  depart  unto  the 
other  side  of  the  lake,  in  order  to  avoid, 
for  a  little  season,  the  great  multitudes 
which  were  thronging  to  hear  him. 
Mark  (4  :  35)  says  that  this  took  place 
on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  in 
which  he  pronounced  the  parables 
above  referred  to.  So  particular  a 
statement  shows  that  his  chronological 
order  is  to  be  taken,  as  a  guide  in 
fixing  the  time  of  the  occurrence  here 
mentioned.  Alford  maintains  that  each 
Evangelist  followed  the  order,  as  it  lay 
in  his  own  mind,  and  that  the  apparent 
discrepancies  in  the  order  of  arrange- 
ment, show  how  entirely  independent 
were  they  of  one  another.  This  may 
be  true,  and  yet  by  comparison  we  may 
judge  pretty  accurately,  which  of  the 
writers  adheres  the  more  closely  to  the 
real  order  of  events. 

19.  ^  certain  scribe  came.  This 
took  place  as  they  were  going  down 
to  the  shore,  where  lay  the  ship  in 
which  they  were  about  to  cross  the 
lake.  See  Mark  4  :  57.  The  scribe 
professed  his  readiness  to  follow  him  to 
the  other  side,  or  whithersoever  he 
might  choose  to  go.  His  views  of 
Christ's  mission,  and  what  was  re- 
quired of  his  followers,  were  very 
erroneous,  as  is  evident  from  our  Lord's 
reply,  which  was  intended  to  undeceive 
him.  He  was  ardent  and  impulsive, 
charmed  no  doubt  by  our  Savior's  dis- 
course,  and  hoping  from  some  of  the 


The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  nests;  but 
the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where 
to  lay  his  head. 

21  P  And  another  of  his  disci- 
ples said  unto  him,  Lord,  ">  suifer 
me  first  to  go  and  bury  my  father. 

p  Lu.  9  :  59,  60.        q  See  1  Kl.  19,  20. 

parables  just  spoken,  that  the  kingdom, 
which  Jesus  was  about  to  establish, 
would  be  conducive  to  the  temporal 
greatness  of  those  who  enrolled  them- 
selves as  his  followers.  But  how  were 
such  hopes,  if  he  entertained  them,  dis- 
sipated by  our  Lord's  reply.  The  most 
inferior  animals  have  their  places  of 
rest,  but  the  Son  of  man  is  a  wanderer, 
having  no  place  of  his  own,  where  he 
can  lay  his  head  to  rest.  He  has  no 
earthly  possessions  with  which  to  re- 
ward his  followers,  but  those  who  come 
after  him,  must  look  only  for  their  re- 
ward in  the  higher  spiritual  good  which 
is  his  to  bestow. 

20.  Foxes;  literally,  the  foxes^  re- 
ferring generically  to  this  class  of  ani- 
mals. See  24  :  28.  Holes.  Burrow- 
ing places  of  rest  and  safety.  Son  of 
man.  This  phrase  appears  to  have 
been  taken  from  Dan.  7  :  13,  which  the 
Jews  understood  as  referring  to  the 
Messiah.  See  John  12  :  34  ;  Luke  22  : 
69,  70.  Christ  uses  it  to  designate  his 
humble,  lowly  condition,  the  depths  of 
humiliation,  into  which  he  descended  to 
redeem  our  race.  Sometimes,  when  he 
would  contrast  his  future  exaltation, 
glory,  and  power,  with  his  present  state 
of  suffering  and  shame,  he  also  applies 
to  himself  this  appellation.  See  24  : 
30 ;  26  :  24  ;  Mark  13  :  26  ;  14  :  62  ; 
Luke  21  :  27  ;  22  :  69.  In  this  reply  to 
the  selfish  scribe,  its  use  is  remarkably 
apposite  and  affecting.  Hath  not  where 
to  lay  (literally,  where  he  may  or  can  lay) 
his  head.  He  has  no  dweUing-place  which 
he  can  call  his  own.  The  expression  is  re- 
presentative of  the  most  abject  poverty. 

21,  22.  And  another  of  his  disciples. 
This  seems  to  imply  that  the  scribe  had 
been  numbered  as  a  disciple.  But  it 
was  not  so.  The  ambiguity  of  our 
English   version   may  be   shunned  by 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


87 


22  But  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Follow  me  ;  and  let  the  dead  bury 
their  dead. 

23  1^  And  when  he  was  entered 
into  a  ship,  his  disciples  followed 
him. 


translating,  another,  who  was  one  of  his 
disciples,  said.  In  Luke  (9  :  59)  we 
find  that  our  Lord  first  directed  this 
person  to  follow  him.  He  was  a  disci- 
ple (tradition  says  Philip),  who,  for  the 
reason  given  in  the  sequel,  or  some 
other  cause,  was  manifesting  some 
backwardness  in  following  Christ  to 
the  other  side  of  the  lake,  where  he 
would  enjoy  further  instruction.  But 
he  was  peremptorily  commanded  to 
follow  his  master  ;  and  his  reply  to  this 
direction  is  all  that  is  related  by  Mat- 
thew. The  Evangelists  are  frequently 
found  to  vary  in  fullness  of  detail, 
and  should  be  compared  with  one 
another,  in  order  to  obtain  a  clear 
view  of  the  subject  in  hand.  In  the 
account  given  by  Matthew,  we  could 
have  anticipated  such  a  previous  com- 
mand, by  the  ellipsis  implied  in  the  re- 
ply, and  therefore  nothing  essential  is 
by  him  omitted.  Lord,  suffer  me  first  to 
go,  &c.  This  seemed  a  reasonable  re- 
quest. The  great  command,  the  first 
with  promise,  to  honor  one's  parents, 
would  seem  to  require  the  presence  of 
a  son,  in  performing  the  last  rites  to  a 
deceased  father.  But  our  Savior,  who 
knew  the  hearts  of  all  men,  and  had 
power  over  every  law  relating  to  social 
duties,  saw  that  the  leaven  of  worldli- 
ness,  or  the  endearments  of  home,  was 
drawing  away  the  mind  of  that  disciple 
from  attention  and  devotedness  to  con- 
cerns, of  infinitely  higher  importance 
than  any  earthly  relations,  and  therefore 
he  replied  in  calm  but  decided  terms: 
Follow  me  ;  and  let  the  dead  bun/  their 
dead,  i.  e.  let  those  who  are  spiritually 
dead  (Rev.  3:1)  attend  to  the  burial 
of  those  literally  dead.  Luke  adds, 
"but  go  thou  and  preach  the  kingdom 
of  God."  This  command  was  not  to  be 
immediately  put  into  execution,  but  by 
following  Christ,    and  attending  upon 


24  'And  behold,  there  arose  a 
great  tempest  in  the  sea,  insomuch 
that  the  ship  was  covered  with 
the  waves  :  but  he  was  asleep. 

25  And  his  disciples  came  to 

r  Ma.  4:  3T,  &c. ;  Lu.  8  :  23,  &c. 


his  teachings  and  instructions,  he  was, 
with  his  fellow  disciples,  to  be  fitted  for 
the  great  work,  after  the  ascension  of 
his  Slaster. 

23.  A  ship.  A  small  fishing  vessel 
suited  to  the  lake  of  Galilee.  His  dis- 
ciples followed  hitn,  i.  e.  embarked  also 
in  the  vessel.  According  to  Mark 
(4  :  36),  several  small  boats  or  vessels 
accompanied  the  one  which  he  was  in. 

24.  Tliere  arose  a  great  tempest.  Mat- 
thew uses  a  word  here,  literally  signi- 
fying a  shaking,  violent  agitation,  or  an 
earthquake,  to  represent  the  commotion 
of  the  elements.  Luke  (8  :  23)  says, 
"there  came  down  a  storm  of  wind 
upon  the  lake."  The  position  of  this 
lake  with  its  high  hills  on  either  side, 
exposed  it  to  sudden  and  violent  wind- 
storms. Was  covered  (literally,  was  be- 
coming covered),  i.  e.  almost  submerged. 
The  waves  were  beginning  to  break 
over  the  ship,  and  it  was  in  an  almost 
sinking  condition.  But  he  was  asleep. 
He  was  greatly  fatigued  with  the  labors 
of  the  day.  It  was  probably  to  obtain 
a  little  rest  for  his  exhausted  mental  and 
physical  powers,  that  he  had  dismissed 
the  multitude  which  thronged  about 
him  (Mark  4  :  36),  and  had  taken  ship 
to  cross  the  lake.  As  soon  as  he  went 
on  board,  he  seems  to  have  sunk  into 
so  deep  a  sleep,  that  the  roar  of  the 
tempest,  and  the  cries  of  those  onboard 
the  ship,  did  not  awaken  him.  This 
shows  how  great  were  his  weariness  and 
physical  exhaustion. 

25.  JLord,  save  us,  we  perish,  i.  e.  we 
are  on  the  point  of  going  down  before 
this  dreadful  tempest.  In  Mark  (4  :  38), 
"  Master,  carest  thou  not  that  we 
perish  ?"  This  was  said  in  reference  to 
his  being  asleep  in  such  a  gale.  They 
doubtless  hoped  that  one  who  had  per- 
formed such  wondrous  cures,  could  in 
some  way  assist  them,  but  were  not  pre- 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


him,  and  awoke  him,  saying,  Lord, 
save  us  :  we  perish. 

26  And  he  saith  unto  them, 
Why  are  ye  fearful,  0  ye  of  little 
faith  ?  Then  "  he  arose,  and  re- 
buked  the    winds    and    the   sea; 

s  Ps.  65  :  T,  &  89 :  9.  &  107  :  29. 

pared  for  so  mighty  and  sublime  a  man- 
it'cstation  of  his  power  over  the  ele- 
ments, as  that  which  followed. 

26.  Mil y  are  yc  so  fearful,  &c.  Had 
their  faith  been  hke  that  of  the  cen- 
turion, they  would  never  have  yielded 
to  fear,  with  such  a  person  on  board,  as 
their  divine  Lord  and  Savior.  Jesus 
therefore  gently  rebuked  their  want  of 
faith,  before  he  calmed  the  tempest.  It 
is  of  more  importance  that  the  heart  be 
right,  and  errors  within  be  corrected, 
than  to  be  preserved  from  the  most 
imminent  external  peril.  Bloomfield 
makes  their  littleness  of  faith  to  con- 
sist in  not  confiding  in  his  power  to 
save,  as  well  asleep  as  awake.  They 
had  some  faith,  or  they  would  not  have 
had  recourse  to  him  in  their  extremity. 
But  our  Lord  would  have  his  people 
trust  in  him,  however  insensible  he  may 
be  apparently  to  their  danger.  Mark  and 
Luke  speak  of  this  reproof,  as  admin- 
istered after  the  hushing  of  the  tem- 
pest, but  the  order  of  Matthew  is  to  be 
followed,  as  more  definite  in  the  par- 
ticles of  time  which  connect  the  clauses. 
Then  he  arose.  He  could  have  wrought 
this  great  miracle  in  a  recumbent  po- 
sition, but  it  was  more  suitable  to  his 
dignity  as  Lord  of  nature,  that  he 
should  rise  and  assume  an  attitude  of 
command.  And  there  was  a  great  calm. 
The  passage  quoted  by  Longinus,  "  let 
there  be  light,  and  there  was  light,"  as 
a  remarkable  instance  of  the  sublime,  is 
not  more  entitled  to  this  distinction 
than  these  words  before  us.  At  his 
simple  command,  "  Peace,  be  still," 
(Mark  4  :  39,  on  which  see  N.)  suddenly, 
as  if  all  nature  was  hushed  to  repose, 
"  the  wind  ceased  and  there  was  a  great 
calm." 

27.  But  the  men  marvelled.  These  are 
supposed  by  some  to  be  the  men  who 


and    there    was    a    great    calm. 

27  But  the  men  marvelled,  say- 
ing, What  manner  of  man  is  this, 
that  even  the  winds  and  the  sea 
obey  him ! 

28  ^  '  And  when  he  was  come 

t  Ma.  5 : 1,  &c. ;  Lu.  8  :  26,  &c. 


worked  the  ship,  but  it  is  better  to  refer 
it  to  all  who  were  in  the  vessel  besides 
our  Lord.  Both  Mark  and  Luke  speak 
of  their  being  greatly  terrified  at  this 
manifestation  of  a  power,  altogether 
beyond  what  was  possessed  by  a  created 
being.  Saying  ("  one  to  another," 
Luke),  in  the  low  tones  of  amazement. 
Such  was  their  awe,  that  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  addressed  him.  WJiat 
wanner  of  man  is  this?  This  question 
implies  that  they  regarded  him,  for  the 
moment  at  least,  as  a  superhuman  being. 
That  even  the  rcinds,  &c.  They  had  wit- 
nessed his  power  over  demons  and 
sicknesses  ;  they  had  seen  the  widow's 
son  at  Nain  restored  to  life,  but  this 
wondrous  control  over  the  elements,  so 
mightily  exerted,  and  with  such  com- 
plete and  immediate  effect,  seemed  to 
far  transcend  any  previous  manifesta- 
tion of  his  miraculous  power. 

28-34  ;  9  :  1.  The  HealinCx  of  the 
TWO  Demoniacs  of  Gadara.  S.  E.  coast 
of  the  Lal-e  of  Galilee.  Mark  5  :  1- 
21  ;  Luke  8 :  26-40. 

28.  To  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 
Country  of  the  Gergesenes.  Mark  and 
Luke  call  it  the  country  of  the  Gada- 
renes.  It  is  the  opinion  of  judicious 
critics,  that  the  reading  of  Matthew 
should  be  Gerasenes,  which,  according 
to  Origen,  was  the  ancient  reading. 
Dr.  Robinson  remarks,  that  if  this  read- 
ing be  correct,  Gerasa  lay  so  far  from 
the  lake,  that  the  miracle  could  not 
have  been  wrought  in  its  vicinity.  Its 
being  a  provincial  capital,  however, 
caused  its  name  to  be  given  to  a  large 
extent  of  country,  including  Gadara. 
Matthew  employs  the  name  in  this 
broad  appellation,  while  Mark  and  Luke 
are  more  specific,  in  naming  the  very 
place  where  the  miracle  was  performed. 
Gadara,  the  name  of  this  place,  belonged 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


89 


to  the  other  side,  into  the  country 
of  the  Gergesenes,  there  met  him 
two  possessed  with  devils,  coming 
out  of  the  tombs,  exceeding  fierce, 
so  that  no  mau  might  pass  by  that 
way.  

to  the  district  called  Decapolis  (Matt.  4 : 
25),  and  was  situated  near  the  summit 
of  the  mountains  lying  east  of  the 
valley  of  the  Jordan,  a  few  miles 
S.  E.  of  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
lake.  On  the  east  of  the  ruins  iden- 
tified as  those  of  Gadara,  are  found 
many  sepulchres  hewn  in  the  limestone 
rocks.  Some  of  these  tombs  are  large 
and  are  still  inhabited,  much  as  they 
were  by  these  demoniacs.  Tfiere  met 
Mm.  Some  think  that  their  design  at 
first  was  to  offer  violence  to  Jesus  and 
his  company,  but  from  Mark's  account, 
it  would  seem  more  probable  that  they 
drew  near  to  Jesus,  through  some  secret 
influence  wrought  in  them  at  sight  of 
Him  who  was  to  be  their  Deliverer.  At 
any  rate  they  attempted  no  violence, 
but  prostrated  themselves  as  suppUants 
for  his  favor.  See  N.  on  Mark  .5:7. 
Two  possessed  of  devils.  Mark  and  Luke 
speak  of  only  one  demoniac.  But  there 
is  no  essential  variance  between  Mat- 
thew's statement  and  theirs.  His  ob- 
ject seems  to  have  been,  to  narrate 
simply  their  cure  by  Christ ;  while  the 
attention  of  the  two  other  Evangelists 
was  directed  mainly  to  the  wondrous 
conversion  of  one  of  these  demoniacs, 
who,  from  a  state  of  savage  fierceness, 
was  brought  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
clothed  and  in  his  right  mind,  and  after- 
wards to  become  a  preacher  to  the  peo- 
ple of  his  own  city.  They  speak,  there- 
fore, of  him  only,  and  omit  to  mention 
the  other  demoniac,  whose  cure  was 
not  followed  by  so  remarkable  a  result. 
The  idea  of  some,  that  Matthew  made  a 
mistake,  through  a  misunderstanding  of 
the  reply  of  the  demon,  "  for  we  are 
many"  (Mark  5  :  9),  is  preposterous. 
Comincf  out  of  the  tombs.  The  sepul- 
chres of  the  Jews  were  either  artificial 
excavations  of  the  earth,  or  places  cut 
out  from  rocks.  As  Gadara  was  sit- 
uated near  the  crest  of  a  mountain,  the 


29  And  behold,  they  cried  out, 
saying,  What  have  we  to  do  with 
thee,  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  God  ? 
art  thou  come  hither  to  torment 
us  before  the  time  ? 

30  And  there  was  a  good  way 

tombs  here  spoken  of  were  doubtless 
natural  or  artificial  excavations  in  the 
rocky  sides  of  the  mountain.  These 
sepulchres  were  commonly  situated 
without  the  limits  of  cities  or  villages. 
They  furnished  convenient  lodging 
places  for  madmen  and  other  outcasts 
ff om  society.  Exceediiig  fierce.  They 
were  raving  maniacs,  and  so  fiercely 
disposed  to  deeds  of  violence,  as  to 
render  it  imsafe  for  persons  to  pass 
along  the  way  near  them.  See  Mark 
5:2-5;  Luke  8  :  29. 

29.  Griedout,  i.  e.  exclaimed  in  loud 
tones.  What  have  we  to  do  ivitk  thee  ; 
literally,  what  is  tliere  to  2cs  and  you  ? 
What  common  interests  have  we,  or 
why  is  it  necessary  that  we  should 
come  together,  since  there  is  no  bond 
of  intercourse  between  us  ?  These 
words  are  those  of  the  demons,  speak- 
ing through  the  vocal  organs  of  the 
man  possessed.  On  the  order  of  this 
transaction,  see  Mark  5:7,  with  Note. 
Thou  Son  of  God.  It  is  an  unanswer- 
able argument  against  the  theory  of 
those,  who  deny  the  reality  of  demonia- 
cal possession,  that  these  madmen,  as 
they  consider  them  only  to  be,  had 
such  knowledge  of  the  true  character 
of  Christ.  It  were  strange  indeed,  that 
raving  insanity  could  make  persons 
afflicted  therewith,  so  superior  to  all 
others  in  spiritual  discernment,  that 
they  could  determine  at  first  sight, 
that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  the 
long  expected  King  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. Art  thou  come,  &c.  The  time  of 
torment  here  referred  to,  is  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day,  to  which,  Jude 
says  (v.  6),  "  the  angels  that  kept  not 
their  first  estate,  are  reserved  in  ever- 
lasting chains  under  darkness."  At  the 
approach  of  the  Son  of  God,  whom 
these  demons  well  knew,  but  the  pur- 
pose of  whose  advent  in  the  form  of 
humanity,  they  probably  did  not  fully 


90 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


off  from  them  an  herd  of  many 
swine  feeding. 

31  So  the  devils  besought  him, 
saying,  If  thou  cast  us  out,  suffer 


understand,  they  Avere  seized  with  fear, 
lest  their  time  of  comparative  freedom 
to  go  to  and  fro  throughout  the  earth 
(Job  1  :  7  ;  2  :  2),  and  of  exemption 
from  their  full  measure  of  suffering, 
was  to  be  cut  short.  To  torment,  to 
torture  with  pain.  The  time.  The  ap- 
pointed time  of  their  full  punishment. 
The  full  import  of  this  was  doubtless 
understood  only  by  our  Lord  and  the 
demons. 

3(».  A  good  way  off,  i.  e.  at  a  consi- 
derable distance  on  the  hills  (Luke," on 
the  mountain  "),  which  skirted  the 
plain  where  our  Savior  had  landed. 
These  swine  were  in  sight,  as  they  are 
referred  especially  to,  in  the  next  verse, 
as  tlie  herd,  and  not  a  herd.  Many 
swine.  Mark  (5  :  13)  says  that  there 
were  about  2000.  As  Gadara  was  one 
of  the  remotest  towns  of  the  country, 
and  annexed  to  Syria  by  the  Romans, 
except  in  the  reign  of  Herod  the  Great, 
to  whom  it  had  been  given  by  Augus- 
tus, the  inhabitants,  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  the  Jews,  seem  to  have  been 
engaged  quite  extensively  in  raising 
swine  for  the  Gentile  market.  They 
were  then  rightly  punished  at  this  time, 
in  the  loss  of  so  large  a  herd  of  swine. 
Another  reason  why  the  swine  were 
permitted  to  be  possessed,  maybe  found 
in  the  palpable  evidence  thereby  fur- 
nished, of  the  power  and  hellish  cruelty 
of  these  demons,  who  had  so  long  pos- 
sessed the  men.  No  objection  can  be 
advanced  against  this  on  the  score  of 
humanity,  for  had  a  thousand  times  this 
number  of  swine  perished,  it  would 
have  been  nothing,  if  thereby  the  Sa- 
vior's power  in  destroying  the  works  of 
the  devil,  was  made  the  more  manifest. 

31.  T7ie  devils  besought  him,  &c. 
This  is  to  be  referred  to  their  desire  to 
thwart  the  benevolent  mission  of  Jesus 
to  these  parts.  Such  was  the  result. 
The  alarmed  and  selfish  Gadarenes  ur- 
gently prayed  Jesus  to  depart  from 
their  coasts,  fearing  perhaps  the  loss  of 


us  to  go  away  into  the  herd  of 
swine. 

32  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go. 
And  when  they  were   come  out, 

other  unlawful  possessions,  in  case  he 
should  enter  and  remain  any  length  of 
time  in  their  city.  Into  the  lierd  which 
were  in  sight,  although  at  some  distance 
from  the  scene  of  the  miracle,  and  near 
the  foot  of  the  mountain.  See  N.  on 
Mark  5:11. 

32.  Ran  violently  down,  &c.  The 
swine  were  feeding  upon  the  hills  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  (see  Mark  5:11, 
compared  with  Luke  8  :  32),  down  the 
precipitous  sides  of  which  bordering  on 
the  sea,  they  rushed  under  the  influence 
of  the  demons.  Those  acquainted  with 
the  habits  of  this  animal  well  know, 
that  no  driving  or  coaxing  would  have 
sufficed  to  impel  them  down  such  a  cliff 
or  steep  declivity  into  the  waters  be- 
low. The  demoniacal  agency  in  this 
transaction  is  referred  by  those  who 
deny  its  real  existence,  to  the  demoniacs 
themselves,  who  impetuously  attacked 
the  herd,  and  drove  them  down  the 
steep.  But  not  to  speak  of  the  impos- 
sibility above  referred  to,  of  driving 
swine  down  such  a  precipice — a  feat, 
which,  if  undertaken,  would  have  re- 
sulted in  the  dispersion  of  so  large  a 
herd  in  every  direction,  except  the  one 
whither  the  madmen  were  attempting 
to  drive  them — with  what  show  of  rea- 
son or  stretch  of  rhetoric  could  it  be 
said,  that  the  men  themselves  did  this, 
when  it  is  expressly  said  by  Luke  (8  : 
33),  that  the  devils  went  out  of  the 
men,  and  entering  into  the  swine,  caused 
them  to  run  down  the  steep  place ;  a 
statement  in  which  the  other  evange- 
lists also  concur.  It  requires  a  far 
greater  stretch  of  credulity  to  believe 
the  absurdities,  with  which  those  who 
deny  the  reality  of  demoniacal  posses- 
sions, endeavor  to  explain  away  such 
passages,  as  the  one  before  us,  than  to 
take  the  plain,  naked  statements  of  the 
sacred  writers,  in  their  obvious  and 
legitimate  meaning.  Perished  in  the 
waters ;  Mark,  "  were  choked  (i.  e. 
strangled)  in  the  sea."  So  Luke.    Their 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


91 


they  went  into  the  herd  of  swine  : 
and  behold,  the  whole  herd  of 
swine  ran  violently  down  a  steep 
place  into  the  sea,  and  perished 
in  the  waters. 

33  And  they  that  kept  them, 
fled,  and  went  their  ways  into  the 
city,  and  told  every  thing ;  and 
what  was  befallen  to  the  possessed 
of  the  devils. 

34  And,  behold,  the  whole  city 

w  See  De.5 :  25 ;  1  Ki.17 :  18 ;  Lu.5 : 8 ;  Ac.l6 :  39. 

destruction  was  complete ;  all  the  ef- 
forts of  the  animals  to  save  themselves 
by  swimming  or  otherwise,  being  para- 
lyzed by  the  demons  who  possessed 
them.  Had  the  madmen  driven  them 
down  the  steep  place,  it  would  have 
been  strange  if  some  had  not  escaped 
destruction. 

33.  We7it  their  ways.  An  old  form 
of  expression  for  went  away.  Into  the 
city,  i.  e.  Gadara.  What  was  befallen, 
&c.  The  word  befallen  in  common 
usage,  now  denotes  the  happening  to 
one  of  something  adverse.  This  is  not 
its  meaning  here.  The  things  respect- 
ing the  demoniacs,  is  the  more  literal 
translation  of  the  passage. 

34.  The  whole  city.  The  stupendous 
miracle,  attended  with  such  a  destruc- 
tion of  property,  so  aroused  the  city, 
that  its  inhabitants  poured  forth  to 
meet  Jesus,  and  united  in  beseeching 
him  to  depart  out  of  their  coasts.  A 
most  remarkable  indifference  to  their 
highest  interests,  to  urge  the  departure 
of  one  whom  they  must  have  known, 
by  what  they  had  heard  of  his  doctrines, 
instructions,  and  miracles,  as  well  as  by 
this  cure  of  the  wretched  demoniacs,  to 
have  both  the  will  and  power  to  do 
them  good.  Their  infatuation  is  but 
the  type,  however,  of  thousands,  who 
in  every  age,  have  virtually  prayed  the 
Savior  to  depart  from  them,  even  when 
by  the  subduing  influences  of  his  Spirit, 
he  was  ready  to  make  their  hearts  the 
seat  of  his  abode. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
1.  Aship ;  literally,  the  ship,  i.  e.  the 


came  out  to  meet  Jesus :  and 
when  they  saw  him,  "they  be- 
sought him  that  he  would  depart 
out  of  their  coasts. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

AND  he  entered  into   a   ship, 
and  passed  over,  "  and  came 
into  his  own  city.' 

2  ''And  behold,  they  brought 
to  him  a  man  sick  of  the  palsy, 

aCh.  4:13.      &  Ma.  2:  8;  Lu.  5: 18. 


one  in  which  he  had  previously  crossed 
the  lake,  or  the  one  which  plied  be- 
tween these  extremities  of  the  lake. 
His  own  city,  i.  e.  Capernaum.  This 
verse  properly  closes  the  preceding 
chapter. 

2-8.  Thk  Healing  or  the  Paralt- 
Tic.  Capernaum.  Mark  2  :  1-12  ; 
Luke  5  :  17-26.  This  miracle  was 
wrought  not  many  days  after  the  cure 
of  the  leper  (8  :  2-4).  The  narration 
is  much  fuller  in  Mark  and  Luke,  than 
in  Matthew. 

2.  They  brought  to  him.  This  refers 
to  the  friends  or  relatives  of  the  paraly- 
tic. Sick  of  the  palsy.  See  N.  on  4  : 
24.  Lying  on  a  bed.  He  was  so  help- 
less, that  he  was  borne  into  the  pre- 
sence of  Jesus,  by  four  men  (Mark),  on  a 
quilt  or  mattress,  or  perhaps  some  light 
and  cushioned  frame  suitable  for  carry- 
ing a  sick  person.  And  Jesus  seeing 
their  faith.  It  appears  from  both 
Mark  and  Luke,  that  when  they  could 
not  pass  in  through  the  door  of  the 
house,  in  consequence  of  the  crowd, 
they  ascended  the  house-top,  and  let 
the  sick  man  down  through  the  roof, 
(the  tiUng  of  which  they  had  broken  up, 
Luke  5  :  19,)  into  the  midst  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Jesus.  See  N.  on  Mark  2  :  4. 
It  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  faith 
and  perseverance  both  of  the  sick  man 
and  of  those  who  brought  him,  and  as 
such  was  commended  byour  Savior.  Son. 
A  term  of  endearment  and  encourage- 
ment, frequently  used  by  one  superior 
in  age  and  dignity,  in  addressing  an  in- 
ferior. The  Hebrews  used  it  with  great 
freedom  and  latitude.     Thy  sins  be  for- 


92 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


lying  on  a  bed  :  '  and  Jesus  seeing 
their  faith  said  unto  the  sick  of 
the  palsy  ;  Son,  be  of  good  cheer ; 
thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee. 

3  And,  behold,  certain  of  the 


c  Ch.  8 :  10. 


piveti  thee.  Such  was  his  faith  and  love 
for  him,  into  wliose  presence  with  such 
difficulty  he  had  been  brought,  that  our 
Lord,  who  knew  well  the  state  of  his 
heart,  pronounced  his  sins  forgiven. 
This  was  done  in  part  to  show  that 
diseases  are  the  result  of  sin,  which  has 
disarranged  and  impaired  not  only  the 
mental,  but  the  physical  nature  of  man. 
It  was  also  a  varied  exhibition  of  the 
power  of  Jesus,  in  the  presence  of  these 
wicked  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who 
were  watching  all  his  words  and  actions. 
Some  think  that  the  man  incurred  his 
disease  through  vicious  indulgence,  and 
that  being  brought  now  to  a  sense  of 
guilt  and  a  determination  to  forsake 
sin,  his  Savior  graciously  pronounced 
his  forgiveness.  It  was  common  with 
the  Jews  to  regard  diseases  as  the  effect 
of  sin. 

3.  Certain  of  the  scribes.  We  are 
now  for  the  first  time  in  Matthew's 
gospel  introduced  to  this  class  of  men, 
who,  in  company  with  the  Pharisees 
(Luke  o  :  21),  followed  our  Savior  from 
place  to  place,  to  find  occasion  of  ac- 
cusing him  before  the  Jewish  or  Roman 
tribunal.  The  continued  attendance  of 
these  subtle,  bitter,  unrelenting  foes, 
until  at  last  their  malice  was  satisfied  by 
his  death,  gave  rise  to  some  of  the  most 
remarkable  incidents  and  sayings  of  our 
Savior's  ministry.  The  rottenness  of 
their  moral  character,  but  ill-covered 
with  the  flimsy  veil  of  their  pretended 
piety  and  purity  of  life,  is  often  seen  in 
contrast  with  the  moral  excellence  of 
Christ,  and  thus  are  brought  out  in 
strong  relief,  the  opposite  effects  of  sin 
and  holiness  upon  the  life  and  character 
of  men.  Said  within  themselves.  They 
reasoned  in  their  hearts  (Mark  2  :  6), 
and  perhaps  addressed  one  another 
in   low   tones,   so  as  not  to  be  heard 


scribes   said   within    themselves, 
This  man  blasphemeth. 

4  And  Jesus,  '^  knowing  their 
thoughts,  said,  Wherefore  think 
ye  evil  in  your  hearts  ? 

5  For  whether  is  easier  to  say, 

d  Ps.  139 :  2 ;  ch.  12 :  25 ;  Ma.  12 :  15;  Lu.  5 :  22, 
&  6 :  8,  &  9 :  47,  &  11 :  IT. 

by  Jesus.  See  21  :  38  ;  Acts  28  :  29, 
where  the  latter  sense  must  be  given  to 
this  phrase.  This  7nan.  The  expres- 
sion in  the  original  implies  contempt, 
this  fellow,  this  wretch.  See  N.  on 
Mark  2  :  7.  Blasphemeth.  This  word 
literally  signifies,  to  speak  evil  of  to 
rail  at,  and  is  used  here  of  an  assump- 
tion of  power  and  language,  which  be- 
longs only  to  God.  The  scribes  pro- 
perly judged,  that  no  created  being 
had  a  right  on  his  own  authority  to  for- 
give sin.  Their  theory  was  correct. 
But  such  was  the  bUndness  and  hard- 
ness of  their  hearts,  that  they  failed  to 
discover  the  true  character  of  Jesus,  - 
although  clearly  indicated  by  his  won- 
drous deeds,  and  the  heavenly  nature  of 
his  doctrine. 

4.  Knoiving  their  thoughts.  This 
proof  of  his  omniscience  ought  to  have 
convinced  them,  that  it  was  no  ordinary 
man  in  whose  presence  they  were. 
^Vherefoi'e,  to  what  end  or  purpose. 
Think  ye  evil  in  your  hearts  ?  Why  do 
you  indulge  in  such  evil  thoughts,  re- 
specting what  I  have  just  said  '?  This 
shows  that  the  heart  was  the  seat  of 
their  unbofief,  whether  their  thoughts 
were  confined  to  their  own  breasts,  or 
communicated  in  low  whispers  to 
one  another. 

5.  For  whether  is  easier,  &c.  Our 
Lord  here  teaches  that  the  miracles 
wrought  by  him,  furnished  abundant 
proof  of  his  power  to  forgive  sin.  It 
was  as  easy  to  utter  one  of  these  forms 
of  expression  as  the  other,  and  by  the 
immediate  effect  which  should  follow 
the  words,  arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  which 
he  was  about  to  speak,  he  showed  his 
power  to  pronounce  with  like  effect  the 
remission  of  the  man's  sins.  No  one, 
unless  acting  under  divine  influence  and 
authority,  could  cause  this  man  at  a 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


93 


Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ;  or  to 
say,  Arise,  and  walk  ? 

6  But  that  ye  may  know  that 
the  Sou  of  man  hath  power  on 
earth  to  forgive  sins,  (then  saith 
he  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,)  Arise, 
take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine 
house. 


single  word  to  arise  and  walk  ;  and  the 
ability  to  do  this,  was  convincing  proof 
of  a  like  ability  to  do  the  other.  Inas- 
much as  the  remission  of  sin  was  not 
discernible  by  the  physical  senses,  our 
Lord  graciously  proceeded  to  work  an 
external  miracle,  thereby  evincing 
power  to  remit  the  sins  of  whomso- 
ever he  would. 

6.  Son  of  man.  See  N.  on  8  :  20. 
On  earth,  i.  e.  in  his  state  of  humiliation. 
The  phrase  implies  a  condition  of  heav- 
enly glory,  in  which  no  one  will  call  in 
question  his  right  to  remit  sins.  On 
earth  also  as  Son  of  man,  Messiah,  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  he  has  also  this 
power,  the  proof  of  which  was  the  great 
miracle,  which  he  was  about  to  perform 
on  this  helpless  paralytic.  TTien  saith 
he,  &c.  This  is  not  a  parenthesis.  The 
preceding  clause  may  be  regarded  as 
elliptical  :  "  But  that  ye  may  know  that 
the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to 
forgive  sins,  (I  now  say  to  the  man,) 
Arise,"  &c.  This  omitted  clause  is 
thrown  by  the  Evangelist  into  a  nar- 
rative form,  then  saith  he,  &c.  Alford 
finds  a  similar  construction  in  Gen.  3  : 
22,  23.  Take  up  thy  bed.  This  was 
added  to  show  his  perfect  cure,  from  a 
state  of  absolute  helplessness.  Go  unto 
thy  house.  Another  confirmatory  evi- 
dence of  his  complete  cure. 

7.  He  arose  a  well  man.  And  depart- 
ed, &c.  The  multitude,  doubtless,  gave 
way,  and  left  him  space  to  come  forth 
from  the  house. 

8.  Tlie  multitudes,  which  were  in  the 
house  and  thronging  around  the  doors. 
They  saw  the  paralytic  enter,  lying 
helplessly  on  his  couch.  In  a  few  mo- 
ments, he  comes  forth  in  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  strength  and  activity  of  limb, 


7  And  he  arose,  and  departed 
to  his  house. 

8  But  when  the  multitudes  saw 
it,  they  marvelled,  and  glorified 
God,  which  had  given  such  power 
unto  men. 

9  ^  "  And  as  Jesus  passed  forth 
from  thence,  he  saw  a  man  named 

eMa.  2:  14;  Lu.  5:2T. 

bearing  the  bed  on  which  he  had  lain, 
and  uttering  loud  thanks  to  God  for  his 
wondrous  goodness  (Luke  5  :  25).  They 
might  well  be  astonished  at  the  sight, 
and  give  glory  to  God  for  sending  them 
such  a  teacher  and  helper.  Tliey  mar- 
velled. Mark  expresses  it  more  strongly : 
they  were  all  amazed,  and  Luke  still  more 
strongly  :  ecstasy  seized  upon  all,  i.  e. 
they  were  filled  with  transports  at  the 
cure  which  had  been  wrought.  Which 
hadgive.ji  such  power  (i.  e.  the  abihty  to 
work  such  miracles).  These  are  not  the 
words  of  the  Evangelist,  but  a  part  of 
the  ascription  of  praise.  Unto  men ; 
literally,  unto  the  men.  This  is  not 
to  be  regarded  as  the  plural  for  the 
singular,  to  the  man  (i.  e.  Jesus),  orybr 
the  benefit  of  men,  as  some  erroneously 
interpret  it,  but  unto  men  (generically 
considered),  i.  e.  mankind.  The  pos- 
session of  this  power  being  granted  to 
one,  was  regarded  by  the  people  as 
something  given  to  mankind.  So  we 
pass,  in  common  language,  the  inven- 
tion or  discovery  of  one  person,  to  the 
credit  of  the  human  mind  in  its  collec- 
tive sense,  as  exemplifying  its  wonderful 
powers  and  capacities. 

9.  The  Call  of  Matthew.  Caper- 
naum. Mark  2:13,  14  ;  Luke  5  :  27, 
28.  As  Jesus  passed  from  thence,  i.  e. 
from  the  house  in  which  the  paralytic 
was  cured.  Mark  (2  :  13)  says  that  he 
went  forth  again  by  the  sea-side,  and 
there  taught  the  multitude  who  resorted 
unto  him.  On  his  way  to  the  borders 
of  the  lake,  he  pas.sed  by  the  place 
where  the  revenue  or  taxes  were  re- 
ceived, and  seeing  a  publican  or  tax- 
gatherer  sitting  there,  named  Matthew 
(called  in  Mark  and  Luke,  Levi),  he 
bade  him   follow*  him  as    a  disciple. 


94 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


Matthew,  sitting  at  the  receipt  of 
custom :  and  he  saith  unto  him, 
Follow  me.  And  he  arose,  and 
followed  him. 

10  "H  •'  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 

/Ma.  2 :  15,  &c. ;  Lu.  5  :  29,  &c. 


This  he  immediately  did,  although  we 
must  suppose  that  he  settled  his  ac- 
counts with  his  employers,  before  he 
connected  himself  permanently  with 
the  disciples  of  Christ.  He  would  other- 
wise have  been  amenable  to  the  civil 
tribunal.  Doddridge,  with  his  usual 
good  judgment,  remarks,  that  the  feast, 
which  was  given  some  months  after 
(see  N.  on  v.  10),  may  have  been  on  the 
occasion  of  his  making  up  his  accounts, 
and  passing  his  business  into  other 
hands,  which,  from  a  principle  of  jus- 
tice, as  well  as  prudence,  he  would  take 
care  to  do. 

10-17.  Levi's  Feast.  Capernauin. 
Mark  2  :  15-22  ;  Luke  5  :  29-39. 

10.  It  appears  from  Luke  6  :  29,  that 
Levi  (as  Matthew  is  called  by  Luke) 
made  the  feast  here  spoken  of.  It 
would  seem  at  first  glance,  to  have  im- 
mediately followed  his  call  at  the 
receipt  of  custom.  But  we  find  that 
while  he  was  reclining  at  the  feast,  a 
scribe  came  and  begged  him  to  restore 
his  daughter,  lying  at  the  point  of  death 
(see  V.  18).  But  this  incident,  accord- 
ing to  Mark  (5  :  22),  and  Luke  (8  :  41), 
did  not  take  place  until  after  his  return 
from  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes. 
The  three  Evangehsts  seem  to  have 
joined  this  feast  to  the  call  of  Matthew, 
in  order  to  relate  in  one  connection  all 
that  is  especially  said  about  him.  In 
Matthew,  both  the  call  and  feast  are 
placed  after  the  passage  across  the  lake, 
whereas  the  former  was  a  number  of 
months  previous  to  the  latter.  On  the 
other  hand,  Mark  and  Luke,  while  they 
assign  to  the  call  its  proper  place  in  the 
history,  transfer  the  feast  to  the  time  of 
the  call,  although  it  took  place  some 
months  after.  In  other  words,  Mat- 
thew places  both  the  call  and  the  feast 
after  the  visit  to  the  Gadarenes,  while 
Mark  and  Luke  place  them  before  that 
visit.      The  integrity  of  the  narrative 


Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  house, 
behold,  many  publicans  and  sin- 
ners came  and  sat  down  with  him 
and  his  disciples. 

11  And  when  the  Pharisees  saw 
it,  they  said   unto   his   disciples, 

is  not  at  all  affected  by  this  transposi- 
tion. Sat  at  meat ;  literally,  was  reclin- 
ing at  table.  In  the  time  of  Christ, 
the  Jews  had  adopted  the  Persian 
custom  of  reclining  upon  the  left  side, 
with  their  faces  towards  the  table. 
The  couch,  on  which  they  reclined,  was 
somewhat  higher  than  the  low  table, 
on  which  the  provisions  were  spread, 
and  was  called  a  triclinium,  because  it 
was  usually  made  large  enough  to  hold 
three  persons.  In  reclining  at  the 
table,  the  head  of  the  second  guest  ap- 
proached the  breast  of  the  first,  the 
head  of  the  third,  the  breast  of  the 
second,  and  so  on.  This  explains  the 
expression,  leaning  -upon  one's  boson. 
The  place  coveted  by  the  Pharisees, 
was  the  central  position  on  one  of  these 
mats  or  couches.  See  Luke  14  :  8,  10. 
In  the  fioiise  of  Matthew.  It  is  not 
declared  in  so  many  words  that  Mat- 
thew made  this  feast.  But  the  use  of 
the  Greek  article  gives  to  the  house, 
the  sense  of  his  house,  which,  as  Mat- 
thew was  himself  the  writer,  was  a 
modest  way  of  intimating  what  Mark 
and  Luke  declare  expressly  to  have 
been  done  by  him.  Many  publicans 
and  sinners.  Under  this  expression 
were  included  all  those  who  fell  below 
the  Pharisaic  observance  of  the  law. 
The  publicans  and  common  people  were 
regarded  by  them  as  great  sinners,  to 
eat  with  whom  would  be  a  moral  con- 
tamination. See  N.  on  5  :  46.  As 
Matthew  had  been  a  publican,  many  of 
this  class  were  doubtless  present  at  the 
feast. 

11.  The  Pharisees  of  the  place.  Luke 
says  "  their  scribes  and  Pharisees," 
meaning  those  who  resided  in  Caper- 
naum, and  assumed  to  themselves-  the 
oversight  of  religious  affairs.  Saw  it; 
literally,  having  noticed  it.  We  are  not 
to  suppose  that  they  stood  by,  and 
looked  on  upon  the  festive  entertain- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


95 


"Why   eateth   your   Master    with 
^  publicans  and  *  sinners  ? 

12  But  when  Jesus  heard  that, 
he  said  unto  them,  They  that  be 

(/Oh.  11:19;  Lu.  5:30,  &15:2.    AGa.2:15. 


ment.  The  conversation  recorded  in 
vs.  11-17,  tooli  place  after,  and  not  at 
the  feast,  as  there  could  have  been  no 
opportunity  to  thus  address  the  disci- 
ples, while  they  were  reclining  at  the 
meal,  surrounded  by  the  very  persons 
against  whom  the  Pharisees  inveighed. 
They  had  been  probably  informed  of 
the  feast,  and  took  occasion  at  its 
clo^e  to  rebuke  the  disciples.  Master. 
Teacher.  According  to  the  Talmudists, 
no  professed  teacher  or  Rabbi  was  to 
sit  at  table  with  the  lower  class  of 
people. 

12.  The}/  that  be  whole,  &c.  A  pro- 
verbial expression,  containing  in  its  use 
and  application  by  our  Savior,  a  world 
of  instruction.  It  expresses  a  principle 
of  universal  practice,  that  a  physician's 
aid  is  sought  for  the  sick,  and  not  for 
those  in  good  health.  Its  spiritual  ap- 
plication is  plain  and  pointed.  In  some 
respects,  however,  the  resemblance,  be- 
tween those  who  are  naturally,  and 
those  who  are  spiritually  diseased, 
ceases.  Those  afflicted  with  bodily  ills 
feel  their  need  of  a  physician,  and  are 
not  slow  to  apply  for  medical  aid.  But 
from  the  very  nature  of  their  disease, 
those  who  are  spiritually  sick  have  no 
conception  of  their  true  condition,  and 
hence  feel  no  need  of  any  spiritual  re- 
medy. They  make  no  application  to 
the  Physician  of  souls  for  reUef.  This 
was  the  case  with  the  Pharisees.  They 
rejected,  as  useless  to  persons  as 
righteous  as  themselves,  the  warnings 
and  instructions  of  Christ,  and  there- 
fore he  proffered  the  remedies  of  the 
gospel  to  those  who  were  less  righteous 
in  their  own  estimation. 

13.  Go  ye  and  learn,  i.  e.  learn  hence- 
forth. Such  forms  are  not  so  much 
pleonastic,  as  intended  to  give  fullness 
and  completeness  to  the  idea.  This 
fullness  is  often  found  in  the  conversa- 
tional phrases  of  every  people,  ancient 
and  modern.     Learn  what  that  mean- 


whole  need  not  a  physician,  but 
they  that  are  sick. 

13  But  go  ye,  and  learn  what 
that  ineaneth,  '  I  will  have  mercy, 

i  Ho.  6:6;  Mi.  6 :  6,  7,  8 ;   ch.  12 :  T. 

eth,  i.  e,  get  at  the  true  signification  of 
the  passage  referred  to.  /  will  have 
mercy.  The  quotation  is  from  Hos. 
6  :  6,  and  is  the  sense  also  of  1  Sam. 
15  :  22.  The  original  Hebrew  for 
mercy,  more  properly  designates,  acts 
of  piety  and  goodness,  and  is  opposed 
to  sacrifice  in  the  sense  of  victims,  put 
for  the  observance  of  external  forms 
and  ceremonies.  The  Pharisees  had 
reversed  these  duties,  neglecting  that 
for  which  God,  in  the  passage  quoted, 
declared  his  preference,  and  being 
scrupulously  strict  in  outward  forms, 
which  were  regarded  by  Him  as  of  no 
intrinsic  value.  I  came  not  to  call,  &c. 
The  external  invitation  of  the  gospel  is 
here  referred  to,  and  not  what  is  de- 
noted effectual  calling.  The  sentiment 
of  the  provei-b  in  v.  12,  is  here  reduced 
to  plain  language.  The  word  righteous 
(in  the  proverb,  the  whole)  refers  to 
those  who  are  so  in  their  own  estima- 
tion, like  the  Pharisees.  By  sinners 
(in  the  proverb  the  sick)  are  meant 
those  v.'ho  feel  their  lost  and  ruined 
condition,  and  gladly  avail  themselves 
of  any  spiritual  remedy  which  may  be 
provided.  Such  persons  Christ  de- 
clares that  he  came  to  call  to  repent- 
ance. The  gospel  was  provided  for 
sinners.  The  strictly  or  legally  right- 
eous need  no  gospel.  They  are  justi- 
fied by  their  perfect  obedience  to  God's 
law.  The  self-righteous  Pharisees, 
claiming  to  be  legally  just,  did  not,  on 
their  own  profession,  need  the  gospel 
any  more  than  the  holy  angels  who 
never  sinned.  Such  persons  were 
passed  by  in  our  Lord's  gracious  visita- 
tion, not  because  they  did  not  in  reality 
stand  in  pressing  need  of  the  gospel, 
but  because  not  feeling  their  want  of 
it,  they  would  have  rejected  it,  had  its 
calls  been  directly  addressed  to  them. 
The  moment  any  one  of  their  number 
threw  away  his  robe  of  self-righteous- 
ness, and  admitted  his  lost  condition 


96 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


and  not  sacrifice :  for  I  am  not 
come  to  call  the  righteous,  *  but 
sinners  to  repentance. 

14  *1[  Then  came  to  him  the 
disciples  of  John,  saying,  '  Why 
do  we  and  the  Pharisees  fast  oft, 
but  thy  disciples  fast  not  ? 

15  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 

*  1  Ti.  1 :  15.     ^  Ma.  2 :  18,  &c. ;  Lu.  5  :  33,  &c., 
&18:12.     jftJn.  3;29. 

and  helplessness,  he  came  at  once 
within  the  provisions  of  grace,  and  to 
him  the  gospel  with  its  blessings  and 
promises  was  freely  proffered.  It  need 
hardly  be  said,  that  this  passage  does 
not  in  the  least  degree  imply,  that  there 
ever  was  or  will  be  a  person  on  earth, 
so  righteous  as  not  to  need  the  gospel. 

14.  John  was  at  this  time  in  prison, 
and  his  disciples  were  scattered  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  land.  Some  of  them 
may  have  been  present  at  the  great 
feast  given  by  Levi,  and  struck  with 
the  air  of  cheerfulness  which  prevailed, 
so  unlike  the  austerity  practised  by 
John,  and  inculcated  without  doubt 
upon  his  disciples,  they  came  with  the 
inquiry,  why  the  habits  of  his  disciples 
in  respect  to  fastings  and  prayers 
(Luke),  were  so  unlike  those  of  John's 
disciples,  or  the  disciples  of  the  Phari- 
sees, as  Mark  and  Luke  record  the  in- 
quiry. There  seems  in  this  question  to 
be  a  tinge  of  censure,  or  at  least  of  a 
fault-finding  spirit,  which,  through  the 
infirmity  of  their  nature,  good  men 
even  are  sometimes  prone  to  indulge. 

15.  The  reply  of  our  Lord  illustrates 
the  great  principle,  that  there  is  to  be  a 
congruity  between  our  acts,  and  the 
circumstances  with  which  we  are  sur- 
rounded. What  is  proper  and  suitable 
at  one  time  or  occasion,  may  be  far 
otherwise  in  other  circumstances.  We 
are  always  to  have  regard  to  this  prin- 
ciple of  congruity,  and  not  adopt  any 
habit  or  practice,  without  carefully  con- 
sidering its  fitness  and  propriety  in 
view  of  existing  circumstances.  C'hil- 
dren  of  the  bride-chamber,  i.  e.  the 
bridemen,  or  companions  of  the  bride- 
groom, who  attended  him  with  songs 


Can  "'the  children  of  the  bride- 
chamber  mourn,  as  long  as  the 
bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  but  the 
days  will  come,  when  the  bride- 
groom shall  be  taken  from  them, 
and  "  then  shall  they  fast. 

16  No  man  putteth  a  piece  of 
■  new  cloth  unto  an  old  garment : 

n  Ac.  13:  2,  3,  &  14 :  23 ;  1  Co.  7:5.    J  Or,  raw, 
or,  unwrought  cloth. 

and  instrumental  music,  as  he  conduct- 
ed the  bride  from  her  residence  to  his 
father's  house,  she  being  in  like  manner 
surrounded  with  virgins  of  her  own 
age.  On  their  arrival  at  the  place 
where  the  nuptials  were  to  be  celebra- 
ted, the  male  attendants  and  other 
guests  indulged  in  feasting  and  convi- 
viality, while  the  females,  in  an  apart- 
ment by  themselves,  partook  also  in 
the  general  gayety  and  cheerfulness. 
See  Dr.  Jahn,  Arch.  §  154.  On  such  a 
joyous  occasion,  it  would  be  wholly 
unsuitable  for  these  attendants  of  the 
bridegroom,  to  indulge  in  lamentations, 
and  appear  with  sad  and  dejected 
countenance.  As  long  as  the  bride- 
groom is  present  with  them,  i.  e.  during 
the  wedding  festivities,  and  while  they 
are  companions  of  the  bridegroom. 
In  respect  to  our  Lord's  use  of  this 
term,  as  applied  to  himself,  see  John 
3  :  29.  But  the  days  leill  come,  &c.  If 
by  some  sudden  death  or  casualty,  the 
bridegroom  should  be  removed  from 
the  scene  of  festivity,  then  mourning 
would  with  propriety  take  the  place  of 
joy.  Those  who  heard  this  beautiful 
illustration,  could  have  no  difficulty  in 
referring  it  to  the  presence  of  Jesus 
with  his  disciples,  which  rendered  it 
unsuitable  for  them  to  mourn,  as  did 
the  disciples  of  John,  who  were  de- 
prived of  the  society  of  their  teacher. 
Our  Savior  also  intimates,  and  perhaps 
here  for  the  first  time,  that  he  should 
be  separated  from  his  disciples,  and 
then  it  would  be  for  them  to  weep  and 
fast.  Shall  be  taken;  more  literally, 
shall  have  been  taken.  Tlien  shall  they 
fast.  No  obligation  or  command  is 
expressed  here,  but  simply  that  there 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


97 


for  that  -which  is  put  in  to  fill  it 
up,  taketh  from  the  garment,  and 
the  rent  i.s  made  worse. 

17  Neither  do  men  put  new 
wine  into  old  bottles :  else  the 
bottles  break,  and  the  wine  run- 


will  be  occasion  of  fasting  in  those 
days  of  bereavement.  Fastings  under 
the  Christian  dispensation  are  not  regu- 
lated and  enforced  by  law,  as  in  the 
Mosaic  ritual,  but  are  to  be  the  sponta- 
neous acts  of  a  soul  mourning  the  ab- 
sence of  Christ,  and  longing  for  his 
spiritual  presence,  which  is  the  deeper 
meaning  of  the  absence  of  the  bride- 
groom here  referred  to. 

16.  A  second  illustration  of  the 
principle  of  conformity  and  fitness  of 
things,  is  drawn  from  the  unsuitable- 
ness  of  mending  old  garments  with 
patches  of  new  cloth.  To  us  with  our 
present  style  of  fabrics,  this  is  not  at 
first  clear.  A  housewife  does  not  hesi- 
tate to  mend  articles  of  apparel  with 
new  cloth.  But  the  whole  matter  be- 
comes clear,  when  we  refer  to  the  an- 
cient material  and  mode  of  dressing 
cloth.  The  word  rendered  nevj,  literally 
signifies,  not  carded  or  teased,  as  was 
done  in  softer  and  finer  cloth,  with  a 
comb  or  teasel.  Cloth  in  this  un- 
dressed state,  was  so  harsh,  rough,  and 
unyielding,  that  when  sewed  to  cloth, 
old  and  thin  through  use,  it  would 
wear  or  fret  away  the  edge  of  the  seam, 
or,  in  the  language  here  used,  would 
take  away  from  the  garment,  and  cause 
a  worse  rent  ;  because  in  addition 
to  the  old  rent,  filled  by  the  new 
cloth,  another  rent  now  takes  place 
outside  of  it.  Some  think  that  this 
illustration  refers  to  the  incongruity  of 
engrafting  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  in 
respect  to  fasts  and  other  religious  ob- 
servances, upon  those  of  the  Old  Testa-  j 
ment  dispensation,  or  what  is  the 
same  thing,  confounding  the  Old  and 
New  dispensations.  There  can  be  no 
objection  to  thus  considering  its  appli- 
cation in  part  at  least.  But  in  this 
connection,  we  must  regard  it  as  en- 
VoL.  I.— 5 


neth  out,  and  the  bottles  perish  : 
but  they  put  new  wine  into  new 
bottles,  and  both  are  preserved. 

18  *i[  "While  he  spake  these 
things  unto  them,  behold,  there 
came  a  certain   ruler,  and   wor- 

o  Ma.  5  :  22,  &c. ;  Lu.  8 :  41,  &c. 

forcing,  like  the  preceding  illustration, 
the  general  principle  of  fitness  and 
congruity,  and  its  application  may  be 
easily  made  to  the  various  subjects 
which  are  refeiable  to  it.  The  same 
principle  in  a  different  form  is  taught  in 
Ecclcs.  3  :  1-8. 

17.  The  subject  is  still  further  and 
more  forcibly  illustrated,  by  a  reference 
to  the  kind  of  bottles  into  which  old 
and  new  wine  was  put.  Bottles  in 
those  days  were  made  of  the  skins  of 
animals  taken  off"  whole,  and  were  called 
wine— skins,  water— skins,  &c.  These, 
when  old  and  dried,  became  tender 
and  were  easily  burst.  New  wine  in  a 
process  of  fermentation  would  almost 
certainly  cause  them  to  burst  open. 
They  were  therefore  only  suitable  lor 
containing  old  wine,  while  new  and  un- 
fermented  juice  of  the  grape,  would  be 
put  into  new  and  strong  wine-skins. 
Luke  (5  :  39)  has  an  additional  illustra- 
tration,  drawn  from  the  insipidity  of 
new  wine  to  one,  who  has  just  been 
drinking  that  which  is  old,  refined,  and 
well  flavored.  Alford  refers  the  para- 
ble of  the  new  and  old  bottles,  to  the 
inner  life  and  spirit  of  Christianity, 
symbolized  by  wine  poured  in  ;  the 
former  or  second  illustration  of  the  new 
and  old  cloth,  to  the  outward  manifes- 
tation and  freedom  of  the  New  Cove- 
nant. But  it  is  better  to  regard  the 
whole  passage,  as  containing  a  three- 
fold illustration. of  the  simple  but  funda- 
mental principle  of  congruity  and  fitness, 
which  should  regulate  our  external  de- 
portment, and  even  our  religious  duties, 
and  thus  being  a  direct  and  satisfactory 
reply  to  the  question  proposed  by  John's 
disciples. 

18-26.  The  Raising  of  Jairus' 
Daughter.  The  Healing  of  the 
Woman    with    the   Issuk    of    Bi.oon. 


98 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


shipped  him,  saying,  My  daughter 
is  eveu  now  dead  :  but  come  and 
lay  thy  hand  upon  her,  and  she 
shall  live. 

19  And   Jesus   arose,  and  fol- 


Gapernaum.  Mark  5  :  22-43  ;  Luke  8  : 
41-56. 

The  account  of  Matthew  is  the  most 
coQcise  of  the  three,  that  of  Mark  being 
the  most  full  and  circumstantial.  The 
time  of  the  performance  of  these  mira- 
cles is  very  definitely  fixed  in  Matthew. 
The  question  proposed  by  John's  disci- 
ples must  have  been  at  the  close  of  the 
feast,  and  it  was  while  our  Lord  was 
replying  to  it,  that  the  ruler  came  to 
him  in  behalf  of  his  dying  child.  Ac- 
cording to  Mark  and  Luke,  this  miracle 
took  place,  after  he  had  recrossed  the 
lake  from  the  country  of  the  Gadarenes, 
and  while  he  was  nigh  to  the  sea  (Mark 
5  :  21).  There  is  nothing  to  forbid  our 
supposing  that  Jesus,  after  the  feast 
made  by  Levi,  walked  forth  to  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  as  a  more  convenient 
and  retired  place  to  impart  instruction, 
and  that  there  he  held  the  conversa- 
tion with  Jolin's  disciples,  and  from 
that  place  he  proceeded  to  restore  the 
ruler's  daughter. 

18.  While  he  spake;  literally,  while 
hi  luas  speaking.  This  connects  the 
following  transaction  immediately  with 
what  precedes.  As  these  things  took 
place  in  Matthew's  house,  his  chronol- 
ogy is  to  be  followed  rather  than  that 
of  Mark  or  Luke.  Unto  them,  i.  e. 
John's  disciples  and  the  Pharisees.  A 
certain  ruler  (literally,  a  ruler)  of  the 
synagogue  (Mark  and  Luke).  His  name 
was  Jairus  (Luke  8  :  41).  The  archon, 
or  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  presided  over 
the  synagogue  worship,  and  invited 
readers  and  speakers  to  officiate  (Acts 
13  :  1.5),  unless  they  voluntarily  offered 
themselves  (Luke  4  :  16).  M;i  daugh- 
ter. "My  Httle  daughter"  (Mark);  "an 
only  daughter  about  twelve  years  of 
age,"  (Luke).  Is  even  now  dead.  The 
child  lay  at  the  point  of  death  (see 
Luke  and  Mark),  when  the  ruler  went 
forth   to  Jesus,  and  while  in  company 


lowed  him,  and  so  did  his  disci- 
ples. 

20  ^^And  behold,  a  woman 
which  was  di.seased  with  an  issue 
of  blood   twelve  years,  came  be- 

p  Ma.  5  :  25  ;  Lu.  8  : 4.3. 

with  our  Lord  on  his  return,  he  was  in- 
formed by  a  messenger,  that  she  was 
actually  dead.  This  last  circumstance 
being  designedly  omitted  by  Matthew, 
he  summarily  expressed  it  by  putting 
into  the  mouth  of  the  ruler,  at  his  first 
approach  to  Jesus,  the  declaration  of 
her  death,  which  thus  makes  him  ap- 
parently, but  not  really,  at  variance 
with  the  other  two  Evangehsts.  This 
harmonizes  the  statements  far  more 
satisfactorily,  than  to  paraphrase,  as 
some  expositors  do,  the  ruler's  words 
thus :  "  My  daughter  is  by  this  time, 
I  fear,  dead."  The  original  is  too 
definite  to  admit  of  this.  But  come, 
&c.  This  shows  the  great  faith  of 
the  ruler  in  Christ's  power.  His  daugh- 
ter was  in  a  dying  state,  and  yet 
he  came  with  full  assurance,  that 
he  should  obtain  help  from  Jesus. 
Lay  thine  hand  upon  her,  according 
to  thy  custom.  See  N.  on  8  :  3. 
Shall  live,  i.  e.  be  restored  to  life.  The 
child  was  actually  dead,  when  Jesus 
came  to  the  ruler's  house,  and  as  the 
liither's  language  showed  his  expecta- 
tion that  it  would  be  so,  we  cannot 
with  some  interpret  these  words,  shall 
be  restored  to  health. 

19.  And  Jesus  arose.  With  what 
readiness  did  he  leave  the  feast,  to  go 
on  this  errand  of  mercy.  And  so  did 
his  disciples.  The  people  also  followed 
him  in  throngs  (Mark  5  :  24  ;  Luke 
8  :  42). 

20.  An  issue  of  blood.  This  disease 
rendered  a  person  ceremonially  un- 
clean (Levit.  15  :  19-21),  and  was 
deemed  almost  incurable.  According 
to  Mark  and  Luke,  she  had  spent  all 
her  means  upon  physicians,  without  re- 
ceiving any  relief.  Came  behind  him. 
This  timidity  and  delicacy  of  deport- 
ment, together  with  her  strong  faith, 
that  the  mere  touch  of  his  garment 
would  effect  a  cure,  invests  this  woman 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


99 


hind  him,  and  touched  the  hem 
of  his  garment. 

21  For  she  said  within  herself, 
If  I  may  but  touch  his  garment, 
I  shall  be  whole. 

22  But  Jesus  turned  him  about, 
and  when  he  saw  her,  he  said, 
Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort : 
*  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole. 

ff  Lu.  7 :  50,  &  8  :  4S,  &  IT :  19,  &  18 :  42. 

with  tio  ordinary  degree  of  interest. 
TJte  hem.  This  was  the  fringe  or  tassel 
which  Moses  directed  to  be  fastened 
upon  the  four  corners  of  the  outer  gar- 
ment, to  remind  the  people  of  God's 
statutes. 

21.  Within  herself,  i.  e.  in  her 
thoughts.  /  shall  be  whole  ;  literally, 
be  saved.  Her  disease  was  wearing  away 
her  life,  and  hence  a  permanent  cure, 
such  as  her  faith  expected,  was  virtual- 
ly a  restoration  to  life. 

22.  But  Jesus  turned  him  about.  Sev- 
eral beautiful  and  affecting  incidents 
are  related  by  Mark,  a  reference  to 
which  is  reserved  for  the  comments  in 
their  place.  Daucfhter.  See  N.  on  v. 
2.  Thif  faith  hath  made  thee  whole ; 
literally,  hatli  saved  thee.  Had  it  not 
been  for  her  faith  in  our  Lord's  power 
and  readiness  to  heal  her,  she  would  not 
have  come  to  him  for  relief,  nor  have 
been  in  a  frame  of  mind  suitable  to  re- 
ceive so  great  a  blessing.  In  order  to 
give  prominence  to  this  preparation  of 
heart,  our  Savior  attributes  to  it  her 
cure.  Was  inade  whole;  literally,  was 
saved,  both  here  and  v.  21,  the  idea  of 
deliverance  from  death  being  promi- 
nent. From  that  ho2ir,  i.  e.  from  that 
very  time. 

23.  And  when  Jesus  came,  &c.  Mark 
and  Luke  say,  that  while  he  was  talk- 
ing with  the  woman,  certain  messengers 
from  the  ruler's  house,  announced  to 
him  the  death  of  his  daughter,  but 
Jesus  having  reassured  his  faith,  pro- 
ceeded to  his  house,  as  here  related. 
77ie  minstrels.  On  the  death  of  a  rela- 
tive or  friend,  the  Orientals  expressed 
their  grief  in  loud  cries  and  lameuta- 


And  the  woman  was  made  whole 
from  that  hour. 

23  '  And  when  Jesus  came  into 
the  ruler's  house,  and  saw  "  the 
minstrels  and  the  people  making 
a  noise, 

24r  He  said  unto  them,  'Give 
place  :  for  the  maid  is  not  dead, 

r  Ma.  5:  38 ;  Lu.  8 :  51.    s  See  2  Ch.  85 :  25. 
t  Ac.  20 :  10. 


tions.  While  the  corpse  remained  in 
the  house,  the  female  relatives,  in  a 
separate  apartment,  sat  on  the  ground 
in  a  circle,  pouring  out  their  grief,  and 
chanting  in  mournful  strains  the  virtues 
of  the  dead.  This  was  accompanied, 
on  the  part  of  the;  nearest  relative,  with 
tearing  the  hair,  wounding  the  face, 
arms,  and  breast,  with  her  nails, 
and  by  other  manifestations  of  grief. 
Musicians  and  singers  were  employed 
to  sing  dirges,  accompanied  by  wind 
instruments.  This  is  the  class  referred 
to  in  the  text,  by  the  term  minstrels  or 
pipers.  Making  a  noise.  Wailing  and 
lamenting.  The  rank  of  the  deceased 
doubtless  called  forth  a  more  than  ordi- 
nary expression  of  sorrow  and  sympa- 
thy. These  tokens  of  grief  showed 
that  the  damsel  was  really  dead. 

24r.  Unto  them,  i.  e.  the  people  who 
were  thus  weeping  and  lamenting. 
Give  place.  Their  noisy  grief  was  un- 
suited  to  the  Solemn  exercise  of  the 
power,  which  he  was  about  to  exert ; 
and  probably  the  crowd  was  such,  that 
he  found  it  difficult  to  approach  the 
damsel.  His  command  was  not  uttei'ed 
rudely,  but  with  the  calm  dignity  of 
one,  who  exercised  rightful  authority, 
and  knew  his  power  to  impart  happi- 
ness to  the  afflicted  family.  For  the 
maid,  &c.  This  is  given  as  a  reason 
why  the  people  were  commanded  to 
withdraw.  Their  presence  as  mourners 
for  the  dead  was  unnecessary,  for  the 
maid  was  not  dead  but  only  asleep. 
Olshausen  says,  that  in  the  light  of  the 
contrast  which  all  three  of  the  Evange- 
lists repeat  verbatim,  "  she  is  not  dead 
but  sleepeth,"  we  have  here  no  raising 


100 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


but  sleepeth.     And  they  laughed 
him  to  scorn. 

25   But  when  the  people  were 
put  forth,  he   went   in,  and   took 


from  the  dead  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
words.  He  supposes  that  the  maiden 
was  in  a  deep  trance.  But  Christ  did 
not  mean  to  affirm  that  she  was  not 
really  dead,  but  that  in  reference  to 
what  was  to  take  place,  it  was  as  though 
she  was  enjoying  a  peaceful  sleep,  from 
which  he  was  about  to  awake  her.  A 
hint  may  also  be  intended  that  death  is 
but  a  sletp,  from  which  at  the  general 
resurrection  all  will  be  awakened.  And 
they  laughed  him  to  scorn  ;  literally, 
derided  him.  Not  understanding  his 
true  meaning,  and  knowing  well  that 
the  maid  was  dead  (Luke  8  :  53),  they 
looked  upon  him  as  one  deserving  only 
ridicule  and  '>,ontempt.  They  were 
doubtless  not  well  pleased,  that  the 
ruler  should  apply  to  Jesus  for  aid,  and 
were  not  sorry  to  find  some  occasion  to 
vent  upon  him  their  hatred  and  con- 
tempt. 

25.  But  when  the  people  were  put 
forth.  It  would  appear  from  the  verb, 
which  signifies,  to  forcibly  ptit  forth  or 
thrust  out,  that  although  the  people 
withdrew  as  they  were  required,  yet 
they  did  it  with  reluctance.  The  rea- 
son may  have  been,  their  unwillingness 
to  obey  one  for  whom  they  felt  such 
contempt,  and  perhaps  a  wish  to  gratify 
their  curiosity  in  respect  to  what  was 
about  to  be  done.  Jesus  put  them 
forth,  in  order  that  the  witnesses  of 
the  miracle,  a  competent  number  of 
whom  were  present,  might  have  a  more 
uninterrupted  view  of  the  transac- 
tion, than  they  could  have  had  in  a 
crowded  room.  Their  sneers  of  unbe- 
lief had  also  rendered  the  people  un- 
worthy of  being  spectators  of  this 
stupendous  miracle.  He  went  in  to 
the  chamber  where  the  damsel  lay  dead. 
According  to  Mark  and  Luke,  none  of 
his  disciples  save  Peter,  James,  and 
John,  were  permitted  to  enter  with 
him.  The  father  and  mother  of  the 
maiden  were  suffered  also  to  be  present. 


her  by  the  hand,  and  the  maid 
arose. 

26  And  11  the  fame  hereof  went 
abroad  into  all  that  land. 

II  Or,  this  fame. 

And  took  her  by  the  hand.  It  was  his 
usual  custom  to  connect  the  miracle 
with  some  act,  in  order  to  make  it  more 
palpable  to  the  senses.  See  N.  on  8  :  3. 
And  the  maid  arose.  According  to 
Mark  and  Luke,  our  Lord  spake  to  her 
and  commanded  her  to  arise.  In  its 
adaptation  to  impress  upon  the  mind 
the  idea  of  superhuman  power,  this 
miracle  falls  not  far  below  the  raising 
of  the  widow's  son  at  Xain,  or  even  of 
Lazarus,  from  the  dead.  Commenta- 
tors have  noticed  the  gradation  in  these 
three  miracles.  This  damsel  had  just 
died  ;  the  widow's  son  had  been  dead 
some  time,  and  was  being  carried  forth 
for  burial,  when  Jesus  met  the  proces- 
sion ;  Lazarus  had  lain  in  the  grave 
four  days,  when  he  was  called  to  life  by 
our  Lord.  The  circumstances  of  the 
present  miracle  are  all  in  keeping  with 
the  dignity  and  solemnity  of  the  occa- 
sion. The  call  for  aid  made  upon  Jesus 
by  the  anxious,  tender-hearted  father — 
the  message  which  almost  immediately 
followed,  that  the  child  was  dead — the 
kind  words  of  assurance,  "  be  not  afraid, 
only  believe,"  which  Jesus  addressed 
to  the  ruler — the  wail  of  mourning 
which  met  their  ears  as  they  approached 
the  house — the  outburst  of  derision, 
with  which  our  Lord's  remark,  that  the 
damsel  was  only  asleep,  was  received — 
the  clearing  of  the  room  of  all  these 
unbelieving  people,  and  the  admission 
of  only  enough  persons  to  be  compe- 
tent witnesses  of  the  miracle — the  calm 
and  gentle  tones  of  the  command  to 
arise,  which  penetrated  the  sleeper's 
ears,  and  brought  her  from  the  dead, 
to  be  once  more  a  living  form  on  earth, 
are  all  narrated  in  the  most  artless  and 
simple  manner,  and  yet  with  such 
graphic  power,  as  to  excite  in  the  mind 
of  the  reader  the  deepest  emotion. 

26.  This  miracle  so  far  transcended 
any  thing  they  had  seen  or  heard,  that 
it  became  the  theme  of  conversation, 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


101 


27  ^  And  when  Jesus  departed 
tlience,  two  blind  men  followed 
liim,  crying,  and  saying,  "  Thou 
son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us. 

28  And  when  he  was  come  into 
the  house,  the  blind  men  came  to 
him :  and  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 

M  Ch.  15 :  22,  &  20 :  30,  31 ;  Ma.  10 :  4T,  48 ; 
Lu.  18:33,  39. 


and  was  bruited  abroad  through  all  the 
land,  and  this  too,  notwithstanding  that 
he  had  given  strict  charge  that  it  should 
be  told  to  no  man,  wishing  to  avoid  all 
appearance  of  ostentation,  and  to  give 
no  occasion  for  the  interference  of  his 
jealous  enemies.  Tliat  land,  i.  e.  the 
region  of  country  around  Capernaum. 

27-34.  The  Healing  of  two  Blind 
Men.  a  Dumb  Spirit  cast  out.  Ca- 
pernaum. 

27.  When  Jesus  departed,  &c.  The 
scene  of  this  miracle  was  probably  at 
or  near  Capernaum.  The  blind  men 
may  have  followed  him  with  their  cry 
for  aid,  immediately  on  his  leaving  the 
ruler's  house.  Jesus  permitted  them 
to  call  upon  him  for  some  time  without 
noticing  them.  This  was  not  done 
through  want  of  compassion  for  them, 
but  to  make  trial  of  their  faith  and 
perseverance.  Thou  son  of  David.  As 
this  was  an  acknowledged  title  of  the 
Messiah  (see  N.  on  1 :  1 ),  it  was  a  profes- 
sion of  the  behef  of  these  blind  men 
in  our  Lord's  Messiahship.  Not  having 
been  able  to  see  his  miracles,  they  were 
obliged  to  rely  on  the  testimony  of 
others,  and  yet  they  were  more  ready 
to  acknowledge  him  as  the  promised 
Messiah,  than  were  many  of  those  who 
saw  his  wondrous  works.  Have  mercy 
on  MS.  The  Greek  verb  not  only  signifies 
a  feeling  of  compassion  for  suffering, 
but  an  active  readiness  to  remove  its 
cause.  It  was  a  virtual  request  that 
Jesus  should  restore  their  sight. 

28.  And  when  he  came  into  the  house, 
i.  e.  the  house  which  he  occupied  at 
Capernaum,  or  more  probably  some 
house  in  general,  as  opposed  to  the 
open  air.  All  the  way  thither,  these 
blind  men  followed  him  with  their  cries 
for  relief,  but  apparently  without  moving 


Believe  ye  that  I  am  able  to  do 
this  ?  They  said  unto  him,  Yea, 
Lord. 

29  Then  touched  he  their  eyes, 
saying,  According  to  your  faith, 
be  it  unto  you. 

30  And  their  eyes  were  opened; 


him  to  pity.  What  a  severe  trial  of 
their  faith.  Thus  our  Lord  often  defers 
blessings,  which  his  heart  is  yearning 
to  bestow  upon  his  people,  in  order  to 
test  and  strengthen  their  faith  in  his 
promises  and  protection.  The  blind 
men  came  to  him.  So  pressing  was 
their  need,  and  such  their  confidence 
in  his  ability  to  heal  them,  that  they  fol- 
lowed him  even  into  the  house.  They 
evinced  a  determination  to  take  no  re- 
fusal in  regard  to  the  boon  they  were 
seeking.  Believe  ye,  &c.  Their  belief 
was  attested  in  the  cry  with  which  they 
followed  him  through  the  street,  and 
yet  Christ  required  from  them  an  open 
avowal  of  their  faith  in  him,  as  an  all- 
powerful  Savior.  To  do  this,  i.  e.  to 
cure  their  bhndness,  implied  in  their  ap- 
peal to  his  compassion.  Yea,  Lord. 
Simple,  beautiful,  and  touching  is  this 
question  and  reply.  No  penance  was 
enjoined  by  their  Lord,  no  painful  pil- 
grimage, no  extraordinary  acts  of  exter- 
nal devotion.  The  question  was  simply 
in  effect,  "  Believe  ye  in  me  as  your 
Savior  ? "  To  which  they  replied  in 
humble  love,  "Yea,  Lord;"  and  this  is 
all  that  was  required  as  preliminary  to 
their  marvellous  cure. 

29.  Then  touched  he  their  eyes,  ac- 
cording to  his  usual  custom,  when  per- 
forming a  miracle.  See  N.  on  8  :  3.  Ac- 
cording to  your  faith.  Their  measure  of 
faith  was  determined  by  the  measure  of 
their  cure,  and  was  thus  proved  to  be 
genuine.  We  are  not,  however,  to  in- 
fer from  this  example,  that  God's  mer- 
cies are  dealt  out  to  us  in  exact  pro- 
portion to  our  faith.  His  loving  kind- 
ness to  his  people  far  transcends  the 
highest  exercise  of  their  faith.  But 
he  requires  of  us  a  full  and  cordial  be- 
hef in  his  word,  and  for  all  our  short 


102 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


and  Jesus  straitly  charged  them, 
saying,  •^  See  that  no  man  know  it. 

31  'But  they,  when  they  were 
departed,  spread  abroad  his  fame 
in  all  that  country. 

32  ^  -'  As  they  went  out,  be- 

aiCh.  8:4,  &12:]6,  &  17:9;  Lu.5:14. 
2^Ma.T:36.         s  See  ch.  12 : 22 ;  Lu.  11 :  14 

comings  in  this  respect,  we  are  to  look 
for  pardon,  as  for  all  our  other  spiritual 
iinj)erfections. 

30.  And  their  eyes  were  opened,  i.  e. 
their  sight  was  restored.  The  obstruc- 
tion to  their  vision,  whatever  it  might 
have  been,  was  removed.  Stier  re- 
marks, in  reference  to  the  miracles 
performed  in  the  first  period  of  our 
Lord's  ministry,  "  that  from  having  at 
first  immediately  granted  the  request 
to  be  healed,  he  begins  gradually  to 
prove  and  exercise  the  faith  of  the  ap- 
plicants." Sfraitli/  charged.  Etymolo- 
gically  the  word  signifies,  to  be  indir/nant 
against,  to  he  wroth  at ;  but  here  it  sig- 
nifies, to  admonish  sternly,  to  strictly 
enjoin,  with  the  idea  of  anger  at  diso- 
bedience. See  that  no  man  know  it. 
This  is  not  to  be  pressed  to  its  strictest 
sense.  Those  who  knew  the  blind  men 
could  not  be  kept  in  ignorance,  that 
they  had  been  the  subjects  of  an  amaz- 
ing cure.  There  must  have  been  also, 
many  spectators  of  the  transaction. 
But  the  point  of  the  command  was,  that 
they  were  not  to  be  noisy  heralds  of 
their  miraculous  cure.  There  was  to 
be  no  ostentatious  display  of  the  Sa- 
vior's power,  either  in  himself  or  in 
those  who  were  the  subjects  of  his 
mercy.  He  also  enjoined  secrecy,  in 
order  to  avoid  undue  excitement  among 
the  people,  which  would  have  inevita- 
bly excited  the  jealousy  of  the  rulers. 

31.  Bid  they,  when  they  were  departed, 
spread  abroad,  &c.  They  were  so  trans- 
ported with  joy  at  their  wonderful  cure, 
that  they  spread  it  abroad  wherever 
they  went.  In  this  they  violated  the 
express  command  of  Christ,  and  perhaps 
in  some  way,  of  which  we  are  not  in- 
formed, received  tokens  of  his  displea- 
sure. The  same  love,  however,  which 
caused  them  to  see,  may  have  pardoned 


hold,  they  brought  to  him  a  dumb 
man  possessed  with  a  devil. 

33  And  when  the  devil  was 
cast  out,  the  dumb  spake :  and 
the  multitudes  marvelled,  saying, 
It  was  never  so  seen  in  Israel. 

34  But  the  Pharisees  said,  "He 

oCh.  12:24;  Ma.3:22;  Lu.  11:15. 


this    almost   irrepressible    outburst   of 
their  joy,  at  being  thus  suddenly  intro- 
duced from  a  state  of  darkness  to  the  . 
vision  of  things  around  them. 

32.  And  as  they  loent  out.  This  was 
indeed  a  day  of  marvellous  wonders. 
While  yet  the  blind  men  were  going 
forth  from  the  house,  rejoicing  in  their 
cure,  a  dumb  man  possessed  of  a  demon 
was  brought  to  him.  It  is  no  argument 
against  the  reality  of  this  possession, 
that  the  agency  of  the  demon  was  exer- 
cised differently  from  theirs,  who  had 
possession  of  the  men  that  dwelt  among 
tlie  tombs  in  Gadara.  The  power  of  all 
these  demons  was  manifested  in  a  way, 
which  best  subserved  the  purpose  for 
which  they  entered  into  men.  Some 
they  rendered  frantic  with  insanity, 
others  they  struck  dumb,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  one  here  mentioned  by  Matthew. 
Sometimes  they  deprived  their  victims 
of  sight,  as  well  as  tlie  power  of  speech 
(see  12  :  12).  In  one  instance  (17  :  1.5) 
through  demoniac  possession,  the  person 
was  afflicted  with  epileptic  fits.  There  is 
nothing  more  strange  or  absurd  in  these 
varieties  of  demoniacal  influence,  than  in 
a  uniform  mode  of  operation.  When- 
ever more  evil  or  misery  would  ensue 
from  loss  of  reason,  they  exerted  their 
agency  to  produce  insanity.  When  this 
purpose  could  be  subserved  more  fully, 
by  taking  from  one  the  power  of  speech 
or  sight,  they  brought  these  calamities 
upon  their  unhappy  victims.  Strange 
that  these  varied  forms  of  evil  influence, 
which  might  be  expected  from  such 
malignant,  powerful,  and  subtle  foes  of 
human  happiness,  should  ever  have 
been  advanced,  as  a  serious  argument 
against  demoniacal  possession. 

33.  And  when  the  devil  tvas  cast  out, 
&c.  This  miracle  is  narrated  in  the 
briefest  terms.     The  immediate  act  or 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


103 


casteth   out   devils,   through    the 
prince  of  the  devils. 

35  *  And  Jesus  went  about  all 
the  cities  and  villages,  '  teaching 
in  their  synagogues,  and  preaching 

6  Ma.  6:6;  Lu.  18:22.        cCh.4:2.3. 


command  of  Jesus,  by  which  the  demon 
was  expelled,  is  passed  over  in  silence. 
The  result  only  is  given :  "  The  dumb 
spake  and  the  multitudes  marvelled."  It 
^was  never  so  seen,  &c.  Such  displays  of 
miraculous  power  were  never  seen  in 
the  whole  history  of  Israel.  The  miracles 
wrought  by  Elijah,  Elisha,  and  other 
Old  Testament  prophets,  were  far  less 
striking  than  those  performed  on  this 
memorable  day. 

34.  Tlie  Pharisees.  The  same  per- 
sons referred  to  in  v.  11,  who,  instead 
of  uniting  in  the  praises  of  the  multitude, 
when  the  dumb  was  made  to  speak, 
stood  aloof,  and  blasphemously  attribu- 
ted his  power  to  the  agency  of  Satan. 
Through,  i.  e.  by  the  aid  of.  The 
prince  of  devils.  Satan  or  Beelzebub 
(see  Matt.  12  :  24),  the  prince  of  fallen 
angels.  In  Ephes.  2  :  2,  he  is  called 
"  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air," 
and  in  John  12  ;  31,  "the  prince  of 
this  world."  It  is  worthy  of  remark 
that  the  Pharisees  did  not  deny  the  dis- 
possession of  this  demon,  but  wickedly 
attributed  it  to  the  agency  of  Satan. 
It  appears  to  us  wonderful,  that  they 
could  have  been  so  blinded  to  the  char- 
acter of  Christ.  But  infidelity  in  every 
age  has  sought  to  account  for  the  mi- 
racles of  the  Bible,  by  the  most  wild 
and  absurd  theories,  to  believe  which 
it  requires  a  thousand  times  greater 
stretch  of  credulity,  than  the  miracles 
they  seek  to  disprove.  See  further  on 
this  subject  N.  on  12  :  24,  where  this 
charge  of  collusion  with  Satan  is  con- 
futed by  our  Savior,  and  which,  al- 
though related  by  Matthew,  as  though 
it  happened  after  this,  yet  took  place 
some  time  previous,  when  Jesus  was 
making  his  second  circuit  in  Galilee. 
This  blasphemous  charge  must  there- 
fore be  regarded  as  a  repetition  of  that, 
which  in  12  :  24  was  so  triumphantly 
answered  by  our  Lord. 


the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and 
healing  every  sickness,  and  every 
disease  among  the  people. 

36  1^  ''But  when  he  saw  the 
multitudes,  he  was  moved  with 

fZMa.  6:. 94. 

35-38.  A  THIRD  Circuit  in  Gali- 
lee.    Mark  6  :  6-13. 

35.  It  appears  from  13  :  54—58  ; 
Mark  6  :  1-6,  that  Jesus  went  after 
this  from  Capernaum  to  his  own  city 
Nazareth,  where  he  was  a  second  time 
rejected.  Afterwards  he  made  his 
third  circuit  in  Galilee,  as  here  related. 
This  verse  differs  but  little  from  4  :  23 
(on  which  see  N.),  referring  to  his  first 
circuit  in  that  region.  In  their  syna- 
gogues. For  the  use  of  the  pro- 
noun referring  tc  the  inhabitants 
of  the  cities  and  villages,  see  N.  on 
4  :  23. 

36.  Tlie  multitudes,  who  resorted  to 
him  to  hear  the  word,  and  to  be  healed 
of  their  maladies.  He  was  moved  with 
comjMssimi  ;  literally,  his  bowels  yearn- 
ed tvith  compassion.  A  strong  expres- 
sion of  sympathy  for  the  weary,  faint- 
ing multitudes  that  followed  him.  Be- 
cause they  fainted;  literally  were  ha- 
rassed, troubled.  And  were  scattered; 
more  hterally,  were  cast  out,  abandoned, 
neglected,  referring  to  their  deserted 
condition.  They  were  following  him 
from  place  to  place,  and  not  being  able 
to  carry  a  full  supply  of  provisions  with 
them,  and  many  lieing  too  poor  to  buy 
food  at  the  villages  and  towns,  where 
Jesus  tarried  for  a  short  time  to  preach 
the  gospel,  they  became  weak  and  dis- 
pirited, and  were  scattered  here  and 
there  tc  obtain  scanty  suppUes.  They 
were  hke  sheep  having  no  shepherd, 
wandering  about,  and  exposed  to  want, 
privation,  and  peril.  Their  depressed 
temporal  condition,  arising  from  their 
eagerness  to  hear  the  gospel,  is  referred 
to  in  this  verse.  But  why  were  they 
so  desirous  t  j  hear  the  word  of  life  from 
the  lips  of  Jesus?  The  answer  to  this 
question  introduces  the  transition, 
which  our  Lord  makes  in  v.  SY,  from 
their  temporal  to  their  spiritual  wants. 
They  had  no  religious  teachers  at  home 


104 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  32. 


compassion  on  them,  because  they 
fainted,  and  were  scattered  a- 
broad,  '  as  sheep  having  no  shep- 
herd. 

37  Then  saith  he  unto  his  dis- 
ciples, •'  The  harvest  truly  is  plen- 
teous, but  the  labourers  are  few. 

38  *  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest,  that  he  will  send 
forth  labourers  into  his  harvest. 


eNu.27: 17;  IKi.  22:17;  Ez.  34:5;  Ze.  10:2. 
/Lu.  10 :  2 ;  Jno.  4 :  35.    g  2  Th.  3:1. 


to  break  to  them  the  bread  of  life.  So 
precious  to  them  were  the  words  they 
heard  from  Jesus,  that  they  left  their 
abodes,  and  although  hungry  and 
weary,  they  followed  him  from  town 
to  town  to  hear  still  more  of  his  gra- 
cious words.  Their  eagerness  to  hear 
the  gospel  and  the  want  of  competent 
men  to  proclaim  it,  were  compared  by 
Christ  to  a  large  field,  white  for  the 
harvest,  with  only  here  and  there  a  la- 
borer to  gather  in  the  rich  products  of 
the  earth. 

38.  Prai/  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest.  The  Lord  of  the  harvest  is 
Christ  himself.  To  him  his  people  in 
every  age  must  look  for  a  supply  of 
pious,  faithful,  and  competent  ministers. 
There  is  no  duty  to  which  the  Church 
of  Christ  is  called,  which  requires 
more  earnest  and  importunate  prayer 
than  this.  Ministers  are  not  made  by 
institutions  of  learning,  nor  by  high 
mental  endowments.  Natural  talent, 
improved  and  strengthened  by  study, 
and  enriched  by  the  treasures  of  learn- 
ing, is  necessary,  but  will  be  worthless, 
unless  animated  and  controlled  by  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  has 
promised  in  answer  to  prayer.  Labor- 
ers are  to  be  sent  forth  trained  in  the 
school  of  Christ,  as  were  the  apostles. 
When  they  enter  the  field,  duly  pre- 
pared with  intellectual  culture,  filled 
with  the  love  and  knowledge  of  Christ, 
burning  with  a  desire  to  save  souls,  and 
willing  to  suffer  for  their  Master,  then 
they  are  laborers  truly  sent  by  Him 
into  his  harvest,  and  will  be  owned  and 
accepted  of  him  as  such. 


CHAPTER  X. 

AND  "  when  he  had  called  unto 
.  hiyn  his  twelve  disciples,  he 
gave  them  power  against  un- 
clean spirits,  to  cast  them  out, 
and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sick- 
ness, and  all  manner  of  disease. 

2  Now  the  names  of  the  twelve 
apostles  are  these ;  The  first,  Si- 
mon,  *  who   is   called  Peter,  and 

a  Ma.  8:13, 14,&  6:7;  Lu.  6:13,  &9:1. 
b  John  1 :  42. 

CHAPTER  X. 
1-42.  The     Twelve     chosen    and 
SENT  FORTH.     Near  Capernaum.     Mark 
3  :  16-19  ;  6  :  7-11  ;  Luke  6  :  13-16  ; 
9  :  1-6. 

1.  As  our  Lord  could  not  personally 
visit  all  the  towns  and  cities  of  Galilee, 
he  commissioned  and  sent  forth  the 
Twelve,  in  order  that  the  people  might 
hear  the  gospel  in  their  own  places  of 
abode,  and  not  be  under  the  necessity 
of  departing  so  far  from  home,  as  they 
had  done  to  follow  him,  attended  with 
such  inconvenience  to  themselves  and 
families.  Called  tmto  him,  i.  e.  sum- 
moned them  into  his  presence,  to  re- 
ceive their  commission.  Twelve.  See 
N.  on  Mark  3  :  14.  Gave  them  power, 
&c.  Christ  not  only  had  power  in  him- 
self to  work  miracles,  but  he  could  im- 
part it  to  others.  This  was  in  itself  a 
stupendous  miracle.  The  apostles  re- 
ceived the  gift,  as  one  of  the  creden- 
tials of  their  divine  mission.  Unclean 
spirits.  The  devils  were  so  called  be- 
cause they  are  the  authors  and  insti- 
gators of  all  uncleanness,  and  defile  the 
soul  with  evil  thoughts  and  desires,  lo 
cast  them  out  of  the  persons  whom  they 
possessed.  This  denotes  the  purpose, 
for  which  this  power  over  unclean 
spirits  was  given  to  the  apostles.  It 
was  limited  and  specific.  To  heal.  The 
construction  is  :  Ae  gave  them  (power) 
to  heal.  All  manner  of  sickness,  &c. 
See  N.  on  4  :  23. 

2.  Apostles ;  literally,  those  who  are 
sent  forth  as  messengers,  ambassadors, 
&c.  Ill  the  New  Testament  the  term 
is  confined  to  the  Twelve,   who  frere 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


105 


Andrew  his  brother ;  James  ilie 
son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his 
brother ; 

chosen  by  Christ  to  attend  his  ministry, 
and  propagate  the  gospel  after  his 
death.  As  they  are  now  to  receive 
their  commission,  Matthew  gives  their 
names,  which,  in  Mark  and  Luke,  are 
given  with  their  call  and  ordination  on 
the  mountain.  See  Mark  3:  13-19; 
Luke  6  :  l'i-16.  Firsts  Shnon  who  is 
called  Peter.  He  received  this  surname 
at  his  first  interview  with  his  Lord, 
while  in  attendance  on  John's  baptism 
(John  1  :  43).  It  was  representative  of 
his  boldness  and  firmness  in  the  cause 
of  his  master.  He  was  of  an  ardent 
and  impetuous  temperament,  prompt  in 
action,  and  from  his  age  and  personal 


3  Philip,  and  Bartholomew  ; 
Thomas,  and  Matthew  the  publi- 
can;  James,  the  son  of  Alpheus, 


influence,  and  priority  of  call  to  the 
ministry,  was  placed  first  in  the  or- 
der of  names.  But  neither  this  cir- 
cumstance, nor  the  lead  which  he 
took  in  the  transactions  immediately 
following  the  ascension  of  Christ,  fur- 
nishes any  ground  for  the  notion  of  his 
official  supremacy  over  his  fellow  apos- 
tles. See  further  on  this  point,  in  N. 
on  16:  18,  19.  It  may  be  remarked 
here,  that  the  order  of  names  is  so 
diverse  in  the  different  Evangelists,  that 
no  difference  of  rank  is  to  be  drawn 
from  these  registers  of  names.  The 
following  table  taken  from  Alford,  will 
show  the  agreement  and  differences. 


Matthew  10 :  2. 

Mark  3:  16. 

Luke  6 :  14. 

Acts  1:13. 

1 

Simon  Peter. 

2 

Andrew. 

James. 

Andrew. 

James. 

3 

James. 

John. 

James. 

John. 

4 

John. 

Andrew. 

John. 

Andrew. 

5 

Philip. 

6 

Bartholomew. 

Thomas. 

7 

Thomas. 

Matthew. 

Bartholomew. 

8 

Matthew. 

Thomas. 

Matthew. 

9 

James  the  son  of  Alpheus. 

10 

Lebbeus. 

Thaddeus. 

Simon  Zelotes. 

11 

Simon  the  Canaanite.                            Judas  the  brother  of  James. 

12 

Judas  Iscariot 

Vacant. 

Andrew  his  brother.     He  was  first  a 
disciple  of  John  the  Baptist  (John  1  : 
3*7-40),  but  came  to  Jesus  when  he  was 
Vol.  L— 5* 


pointed  out  by  John,  as  the  Lamb  of 
God.  Olshausen  remarks,  that  he  stands 
much  in   the   background  throughout 


106 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  32. 


and  Lebbeus,  whose  surname  was 
Thaddeus ; 

4    "  Simon  the  Canaanite,   and 

cLu.  6:15;  Ac.  1:13. 


the  gospel  history.  James  the  son  of 
Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother.  They 
were  surnamed  Boanerges,  sons  of  thun- 
der (Mark  3  :  17),  on  account  of  their 
powerful  preaching,  or  their  stern  de- 
nunciations against  sin.  See  1  John 
1 :  8,  10  ;  2 :  4,  9  ;  3  :  8,  15  ;  4  :  20,  etc., 
wliere  the  bold,  uncompromising,  de- 
cided spirit  of  John  is  very  manifest. 
Of  these  brothers,  James  was  slain  by 
Herod  (Acts  12  :  2),  while  John  lived  to  a 
very  great  age,  and  died  a  natural  death. 
3.  Philip,  a  native  of  Bethsaida,  the 
city  of  Andrew  and  Peter,  James  and 
John.  He  was  called  by  our  Lord,  the 
day  after  Andrew's  visit,  just  referred 
to.  He  is  not  to  be  confounded  with 
PhiHp  the  Evangelist,  spoken  of  in  Acts 
6  :  5  ;  21  :  8.  Bartholomeio  (i.  e.  son  of 
Talmai)  is  probably  the  patronymic  of 
Nathanael  (John  1  :  46),  as  Peter  was 
sometimes  called  Barjonas,  so?i  of  Jonas. 
27iomas,  i.  e.  a  twin,  in  reference  to 
which  he  was  also  called  Didymus. 
Matthew  the  publican,  called  also  Levi. 
He  was  the  writer  of  the  Gospel  bearing 
his  name,  and  his  humility,  and  mo- 
desty are  seen,  in  his  adding  to  his 
name  the  term  of  reproach  here  found, 
but  omitted  in  all  the  other  lists  of  the 
apostles.  He  is  conniionly  supposed  to 
have  died  a  martyr's  death  in  Ethiopia. 
James  the  son  of  Alpheus.  In  Galatians 
1:19,  he  is  called  "  the  Lord's  brother." 
This  has  been  explained  in  various  ways. 
Epiphanius  says  that  Alpheus  or  Cleo- 
plias  (John  19  :  25)  was  brother  to  Jo- 
seph the  reputed  father  of  our  Savior, 
and  that  he  dying  without  issue,  Joseph 
took  his  wife,  and  became  the  father  of 
James,  wlio  in  this  way  might  be  called 
the  son  of  Cleophas.  Jerome  says  that 
he  was  the  son  of  Marie,  sister  to  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  and  in  this  way  was 
called  the  Lord's  brother,  cousins  in 
ancient  times  being  frequently  so  called. 
But  see  N.  on  13:  53.  He  was  called 
"James  the  liCss,"  either  because  he 
was  younger  than  the  other  James,  or 


Judas  "*  Iseariot,  who  also  betray- 
ed him. 

5    These    twelve,   Jesus    sent 

d  John  13 :  26. 


smaller  in  stature,  or  called  later  to  be 
an  apostle.  Soon  after  Stephen's  death, 
he  seems  to  have  been  appointed  a  kind 
of  superintendent  of  the  church  of  Je- 
rusalem, and  spent  his  days  there.  It 
would  appear  from  Josephus,  that  it 
was  he,  whom  the  high  priest  Ananus 
put  to  death,  before  the  arrival  of  Al- 
binus  who  succeeded  Festus.  He  re- 
fere  to  him  as  "James  the  brotiier  of 
Jesus  who  was  called  Christ."  Lebbeus^ 
whose  surname,  &c.  He  was  the  brother 
of  James  the  Less  (Jude  1),  and  cousin 
to  our  Lord.  Olshausen  thinks  that 
this  Judas,  with  the  cognomen  Lebbeus 
or  Thaddeus,  was  a  difl'erent  person  from 
Judas  the  brother  of  James. 

4.  Simon  the  Canaanite.  In  Luke, 
Simon  called  Zelotes.  The  former  is 
the  Hebrew,  the  latter  the  Greek 
word  for  zealot.  He  probably  be- 
longed to  the  sect  called  Zealots, 
from  their  professions  of  zeal  for  the 
Mosaic  institutions.  Some  critics  take 
Canaanite  to  signify,  that  he  was  from 
Cana  of  Galilee,  and  suppose  that  the 
epithet  Zelotes  was  given  him  from  his 
zeal  in  embracing  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  or  from  the  sect  of  Zealots  to 
which  he  belonged.  Judas  Iseariot.  So 
called  from  Carioth  or  Kerioth,  a  town 
of  Judah  (Josh.  15  :  25),  where  he  was 
born.  Who  also  betrayed  him;  more 
literally,  who  even  delivered  him  up  to 
his  enemies.  This  clause  is  added  to 
the  traitor's  name  in  Mark,  and  in  Luke 
also,  with  the  slight  variation,  ivho  even 
became  a  traitor  ;  a  mark  of  infamy 
affixed  to  his  name,  which  the  ages  of 
eternity  will  not  suffice  to  remove. 

6.  Jesus  sent  forth.  Mark  says  that 
he  sent  them  forth,  "by  two  and  two," 
a  practice  which  has  been  generally  and 
wisely  followed  in  missionary  enterpri- 
ses, it  being  found  productive  of  com- 
fort, good  counsel,  and  success,  espe- 
cially if  the  field  is  one  of  opposition 
or  persecution.  And  commanded  them, 
saying.      The  commission  here  given, 


I 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


107 


forth,  and  commanded  them,  say- 
ing, '  Gro  not  into  the  way  of  the 
G-entiles,  and  into  any  city  of 'the 
Samaritans  enter  ye  not : 

6  Ch.  4 :  15.    /'See  2  Ki.  17 :  24 ;  Jno.  4 :  9,  20. 
fir  Ch.  15:  24:  Ac.  13:46. 

although  for  a  missionary  tour,  quite 
limited  in  comparison  with  that  in  which 
they  were  to  be  engaged  after  the 
death  of  their  Lord,  contains  direc- 
tions, instructions,  cautions,  consola- 
tions, which  they  were  to  carry  with 
them  to  the  end  of  life.  Some  portions 
seem  to  refer  directly  to  the  great  work 
they  were  to  perform,  and  the  trials 
they  were  to  endure,  after  Christ's  re- 
surrection and  ascension.  This  will  be 
seen  more  clearly  when  the  passages 
are  examined  in  detail.  We  are  not, 
however,  to  think,  from  this  twofold 
reference,  that  the  commission  was  not 
given  continuously.  It  bears  evident 
marks  of  having  been  delivered  at  one 
time,  although  portions  of  it  may  have 
been  repeated  on  other  occasions,  as 
on  the  sending  forth  of  the  Seventy  in 
Luke  10  :  2-16.  The  discourse  has  a 
threefold  division,  vs.  5-15  constitu- 
ting the  first  portion,  and  relating  to 
subjects  connected  with  the  special  mis- 
sionary tour  upon  which  they  were 
about  to  go  ;  vs.  16-23,  comprising  the 
second  division  (on  which  see  N.  on 
v.  16);  and  vs.  24-42,  the  third  divi- 
sion, the  scope  of  which  is  explained 
under  v.  24.  Go  not  (on  your  mission) 
into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles,  i.  e.  into 
any  way  leading  to  Gentile  nations, 
the  same  as  to  say,  go  not  to  tlie  Gen- 
tiles. The  time  had  not  yet  come, 
when  the  rich  treasures  of  the  gospel 
were  to  be  committed  to  them.  And 
into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans.  As 
the  word  any  is  not  in  the  original, 
some  have  referred  this  prohibition  only 
to  the  city  of  Samaria.  But  the  article 
in  the  original  would  then  have  been 
required  before  the  word  city,  and  there- 
fore the  common  translation  is  the  cor- 
rect one.  The  Samaritans  were  tlie 
descendants  of  those  heathen  colonists, 
sent  by  Shalmanezer,  king  of  Assyria 


6  "  But  go  rather  to  the  ''  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel. 

7  '  And  as  ye  go,  preach,  saying, 
*  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand. 

AIs.53:6;  Je.  50:6,  IT;  Ez.84:5,  6,16;  1  Pe. 
2:25.  iLu.  9:2.  kCh.  3:2,  &4:1T;  Lu.l0:9. 

(2  Kings  17  :  24)  into  the  land,  after  the 
taking  of  Samaria  and  the  leading  away 
of  Israel  into  captivity.  With  these  were 
mingled  some  Israelites,  who,  being  too 
few  and  obscure  to  awaken  any  appre- 
hensions of  their  fomenting  a  rebellion, 
were  therefore  permitted  to  remain 
in  the  land.  Between  this  mongrel 
people  and  the  Jews,  there  existed  the 
most  bitter  hatred,  which  prevented  all 
intercourse.  Enter  ye  not.  This  pro- 
hibition was  removed.  Acts  1  :  8.  They 
were  judicially  cut  off  for  a  season  from 
the  privileges  of  the  gospel,  although 
their  readiness  to  receive  it  appears  to 
have  been  greater  than  that  of  the 
Jews.  See  John  4  :  39-42 :  Acts  8:1, 
5,  8. 

6.  Bid  go  rather  to  the  lost  sheep  (i.  e. 
sheep  having  gone  astray)  of  the 
house,  &c.  The  Jews  having  wandered 
away  from  the  spiritual  worship  of  God, 
and  being  given  to  the  observance  of 
vain  ceremonies,  are  aptly  compared  to 
sheep  scattered  abroad,  with  no  shep- 
herd to  feed  them  or  protect  them  from 
the  perils  to  wliich  they  were  exposed. 
To  them  our  Lord  would  have  his  gos- 
pel first  proclaimed.  But  when  they 
as  a  people  rejected  him,  the  Gentiles 
became  the  inheritors  of  the  promises. 
Thus  it  will  be  until  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  shall  have  come  in,  when  the 
blindness,  which  in  part  hath  happened 
to  Israel  shall  be  removed,  and  all  un- 
godliness shall  be  turned  away  from 
Jacob.  See  Rom.  11  :  1-28.  House  of 
Israel.  A  Hebraism  for  people  of 
IsvclgI 

1.  Preach.  See  N.  on  3  :  1.  TJie 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand  (see  N.  on 
3:2;  4  :  IT).  This  is  somewhat  dif- 
ferent from  their  final  instruction,  in 
Matt.  28  :  29  ;  Mark  16  :  15.  This  was 
preparatory,  that  final  and  complete. 
The   kingdom   of  God  had    then    fully 


108 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


8  Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lep- 
ers, raise  the  dead,  cast  out  de- 
vils :  '  freely  ye  have  received, 
freely  give. 

I  Ac.  8:18,  20.     ml  Sa.  9:7;  Ma.  6:8;  Lu.  9: 
3,  &  10 : 4,  &  22 :  35. 

come,  the  great  Atoning  Sacrifice  had 
been  made,  the  door  of  salvation  was 
open  for  all,  and  the  gospel  was  to  be 
preached  to  every  creature. 

8.  Heal  the  sick,  &c.  Had  they  not 
possessed  these  credentials,  they  would 
have  been  regarded  as  madmen,  passing 
through  the  country  with  such  a  pro- 
clamation. The  miracles  they  wrought, 
arrested  attention,  and  showed  tha  al- 
though obscure  and  unlettered  men, 
they  were  acting  under  a  higher  than 
human  authority.  Raise  the  dead.  This 
may  refer  to  what  took  place  after  the 
ascension  of  our  Lord  (see  Acts  9  :  40 ; 
20  :  10-12),  as  we  have  no  evidence 
that  the  apostles  wrought  any  miracle 
of  this  sort,  at  least  previous  to  that 
time.  In  many  ancient  versions,  this 
clause  is  not  found,  and  hence  some 
judicious  critics  are  disposed  to  doubt 
its  genuineness.  Freely  ye  have  received, 
&c.  As  the  gifts  with  which  they  were 
endowed,  had  been  freely  "bestowed 
upon  them,  in  like  manner,  they  were 
to  make  free  and  liberal  use  of  them, 
in  relieving  the  ills,  and  administering 
to  the  wants  of  their  fellow-men.  They 
were  not  to  make  a  trade  of  their  mira- 
culous gifts,  as  the  Jewish  exorcists  did 
of  their  pretended  power  to  cast  out 
devils. 

9.  Provide  neither  cfold,  &c.  They 
were  to  make  no  provisions  for  their 
support,  nor  feel  any  solicitude  in  re- 
spect to  it,  but  to  go  forth,  trusting  in 
that  God  in  whose  service  they  were 
engaged.  Reference  is  had  in  the 
words,  "  gold,  silver,  and  brass,"  to  the 
various  coins  of  money  in  use  among 
the  Jews.  The  prohibition  extended 
to  money  of  every  description.  Li  your 
morses ;  literally,  girdles.  In  the  belt 
was  a  pouch  in  which  money  and  other 
valuables  were  carried,  a  practice  even 
now  observed  in  Oriental  countries, 
where  the  flowing  robes  are  confined 
with  girdles. 


9  "*  Provide   neither  gold,  nor 
silver,  nor  "  brass  in  your  purses  ; 

10  Nor  scrip  for  your  journey, 
neither  two  coats,  neither   shoes, 


n  See  Ma.  6  :  8. 


10.  Nor  scrip  for  your  journey,  i.  e. 
provisions,  the  bag  or  wallet  in  which 
food  was  carried  being  put,  by  a  com- 
mon figure  of  speech,  for  the  food  it- 
self.    Two    coats.      The    principle    of 
taking  only  what  was  of  immediate  use 
applies  also  here.     A  change  of  gar- 
ments is  what  is  forbidden,  and  not  the 
wearing  of  two  coats,  which  was  gener- 
ally   practised   by   the   ancients   when 
making  a  journey.     The  outer  garment 
or  cloak  is  not  here  referred  to.     See 
N.  on  5  :  40.  Neither  shoes,  i.  e.  sandals 
(see  N.  on  3  :  13).     As  in  Mark  (6  :  9) 
they   are   permitted   to   be   shod  with 
sandals,    and  as  extensive  journeyings 
would  be  well  nigh  impossible,  without 
something   under   the   feet   to  protect 
them  from  sharp  stones,   thorns,    and 
roughnesses  of  the  way,  we  are  to  refer 
this  prohibition  in  Matthew,  to  the  sup- 
plying themselves  with  a  second  pair, 
in  case  the  first  gave  out  in  the  jour- 
ney.    This  accords  with  the  direction 
as  given  in  Luke  (10  :  4),  and  with  the 
previous  injunction  against  carrying  an 
extra  coat.     Some  however  think  that 
the  prohibition  refers  to  a  sort  of  strong 
shoes   used   in   long  journeys,    or  the 
Roman  calceus,   a  shoe  which   covered 
the  whole  foot.     But  this  does  not  com- 
port with  the  context,  as  does  the  ex- 
planation above  given.     Nor  yet  staves. 
This  is  reconciled  with  Mark  (6  :  8),  by 
referring  the  prohibition  to  an   extra 
staff,  on   the   same   general   principle, 
that  no  provision  was  to  be  made  for 
future  wants  or  contingencies.    Bloom- 
field,   Dr.  Robinson,   Alford  and  many 
other  judicious  critics  adopt  the  singular, 
staff,  as  the  true  reading.     Bloomfield 
and  Alford  suppose  the  injunction  to  be 
against    providing    themselves   with    a 
staff  for  the  journey,  it  being  implied 
that  they  might  take  one  if  they  had  it. 
But  a  staff  and  pouch  were  anciently 
deemed  so  indispensable  to  travellers, 
that  I  am  not  much  inclined  to  this 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


109 


nor  yet  staves :  "  for  the  work- 
man is  worthy  of  his  meat. 

11  ^And  into  whatsoever  city 
or  town  ye  shall  enter,  inquire  who 

o  Lu.  10:  7  ;  1  Co.  9  :    7,  &c. ;  1  Ti.  5:  18. 
p  Lu.  10 :  8. 

mode  of  reconciling  the  apparently 
diverse  statements  of  Matthew"  and 
Mark.  It  is  not,  as  Alford  thinks,  ab- 
surd that  a  traveller  in  those  times 
should  take  an  extra  staff,  to  provide 
against  the  one  first  used  being  lost  or 
broken.  For  the  workman,  &c.  A 
proverbial  expression,  embodying  the 
principle  of  justice,  that  all  service  is 
entitled  to  a  remuneration  from  those 
to  whom  it  is  rendered.  There  is  here  a 
twofold  application  ;  one,  that  God,  in 
whose  higher  service  they  are  engaged, 
will  not  overlook  their  wants  and  neces- 
sities ;  the  other,  that  their  fellow-men 
for  whose  benefit  they  are  laboring, 
may  be  reasonably  expected  to  give 
them  that  support  to  which  their  servi- 
ces are  justly  entitled,  Meat  is  gener- 
ically  put  here  for  both  food  and  rai- 
ment. Robinson  gives  it  the  sense  of 
stipend,  hire,  from  the  parallel  passage 
in  1  Tim.  5  :  18.  The  general  sentiment 
is  plain,  that  all  voluntary  service  is 
entitled  to  a  fair  remuneration.  This 
may  serve  as  a  key  to  the  foregoing 
directions.  They  were  to  take  no  ex- 
tra clothing  or  other  necessaries,  but 
were  to  look  for  a  supply  of  their  wants, 
as  they  might  arise,  from  those  to  whom 
they  were  ministering  in  spiritual  things. 
But  we  are  not  to  press  this  direction 
to  make  no  provision  against  future 
wants,  to  a  literal  application  to  minis- 
ters in  our  day,  although  the  general 
principle  of  self-denial  and  trust  in  God 
for  the  supply  of  their  wants,  is  mani- 
festly taught. 

11.  Ye  shall  enter  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel. Worthy  by  their  piety  and  hospi- 
taHty  to  entertain  you.  Some  com- 
mentators prefer  no  ellipsis,  but  refer 
the  expression  to  absolute  worth  or 
goodness.  But  this  is  contrary  to  the 
general  usage  of  the  word,  and  unsuit- 
ed  to  the  context.  Olshausen  refers  it 
to  the  poor  and  needy  in  spirit  spoken 


in  it  is  worthy ;  and  there  abide 
till  ye  go  thence. 

12  And  when  ye  come  into  a 
house,  salute  it. 

13  *  And  if  the  house  be  worthy, 

q  Lu.  10  :  5. 

of  in  5  :  3,  to  whom  alone  Qpuld  the 
proclamation  of  the  Redeemer  be  good 
news.  See  22  :  8  ;  Luke  7:4;  Rev. 
3  :  4.  And  there  (i.  e.  in  the  house  of 
the  worthy  person)  abide  till  ye  go 
thence  (i.  e.  out  of  the  city).  This  was 
an  important  and  timely  direction.  A 
frequent  change  of  place  from  one 
family  to  another,  would  seem  to  imply 
that  they  were  difiicult  to  be  suited,  or 
that  they  were  seeking  places,  where 
they  would  receive  the  most  sumptu- 
ous entertainment.  They  were  to  take 
suitable  precaution  against  becoming 
the  guests  of  an  ill-regulated  and  un- 
worthy family,  which  would  prove  a 
hinderance  rather  than  an  aid  to  their 
work.  But  having  once  selected  their 
lodging-place,  they  were  to  remain 
there  all  the  time  of  their  sojourn  in 
the  place,  in  order  to  avoid  the  appear- 
ance of  being  over-solicitous  for  their 
own  comfort,  while  engaged  on  so  im- 
portant a  mission. 

12.  MTien  ye  come  into  a  house ;  liter- 
ally the  house,  as  opposed  to  the  street, 
road,  or  open  air ;  any  house,  but  not 
the  house  of  the  one  with  whom  they 
were  to  abide,  for  his  house  had  previ- 
ously been  found  worthy.  The  word 
house  is  here  employed  for  the  family 
residing  in  it.  The  formula  of  saluta- 
tion is  given  in  Luke  10  :  5.  Among 
the  Orientals,  salutations  were  more 
formal  and  strictly  observed  than  with 
us.  Our  Lord  would  not  have  his  dis- 
ciples neglect  the  usual  forms  of  polite- 
ness and  friendship.  A  morose  and 
boorish  disregard  of  the  usages  of  re- 
fined society,  finds  no  license,  either  in 
the  conduct  of  Christ,  or  his  instruc- 
tions to  his  disciples. 

13.  7/"  the  house  be  worthy,  i.  e.  have 
occupants  who  have  shown  themselves 
worthy  of  your  salutation,  by  the  hos- 
pitality and  kindness  with  which  they 
receive  you.     Let  your  peace  come  upon 


110 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


let  your  peace  come  upon  it :  "■  but 
if  it  be  not  worthy,  let  your  peace 
return  to  you. 

14  'And  whosoever  shall  not 
receive  you,  nor  hear  your  words, 
when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house 
or  city,  'shake  off  the  dust  of 
your  feet. 

rPs.35:13.    8Ma.6:ll;  Lu.  9:5,  &  10: 10, 11. 
<Ne.  5:13;  Ac.  13:  51,&18:6. 


it.  The  word  peace  is  not  used  here  in 
its  restricted  sense,  as  opposed  to  war 
and  contention,  but  implies  happiness, 
prosperity,  every  kind  of  good,  which 
in  the  terms  of  the  salutation  were  to 
rest  upon  the  household.  This  shows 
that  such  salutations  were  not  an  empty 
form,  lightly  and  thoughtlessly  bestow- 
ed. They  were  real  benedictions,  ut- 
tered by  the  apostles  in  the  name  of 
their  Lord,  and  conferring  blessings 
upon  those  who  were  worthy  to  receive 
them.  Return  Uiito  you,  i.  e.  become 
void  and  ineffective.  See  Isa.  5-1  :  11. 
Both  this  and  the  preceding  imperative 
are  used  for  the  future,  shall  come  upon 
it — shall  return  to  you. 

14.  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  you, 
I.  e.  tender  you  the  rites  of  hospitality 
and  receive  you  with  kindness.  Nor 
hear  your  words,  with  a  friendly  and 
obedient  spirit.  Reference  seems  to  be 
had  to  open  contemners  of  the  gospel 
message.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that 
they  performed  the  act  of  shaking  off 
the  dust  from  their  feet,  at  every  per- 
son who  did  not  obey  from  his  heart  the 
gospel,  or  in  other  words,  was  not  im- 
mediately converted.  Tliat  house  or 
city,  i.  e.  the  house  or  city  of  such  a 
despiser  of  the  gospel.  Shake  off  tlw 
dust  of  your  feet.  A  better  collocation 
would  be :  shake  from  your  feet  the  dust  ; 
literally,  the  fine  dust,  such  as  is  raised 
by  the  wind,  and  used  here  to  emphati- 
cally represent  the  shaking  off  of  even 
the  smallest  particles  of  dust.  This 
was  a  symbolical  act,  by  which  the 
Jews  disclaimed  all  intercourse  with 
those  whom  they  deemed  heathenish  or 
profane.  When  they  returned  from 
any  Gentile  country,  as  they  passed  the 
boundaries,  they  stopped  and  carefully 


15  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  "It 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the 
land  of  Sodom  and  Gromorrah  in 
the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that 
city. 

16   Til   ^Behold,   I    send    you 
forth   as   sheep    in  the  midst  of 

«  Ch.  11 :  22,  24.       (bLu.  10:3. 

cleaned  their  shoes  from  all  dust  of  the 
polluted  region,  which  adhered  to  them. 
In  the  case  of  the  apostles,  it  was  a 
strong  and  expressive  symbol  of  the  re- 
jection of  those  Jews,  who  would  not 
acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  Messiah. 
Alford  well  remarks  that  this  verse 
forms  a  kind  of  introduction  to  the 
next  portion  of  the  discourse,  where  the 
future  mission  to  the  Gentiles  is  treated 
of. 

1 5.  It  shall  he  more  tolerable,  &c.  i.  e. 
the  people  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
can  better  bear  their  punishment,  on 
account  of  its  comparative  lightness. 
Those  cities  have  been  in  every  age  re- 
garded, as  the  type  or  embodiment  of 
wickedness.  But  our  Lord  here  solemn- 
ly declares  that  their  guilt,  great  as  it 
was,  shall  be  far  exceeded  by  those 
cities,  which  deliberately  reject  him  or 
his  accredited  messengers.  This  is  on 
the  obvious  principle,  that  sins  are 
heinous,  in  proportion  to  the  light  and 
privileges  enjoyed  by  those  who  com- 
mit them.  In  the  day  of  judgment. 
Some  endeavor  to  deprive  this  expres- 
sion of  its  high  import,  by  referring  it 
to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the 
Romans,  which  was  preceded  by  the  de- 
vastation of  the  towns  and  cities  of 
Galilee.  But  as  Whitby  well  observes, 
that  is  usually  referred  to,  as  the  day  of 
vengeance.  And  what  has  Sodom  or 
Gomorrah  to  do  with  the  miseries  in- 
flicted by  the  Romans  upon  the  Jewish 
nation  ?  The  expression  manifestly  re- 
fers to  the  great  day  of  final  account. 
Tliat  city,  i.  e.  those  in  the  city  who 
have  been  guilty  of  rejecting  Christ. 
Every  person  on  that  day  will  be  judged 
and  rewarded,  according  to  the  nature 
of  his  own  personal  deeds.     The  word 


I 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


Ill 


wolves  :  ''  be  ye  therefore  wise  as 

serpeuts,  and  ''  harmless  as  doves. 

17    But  beware  of   men :    for 


y  Eo.  10  :  19  ;  Ep.  5  :  15.    s  1  Co.  11 :  20  ;  Phi. 
2:15. 


cltif  is  therefore  used  as  a  general  term, 
embracing  such  wicked  persons  in  it  as 
are  here  doomed. 

16.  By  a  natural  and  easy  transition, 
our  Lord  proceeds  to  speak  of  the 
more  general  duties  and  trials  of  his 
apostles  after  his  crucifixion  and  as- 
cension. This  constitutes  the  second 
general  division  of  the  instructions  here 
given  (see  N.  on  v.  5).  He  gradually 
becomes  more  general  in  his  directions 
and  predictions,  until  in  vs.  24—42, 
he  speaks  directly  to  his  ministers  of 
all  times  to  the  end  of  the  world.  As 
sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves.  No  words 
could  better  express  the  harmlessness 
and  inolTensiveness  of  the  apostles,  and 
the  cruel  and  malignant  spirit  of  their 
persecutors.  The  construction  of  the 
Greek  preposition  here  used  (see  N.  on 
3  :  0)  is  such,  as  to  impart  to  this  sen- 
tence the  additional  idea  of  their  re- 
maining among  wolves,  that  is,  that 
their  labors  were  to  be  continued 
among  men  represented  by  these 
cruel  and  rapacious  animals.  There- 
fore^ i.  e.  in  consequence  of  your  help- 
less exposure  to  such  virulent  enemies. 
Wise  as  serpents  ;  literally,  the  serpents^ 
the  doves.,  these  expressions  being 
generic,  and  the  same  as  the  serpent, 
the  dore.  Amongst  almost  all  the  an- 
cient nations,  the  serpent  was  an  em- 
blem of  wisdom.  This  may  have  arisen, 
in  part  at  least,  from  the  traditionary 
account  of  its  share  in  tempting  man 
from  allegiance  to  his  Maker,  or  from 
its  craft  in  shunning  danger  as  well 
as  taking  its  prey.  Reference  is  here 
had,  in  a  good  sense,  to  its  prudence  and 
sagacity  in  shunning  danger.  Harm- 
less as  doves.  A  Ijeautiful  and  appro- 
priate simile.  The  dove  is  universally 
taken  as  the  symbol  of  gentleness  and 
harmless  innocence.  Their  only  means 
of  defence  is  prudence  to  shun,  and 
innocence  to  disarm  danger.  The  wis- 
dom of  the  serpent  and  harmlessness 


"  they  will  deliver  you  up  to  the 
councils,  and  '  they  will  scourge 
you  in  their  synagogues ; 

a  Ch.  24  :  9;  Ma.  1.3:  9;  Lu.  12  :  11,  &21 :  12. 
6  Ac.  5:  40. 


of  the  dove,  would  be  peculiarly  neces- 
sary for  the  apostles,  in  the  circum- 
stances referred  to  in  v.  19.  Olshausen, 
by  comparing  this  with  Matt.  3  :  16, 
makes  purity  of  soul,  that  which  is 
here  symbolized  by  the  dove.  But  the 
antithesis  is  more  accurately  marked  by 
the  usual  rendering.  The  combination 
of  the  qualities  here  referred  to, 
makes  a  person  of  rare  excellence,  yet 
if  one  only  can  be  developed  on  any 
occasion,  harmlessness  and  innocence 
are  far  to  be  preferred  to  wisdom. 

17.  Our  Savior  here  expands  the 
direction  given  in  v.  16.  Beware  of 
men ;  literally,  the  men,  used  gener- 
ically  of  wicked  men,  viz.  those  with 
whom  the  disciples  might  come  in  con- 
tact. See  N.  on  v.  16.  Alford  refers 
their  need  of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent, 
to  this  cautious  watchfulness  against 
wicked  men,  and  the  simpUcity  of  the 
dove,  to  the  direction,  take  no  thought, 
&.C.  in  V.  19.  For  thci/vill  deliver  you 
up  to  the  cotmcils,  i.  e.  bring  you  before 
the  councils.  These  were  the  smaller 
courts  in  Palestine  (see  Deut.  16  :  18) 
subordinate  to  the  Sanhedrim,  which 
grand  council  is  however  included 
here  in  the  idea.  This  clause  stands 
as  a  reason  why  the  apostles  are 
to  beware  of  men,  viz.  their  per- 
secuting spirit.  The  prediction  was 
literally  fulfilled  in  the  early  days  of  the 
church,  when  the  apostles  were  brought 
before  the  Sanhedrim,  examined  and 
scourged.  See  Acts  4  :  5-22  ;  5  :  40. 
It  had  a  fulfillment  also  in  subsequent 
persecutions,  when  the  followers  of 
Jesus  were  dragged  before  civil  tribu- 
nals, and  condemned  to  imprisonment, 
torture,  and  death.  Scourge  you. 
Scourging  was  a  punishment  umler 
the  Mosaic  law  (Deut.  25  :  23).  The 
criminal  was  stretched  upon  the  groimd, 
and  blows  not  to  exceed  forty  were 
applied  to  his  back.  In  oidcr  that 
the   number  of    blows  might   not  ex- 


112 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


18  And  'ye  shall  be  brought 
before  governors  and  kings  for  my 
sake,  for  a  testimony  against  them 
and  the  Gentiles. 

19  "^  But  when  they  deliver  you 

cAc.  12:  1,&24:  10,  &  25:  7,  23;  2Ti.  4:  16. 
d  Ma.  13 :  11,  12, 13 ;   Lu.  12  :  11,  &21  :  14, 15. 

ceed  the  prescribed  limits,  the  later 
Jews  fixed  it  at  thirty-nine,  using  a 
whip  with  three  lashes,  so  as  to  inflict 
three  stripes  at  one  blow.  Thirteen 
blows  made  up  the  thirty-nine  stripes. 
See  2  Cor.  11  :  24.  In  their  synagogues. 
See  Matt.  23  :  24 ;  Acts  22  :  19.  In 
the  time  of  Christ,  as  in  after  times,  the 
Jews  kept  their  courts  in  the  syna- 
gogues. 

18.  And;  literally,  woreo?ier  a?so,  the 
transition  being  to  something  still  fur- 
ther to  be  considered.  Brought  for 
trial  and  punishment.  Governors.  These 
■were  the  proconsuls,  legates,  and  presi- 
dents, sent  by  the  Roman  emperors  to 
exercise  jurisdiction  in  the  provinces  of 
the  empire.  Pilate,  Felix,  and  Festus 
were  governors  or  procurators.  Before 
these  and  other  Roman  governors,  the 
Jewish  Christians  were  frequently  sum- 
moned. And  kings.  Such  as  Herod 
the  Great  and  his  successors,  who,  al- 
though honored  with  the  regal  title, 
were  ethnarchs  and  tetrarchs,  dependent 
upon  the  Roman  emperor  for  dignity 
and  authority.  For  my  sake,  or  on  ac- 
count of  me,  i.  e.  in  consequence  of 
being  my  followers,  and  the  preachers 
of  my  word.  For  a  testimony  against 
them  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  of 
the  divine  mission  of  Christ.  TJiem, 
i.  e.  the  Jews,  since  the  governors  and 
kings  are  to  be  included  among  the 
Gentiles.  These  two  sets  of  persecu- 
tors are  distinctly  referred  to,  in  this 
and  the  preceding  verse.  And  to  the 
Gentiles.  Some  of  the  most  noble  op- 
portunities to  preach  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  were  furnished  in  these  trials  be- 
fore kings  and  princes.  Thus  the  per- 
secuting spirit  with  which  Christianity 
was  sought  to  be  crushed,  was  the 
means  of  its  more  rapid  growth  and 
dissemination.  This  was  true  also  of 
the  great  persecutions  which  the  Chris- 
tians sufiered  under  the  Roman  empe- 


up,  take  no  thought  how  or  what 
ye  shall  speak,  for  '  it  shall  be 
given  you  in  that  same  hour  what 
ye  shall  speak. 

20  •'  For  it  is  not  ye  that  speak, 

eEx.  4:12;  Je.  1  :  T.        /2Sa.  23  :  2;  Ac.  4  : 
8,  &  6  :  10  ;  2  Ti.  4  :  17. 

rors.  The  zeal  and  boldness  with 
which  they  preached  Christ,  and  their 
constancy  amidst  the  severest  suffer- 
ings, wrought  powerfully  in  their  favor, 
and  induced  many  even  of  their  perse- 
cutors to  embrace  the  gospel.  Thus 
the  "  blood  of  the  martyrs  became  the 
seed  of  the  church." 

19.  The  obscure  and  humble  con- 
dition of  the  apostles  would  naturally 
fill  them  with  agitation  and  alarm,  at 
being  brought  into  the  presence  of 
these  potentates,  and  our  Lord  pro- 
ceeds to  instruct  them,  as  to  their 
behavior  and  manner  of  defence,  be- 
fore these  high  earthly  tribunals.  But 
when  they  deliver  you  up.  See  N.  on. 
v.  17.  Take  no  thought.  The  mean- 
ing is  not  fully  given  in  our  common 
translation,  which  would  seem  to  pre- 
clude the  common  exercise  of  thought 
on  these  important  occasions.  The 
idea  of  great  anxiety  and  solicitude, 
as  to  the  means  and  manner  of  defend- 
ing themselves,  and  an  undue  reliance 
on  their  own  unaided  powers,  are  what  is 
forbidden.  Christ  would  have  them 
rely  on  him,  for  wisdom  and  strength 
in  these  trying  exigencies.  How  refers 
to  the  manner,  and  what, to  the  matter 
of  their  defence.  For  it  shall  be  given 
you,  &c.  This  is  the  reason  why  they 
were  not  to  be  anxiously  solicitous. 
With  the  promise  of  aid  from  so 
divine  a  source,  it  was  of  little  com- 
parative consequence,  whether  they 
were  brought  before  some  petty  ma- 
gistrate, or  the  Roman  Caesar.  In  that 
same  hour,  i.  e.  in  the  hour  of  their 
trial.  This  promise  has  been  often 
verified,  when  the  servants  of  Christ 
have  stood,  to  human  view,  defenceless 
before  the  mighty  of  the  earth,  whose 
word  could  consign  them  to  the  stake, 
the  wild  beasts,  or  the  dungeons  and 
tortures  of  the  inquisition.  Even  the 
female  sex,  who   on    other  occasions 


A.  r 


•] 


CHAPTER  X. 


113 


but  the    Spirit   of    your   Father 
which  speaketh  in  you. 

21  ^  And  the  brother  shall  de- 
liver up  the  brother  to  death,  and 
the   father    the    child :    and    the 

{7  Mi.  T  :  6;   ver.  35,  36;  La.  21 :  16. 


would  have  shrunk  with  dread  from 
public  exposure  ;  have  been  endowed 
with  a  boldness  and  power  in  profess- 
ing the  fiiith  of  Christ,  which  has  as- 
tonished and  confounded  their  adver- 
saries. 

20.  For  it  is  not  you  that  speak  ; 
literally,  you  are  not  (i.  e.  will  not  be) 
the  speakers.  The  physical  act  of 
speaking  is  not  here  referred  to,  but  the 
sentiments  uttered,  which  were  the  sug- 
gestions and  teachings  of  the  Spirit,  ac- 
cording to  promise.  This  is  very  evi- 
dent from  the  following  words  :  which 
speaketh  in  you,  i.  e.  prompts  and  in- 
spires your  thoughts,  and  assists  in 
their  delivery.  Some  translate,  it  is 
not  you  that  speak  so  much  as  tlie 
Spirit,  &c.  making,  as  Bloomfield  calls 
it,  a  sort  of  comparative  negative.  But 
there  is  no  necessity  for  this,  since  the 
above  explanation  meets  the  wants  of 
the  passage,  as  well  as  its  construction. 
Your  Father.  "It  is  to  be  observed 
that  our  Lord,  in  speaking  to  his  dis- 
ciples, never  says  oi/r  Father,  but  either 
my  Father  or  your  Father,  or  both  con- 
joined ;  never  leaving  it  to  be  inferred 
that  God  is  in  the  same  sense  his  Father 
and  our  Father."  Alford.  In  the 
great  struggle  between  holiness  and 
sin,  light  and  darkness,  the  creature  is 
lost  sight  of,  and  it  is  God  alone  who  is 
represented  as  speaking  and  acting. 
Men  are  only  his  subordinate  agents  and 
instruments. 

21.  The  disciples  are  taught,  however, 
to  expect  httle  from  their  innocence, 
and  the  justice  of  their  cause.  Not 
only  would  they  have  to  meet  the  in- 
furiated malice  of  those,  from  whom 
they  might  expect  no  natural  sympathy, 
but  even  their  nearest  friends  and  rel- 
atives would  become  their  most  bitter 
persecutors.  How  truly  this  prediction 
was  accomplished,  those  need  not  be 


children  shall  rise  up  against  their 
parents,  and  cause  them  to  be  put 
to  death. 

22  And  *ye  shall  be  hated  of 
all  men  for  my  name's  sake  :  '  but 


ALu.21:17. 


iDa.  12:  12,13:  ch.  24  :  13: 
Ma.  13 :  13. 


told,  who  have  any  acquaintance  with  ec- 
clesiastical history.  Such  was  the  hos- 
tility to  the  religion  of  Christ,  that  the 
closest  bonds  of  friendship  and  relation- 
ship were  severed,  and  the  most  tender 
sympathies  paralyzed.  Husbands  and 
wives,  parents  and  children,  brothers 
and  sisters  became  mutual  spies  and  in- 
formers, and  looked  unmoved  upon  the 
dying  agonies  of  those,  whom  they 
once  held  dear,  but  whom,  through 
hatred  to  Christianity,  they  had  be- 
trayed to  death.  Shall  deliver  up.  In 
various  ways  this  was  done.  Some 
would  inform  against  their  relatives, 
others  would  betray  their  hiding-places, 
or  cause  them  to  be  seized,  when  at- 
tempting to  flee  to  some  place  of  com- 
parative security.  This  was  doubtless 
sometimes  done  with  a  hope,  that  the 
prospect  of  death  under  such  appalling 
forms,  would  cause  them  to  abjure 
Christ.  But  it  was  in  general  the  legi- 
timate fruit  of  heathenism,  the  por- 
traiture of  which  is  drawn  in  Rom.  1  : 
21-32,  one  feature  being  contained  in 
the  words,  "  without  natural  affection." 
22.  Shall  be  hated.  An  active  perse- 
cuting hatred  is  here  intended.  All 
men,  i.  e.  the  greater  portion  of  men, 
as  in  the  nature  of  the  case  it  cannot 
mean  the  whole.  If  taken  in  its  strict 
sense,  it  must  refer  to  the  class  of  per- 
secutors just  mentioned.  Alford  in- 
terprets :  all  else  but  yourselves.  For 
my  7iame's  sake.  Doddridge  translates : 
for  the  sake  of  my  name,  i.  e.  through 
the  odium  attached  to  the  name  of 
Christ.  But  it  is  better  to  regard  the 
name  as  put  for  the  person,  for  my 
sake,  i.  e.  for  your  attachment  to  nie. 
A  vivid  picture  of  the  opposition  and 
hatred,  which  the  cause  of  Christ  has 
ever  met  from  an  ungodly  and  unbe- 
lieving world.  But  he  that  endureth  to 
the  endy  i.  e.  to  the  termination  of  his 


114 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


he  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall 
be  saved. 

23  But  *when  they  persecute 
you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  an- 
other :  for  verily  I  say  unto  you, 

A  Ch.  2 :  13,  &  4  :  12,  &  12 :  15 ;  Ac.  8  : 1,  &  9  : 
2o,  &  14  :  6. 

trials  and  persecutions,  either  by  death 
or  by  deliverance  in  some  other  way. 
There  is  undoubtedly  here  a  refer- 
ence to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  downfall  of  the  Jewish  per- 
secuting power,  which  was  to  close  up 
the  persecutions  of  the  apostolical 
period,  at  least  so  far  as  Judaism  was 
concerned,  just  as  the  day  of  judgment, 
of  which  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
was  a  type,  would  put  an  end,  through- 
out the  moral  universe,  to  all  opposition 
to  truth  and  righteousness.  13ut  the 
end  spoken  of,  in  special  reference  to 
the  persons  addressed  by  our  Lord,  is 
most  imqucstionably  that  point  or  pe- 
riod in  their  lives,  when  they  shall  have 
passed  the  fiery  ordeal  of  suftering,  and 
shown  themselves  worthy  and  approved 
servants  of  Christ.  This  point  with 
many  would  not  be  reached  until  the 
hour  of  their  death.  Shall  be  saved  ; 
literally,  tlis  same  (and  no  other)  shall 
be  saved  (see  24: 13),  i.  e.  rewarded  with 
life  everlasting.  It  is  singular  that  any 
should  refer  this  to  temporal  salvation, 
and  the  previous  words,  endureth  to  the 
end,  to  surviving  the  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem. If  this  were  the  sense,  the 
whole  passage  would  be  reduced  to  the 
flat  declaration,  that  whoever  outlived 
the  siege  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
would  be  saved  from  the  death  of 
such  as  were  involved  in  its  ruin. 
How  is  the  word  of  God  oftentimes  ren- 
dered absurd  and  meaningless,  by  the 
efforts  of  men  to  interpret  its  plain  de- 
clarations to  suit  their  own  theories. 
These  words  will  receive  further  notice 
under  24  :  13,  where  they  recur  again. 

23.  In  view  of  these  persecutions, 
our  Lord  proceeds  to  lay  down  a  gen- 
eral rule  for  the  guidance  of  his  dis- 
ciples. But  ivhen  theii  persecute  you, 
&c.  They  were  not  to  court  martyr- 
dom, or  make  no  effort  to  save  their  hfe. 


Ye  shall  not  have  gone  over  the 
cities  of  Israel,  '  till  the  Son  of 
man  be  come. 

24  '"  The  disciple  is  not  above 

iCh.  16:28.       m  Lu.  6:  40  ;  Jno.  13  : 
16,  &  15  :  20. 

On  the  contrary,  where  no  great  prin- 
ciple was  to  be  abandoned,  and  no 
great  end  to  be  answered  by  remaining 
in  the  face  of  persecution  and  death, 
they  were  to  tiee  to  another  city  of 
comparative  safety.  In  this  city,  i.  e. 
in  any  city  where  you  happen  to  be, 
opposed  here  to  another  in  the  next 
clause.  Ye  shall  not  have  gone  over 
(literally,  finished)  the  cities  of  Israel, 
i.  e.  shall  not  have  finished  passing 
through  the  cities  to  preach  the  gospel. 
Till  the  Son  of  man  be  come.  This  can 
hardly  refer,  as  some  think,  to  an  in- 
timation on  the  part  of  Christ,  that  he 
would  follow  and  join  them  in  their 
tour,  for  it  is  said  (Matt.  6  :  30-44 ; 
Luke  9  :  lO-l*?)  that  the  apostles  re- 
turned to  Jesus  with  an  account  of 
what  they  had  done.  Neither  are  we 
told  of  any  persecutions,  by  which 
on  this  tour  they  were  driven  from 
one  city  into  another.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man, 
here  spoken  of,  cannot  refer  to  his  com- 
ing to  judge  the  world  at  the  last  day, 
for  it  is  to  take  place  before  the  cities  of 
Judea  have  all  been  visited  with  the 
proclamation  of  the  gospel.  It  must 
therefore  be  referred  to  his  coming  to 
destroy  Jerusalem,  which,  as  a  type  of 
his  final  coming  to  take  vengeance  on  his 
enemies,  is  spoken  of  in  a  secondary 
sense,  as  a  coming  of  Christ.  In  this 
sense  the  words  are  equivalent  to  the 
end,  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  verse. 
The  logical  connection  of  this  clause 
with  what  proceeds,  marks  it  as  a 
ground  of  encouragement.  They  had 
no  occasion  to  fear  these  persecutions, 
for  whoever  endured  to  the  end  should 
be  saved,  and  the  end  (i.  e.  the  down- 
fall of  the  Jewish  persecuting  power 
denoted  by  the  coming  of  Christ)  would 
come,  before  they  should  hate  gone 
fully   over    the   cities    and   towns  of 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


115 


his  master,  nor  the  servant  above 
his  lord. 

25  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple 

n  Ch.  12 :  24;  Ma.  3  :  22 ;  Lu.  11  :  15;  Jno.  8  : 
48,52. 

Judea,  with  the  proclamation  of  the 
gospel. 

24.  From  this  verse  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter,  the  position,  duties,  trials  and 
rewards  of  all  Christ's  disciples  are  the 
subject  of  discourse.  It  constitutes 
the  third  and  last  division  of  the  in- 
structions here  given.  The  first  and 
second  divisions  are  local  and  tem- 
poral, although  in  part  applicable  to 
Christ's  ministers  in  every  age  and 
country.  This  third  portion  embraces 
a  range,  as  extensive  as  the  world  and 
lasting  as  time.  It  is  the  largest,  and 
the  weightiest  portion  of  the  chapter. 
The  following  synopsis,  for  which  I  am 
indebted  to  Alibrd,  will  help  to  under- 
stand the  general  train  of  thought.  It 
treats  of,  1,  the  conflicts  (vs.  24,  25), 
duties  (vs.  26-28),  and  encouragements 
(vs.  29-31)  of  all  Christ's  disciples;  2, 
the  certain  issue  of  the  fight  in  victory, 
the  confession  by  Christ  of  those  who 
confess  him,  set  in  strong  light  by  con- 
trast of  those  who  deny  him  (vs.  32, 
S3),  the  necessity  of  the  conflict  to  vic- 
tory, by  the  nature  of  Christ's  mission 
(vs.  34—36),  the  kind  of  self-devotion 
which  he  requires  (vs.  37-39),  con- 
cluding with  the  solemn  assurance,  that 
no  reception  of  his  messengers  for  his 
sake,  nor  even  the  smallest  labor  of 
love  for  him,  shall  pass  without  its  final 
reward.  Thus  we  are  carried  on  to  the 
end  of  time  and  of  the  course  of  the 
church. 

27ie  disciple  is  not  (or  no  disciple  is) 
above,  &c.  A  proverbial  saying,  here 
tised  to  show  that  Christ's  disciples 
could  not  expect  exemption  from  per- 
secution, when  their  master  had  suffer- 
ed from  it.  Above  in  rank  and  worth. 
Teacher.  See  N.  on  9:11.  Nor  the 
servant  above  his  lord.  A  parallelism 
in  sentiment  with  the  preceding  clause. 
The  Jewish  proverbs  have  the  form  of 
Hebrew  poetry,  which  took  the  shape 
of  clauses  parallel  with,  or  opposed  to 


that  he  be  as  his  master,  and  the 
servant  as  his  lord.  If  "  they  have 
called  the  master  of  the  house 
Beelzebub,  how  much  more  shall 


each  other,  or  having  some  form  of 
construction  and  resemblance  in  com- 
mon. A  reference  to  the  Psalms  and 
Proverbs  of  the  Old  Testament  will 
illustrate  this. 

25.  It  is  enough  for  the  disciple,  &c. 
The  disciple  should  not  complain,  if  he 
received  the  same  treatment  as  his 
master,  but  should  be  content  with  his 
lot,  and  even  rejoice  in  sharing  the 
sufferings  of  one,  so  far  above  him  in 
rank  and  dignity.  This  proverb  is 
found  in  a  somewhat  different  connec- 
tion, in  Luke  6  :  40 ;  John  13:16.  £e 
as  fiis  master  in  consideration  and  treat- 
ment. If  they  have  called,  &c.  See 
Matt.  9  :  34;'  12  :  24;  Mark  3  :  22  ; 
Luke  11  :  15.  The  master  of  the  hovse. 
The  head  of  the  family.  The  expres- 
sion conforms  to  the  previoui?ly  ex- 
pressed relationship  of  master  and  ser- 
vant. Beelzebub ;  literally,  lordoffies. 
See  2  Kings  1  :  2.  The  reading  here 
should  be  Beelzehul,  i.  e.  lord  of  dung. 
By  altering  a  single  letter,  the  Jews 
changed  the  name  from  one  of  honor, 
fy-god,  fy-cxpeUer,  to  one  of  contempt, 
and  transferred  it  to  Satan  the  prince 
of  demons.  Dr.  Jahn  erroneously  finds 
in  this  word  an  allusion  to  the  ancient 
astrological  division  of  the  heavens  into 
various  apartments  or  habitations,  to 
each  of  which  was  assigned  a  ruler  or 
president.  The  etymological  significa- 
tion, which  he  gives  to  Beelzebul,  is 
lord  of  the  (celestial)  dvellings  (see 
Eph.  2  :  2),  i.  e.  prince  of  the  astrologi- 
cal deities.  This  rests  on  the  same 
etymological  basis  as  the  other,  the 
word  compounded  in  Beelzebul,  signi- 
fying both  a  ball  of  dung,  and  a  dvcll- 
ing.  But  as  the  one  is  an  epithet  of 
contempt,  and  the  other  of  honor,  we 
cannot  hesitate  to  affix  to  it  the  mean- 
ing of  the  former.  Hoiv  much  more. 
The  argument  a  fortiori  (see  N.  on 
5  :  15).  If  Christ,  who  came  with  such 
ample  credentials  of  his  divine  mission, 


116 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D,  32. 


they    call    them    of    his    house- 
hold ? 

2o  Fear  them  not  therefore  : 
"  for  there  is  nothing  covered,  that 
shall  not  be  revealed;  and  hid, 
that  shall  not  be  known. 

o  Ma.  4  :  22  ;  Lu.  8 :  17,  &  12  :  2,  3. 


was  set  at  nought  and  regarded  as  an 
impersonation  of  Beelzebub,  how  much 
more  would  they  charge  upon  his  disci- 
ples collusion  with  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness. Those  of  his  household,  i.  e.  his 
domestics  and  retainers. 

26.  Our  Lord  now  addresses  his  dis- 
ciples with  words  of  encouragement,  as 
in  the  latter  clause  of  v.  22.  Fear  them 
not  therefore.  This  clause  is  an  infer- 
ence from  the  preceding  verse.  If 
they  as  servants  of  Christ  suffered  in 
his  cause,  they  had  no  reason  to  fear 
their  enemies.  Their  community  with 
him  in  reproach,  would  ensure  to  them 
a  community  in  his  triumph  and  glory. 
For  there  is  nothing  covered,  &c.  Un- 
der this  proverbial  expression,  with 
which  Bloomfield  compares  the  well- 
known  saying,  "  Magna  est  Veritas,  et 
prcBvalebit,"  truth  is  mighty  and  will 
prevail,  the  disciples  are  comforted 
with  the  assurance,  that  their  integrity 
and  innocence  will  in  due  time  become 
manifest,  and  they  will  be  the  subjects 
of  honor  and  praise,  as  they  are  now 
of  persecution  and  contempt. 

27.  As  their  integrity  was  in  due 
time  to  be  made  known  and  acknow- 
ledged, so  the  instructions  of  Christ, 
which  in  comparative  privacy  he  was 
giving  them  from  time  to  time,  how- 
ever offensive  they  might  be  to  men, 
were  to  be  openly  and  courageously 
proclaimed  to  the  world.  Darkness 
and  light  are  here  used  figuratively,  for 
in  private  and  in  public.  So  in  the 
proverbial  expression  which  follows, 
iti  the  ear  (i.  e.  whispered  into  the  ear) 
is  a  well-known  term  for  privately,  and 
upon  the  house-tops  for  publicly.  The 
house-tops  or  roofs  were  flat,  and  the 
members  of  a  family  with  their  friends, 
there  enjoyed  the  cool  of  the  day  in 
pleasant  conversation.  If  the  houses 
were  contiguous  and  of  equal  height, 


27  What  I  tell  you  in  darkness, 
that  speak  ye  in  light :  and  what 
ye  hear  in  the  ear,  that  preach  ye 
upon  the  housetops. 

28  ''And  fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 

pla.S:  12, 13;  Lu.  12 : 4;  1  Pe.  3  :  14. 

the  occupants  could  pass  along  the 
roof  from  one  to  another.  Thus 
groups  would  often  be  gathered  on  the 
roof  in  social  enjoyment.  Whatever 
was  there  said  would  receive  publicity, 
although  sometimes  the  place  was  used 
for  private  interviews. 

28.  In  V.  26,  they  are  told  not  to 
fear  the  opprobrium,  under  which  they 
would  lie  in  the  estimation  of  men,  for 
their  integrity  in  due  time  would  be 
universally  acknowledged.  Here  they 
are  directed  not  to  fear  for  their  lives, 
inasmuch  as  the  body  alone  was  subject 
to  the  mahce  of  their  enemies.  The 
soul,  the  immortal  part  of  their  being, 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  persecution. 
This  was  what  sustained  the  martyrs 
in  their  fiery  trials.  Their  body  was 
in  the  power  of  their  enemies.  They 
could  torture,  burn,  or  crucify  it.  They 
could  give  it  to  be  torn  and  devoured 
by  wild  beasts.  But  the  soul,  tranquil 
and  serene,  in  the  full  exercise  of  its 
immortal  powers,  was  in  the  hands  of 
God,  to  be  received  by  him,  through 
this  passage-way  of  suffering,  into  a 
state  of  glory  and  blessedness.  Fear 
not  them  ;  literally,  be  put  not  in  fear 
from  them,  i.  e.  be  not  afraid  of  them. 
To  kill  the  soul,  i.  e.  bring  upon  it  eter- 
nal death,  the  doom  which  God  only 
can  inflict,  as  appears  from  following 
context.  Fear  him  (i.  e.  God),  not  as 
before,  fear  from  him,  because  rever- 
ence and  awe,  such  as  is  due  from  man 
to  his  Maker,  is  intended,  and  not  the 
fear  or  terror  which  human  cruelty  can 
inspire.  This  change  of  expression  is 
sufficient  of  itself  to  confute  the 
opinion  of  Stier,  that  the  object  of 
fear  in  this  latter  clause,  is  Satan,  the 
enemy  of  souls,  who,  not  content  with 
the  destruction  of  the  body  through 
his  persecuting  agents,  seeks  also  to 
destroy  the  soul.     Besides    Satan    is 


1 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


117 


kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear  him 
which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul 
and  body  in  hell. 

29  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold 
for  a  farthing  ?  and  one  of  them 
shall  not  fall  on  the  ground  with- 
out youi"  Father. 


never  represented  as  having  power  to 
destroy  the  soul,  in  the  sense  here  in- 
tended. The  context  also  shows  that 
God,  their  Almighty  Protector,  who  can 
save  them  from  the  maUce  of  their  ene- 
mies, or  cast  them  off,  if  faithless  and 
disobedient,  from  his  presence  into  hell, 
is  evidently  the  Being  held  up  here,  as 
the  object  of  their  reverence  and  awe. 
See  also  James  4:12.  To  destroy  both 
soul  and  body  in  hell.  Eternal  destruc- 
tion is  here  evidently  intended.  It  is 
not  annihilation,  for  the  destruction 
spoken  of  takes  place  in  Gehenna. 
Nor  would  a  stroke  of  annihilation  be 
so  much  dreaded  by  men,  as  the  pro- 
longed tortures  of  the  body.  Two 
things  are  here  clearly  implied.  One, 
that  the  soul  and  body  will  be  united 
hereafter,  and  the  other,  that  the 
geheruia  spoken  of,  must  be  in  the 
invisible  world,  since  into  the  temporal 
gehenna,  or  vale  of  Hinnom,  the  body 
only  could  be  thrown. 

29.  Are  not  two  sparrows,  &c.  In 
this  simile  of  their  superiority  over 
sparrows,  for  which  God  exercises 
such  watchful  care,  they  are  still  fur- 
ther encouraged  to  rely  upon  divine 
protection.  Sparrows.  Any  small  birds. 
Sold  for  a  farthing.  The  word  here 
translated  farthing,  was  a  Roman  coin 
of  the  value  of  1-J-  cent.  This  shows 
how  valueless  were  these  Uttle  birds. 
The  farthing  in  Matt.  5  :  26,  was  a  dif- 
ferent coin.  And  one  of  them  shall 
not  fall ;  more  accurately,  and  yet  not 
even  one  of  them  shall  fall  on  the  ground, 
i.  e.  fall  dead  or  perish  through  cold  or 
starvation.  Without  your  Father,  i.  e. 
without  God's  providential  arrange- 
ment ("  without  the  knowledge  and 
consent  of  your  Father."  Kypke). 
This  is  one   of  the  most   direct   and 


30  "  But  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  all  numbered. 

31  Fear  ye  not  therefore,  ye 
are  of  more  value  than  many 
sparrows. 

32  '  Whosoever  therefore  shall 


glSa.  U:45;  2  8a.  14: 
2T  :  84.       r  Lu.  12  : 


11;   Lu.  21:18;  Ac. 
8 ;  Ko.  10  : 9, 10. 


Striking  proofs  of  God's  superintending 
providence,  to  be  found  in  the  Bible 
His  omniscient  eye  rests  upon  the  little 
bird  in  its  free  and  happy  flight,  pro- 
vides for  its  wants,  shapes  its  course, 
and  brings  it  safely  to  the  appointed 
end  of  its  brief  life,  with  as  much 
watchful  care,  as  is  bestowed  upon  the 
most  important  animal  existences  on 
earth. 

30.  But  (not  only  is  the  little  sparrow 
thus  watched  over)  the  very  hairs  of 
your  head  even  are  all  mimbered.  Why 
should  you  then  fear  for  the  more  im- 
portant parts  of  the  body,  and  especially 
for  the  soul  which  is  of  incomparably 
more  value  than  the  animal  world. 
Such  is  the  train  of  thought  of  this 
beautiful  passage.  What  a  view  is 
here  given  of  the  minute,  as  well  as 
general  care,  exercised  by  God  over  his 
creatures.  See  also  1  Sam.  14 :  46  ; 
Luke  21  :  18;  Acts  27  :  34. 

31.  Fear  ye  not  therefore.  This  is  an 
emphatic  repetition,  in  view  of  the 
illustration  just  given,  of  the  sentiment 
of  vs.  26-28.  Of  more  value  than 
(literally,  differ  from,  the  comparison 
as  to  value  being  implied,)  majiy  spar- 
rows, and  by  implication,  of  greater 
worth,  in  the  sight  of  God,  than  all  the 
brute  creation,  or  even  the  material 
universe. 

32.  This  verse  contains  a  still  further 
ground  of  encouragement,  and  is  of 
wider  and  more  general  application. 
What  precedes  was  based  on  God's 
providential  care  over  his  creatures. 
Now  the  disciples  are  promised  their 
Lord's  approval  and  protection,  as  his 
professed  followers.  Shall  confess  me 
before  men  (literally,  shall  coiifess  in 
behalf  of  me),  i.  e.  "shall  pubUcly  pro- 
fess and  acknowledge  me.     A  practical 


118 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


confess  me  before  men,  '  him  will 
I  confess  also  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven. 

33  '  But  whosoever  shall  deny 
me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven. 

sKe.  3:5.    «Ma.  8:3S;  Lu.  9:26;  2Ti.2:12. 

and  sincere  profession,  as  well  as  denial 
in  the  next  verse,  is  intended.  "  The 
Lord  will  not  confess  the  confessing 
Judas,  nor  deny  the  denying  Peter; 
the  traitor  who  denied  him  in  act  is 
denied  ;  the  apostle  who  confessed  him 
unto  death  will  be  confessed."  Alford. 
Befcn-e  men  is  opposed  to  the  words, 
before  my  Father  in  the  next  clause, 
which  refers  to  the  approval  of  their 
conduct  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and 
their  participation  in  the  bliss  of  hea- 
ven in  the  presence  of  God.  Will  con- 
fess in  this  latter  clause  has  the  sense  of, 
will  acknowledc/e,  recognize  with  tokens 
of  honor. 

33.  Shall  deny  is  antithetic  to  the 
profession  spoken  of  in  the  preceding 
verse,  and  means  to  reject  or  deny  the 
claims  of  Jesus  to  the  Mcssiahship,  and 
in  general,  to  refuse  obedience  to  the 
requisitions  of  his  gospel.  We  are 
taught  in  these  verses,  that  an  open 
and  sincere  profession  of  love  to  Christ, 
is  a  duty  binding  upon  all,  and  one  to 
which  a  special  blessing  is  attached ; 
while  the  opposite  course  is  sinful,  and 
followed  by  rejection  and  banishment 
from  God's  presence.  This  does  not 
imply  that  none  can  be  saved,  except 
such  as  make  a  public  profession  of 
religion  and  join  the  visible  church.  It 
refers  rather  to  the  state  of  the  heart, 
in  sympathy  with  Christ,  and  ready  on 
all  suitable  occasions  to  acknowledge 
its  love  for  him,  or  manifesting  the  op- 
posite temper  and  spirit. 

34.  Our  Lord  here  disabuses  his  dis- 
ciples of  the  idea  of  immediate  peace, 
harmony,  and  prosperity,  which  they 
thought  would  attend  the  setting  up  of 
the  Messiah's  kingdom.  Tfiink  not. 
Do  not  suppose.  That  I  am  come  as 
the  Messiah.     2b  send  (i.  e.  introduce, 


84  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come 
to  send  peace  on  earth  :  I  came 
not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword. 

35  For  I  am  come  to  set  a 
man  at  variance  "■  against  his  fa- 
ther, and  the  daughter  against 
her  mother,  and  the  daughter-in- 

u  Lu.  12 :  49,  51,  52, 53.     ce  Mi.  T :  6. 


establish)  peace  on  earth.  This  refers 
in  general  to  the  whole  world,  but  has 
particular  reference  to  Palestine,  which 
the  Jews  supposed  would  enjoy  peace 
and  prosperity  under  the  Messiah's 
reign,  but  which  was  torn  with  inter- 
nal dissensions  and  family  variances, 
through  conflicting  views  respecting 
Christ,  to  a  greater  degree  than  any 
other  country.  Instead  of  acknow- 
ledging him  as  the  Messiah,  as  a  people 
they  rejected  him,  and  thus  hastened 
their  destruction  by  the  Roman  people, 
aptly  represented  here  by  the  sword. 
To  cause  these  civil  commotions  and 
wars,  was  not  the  direct  object  or  pur- 
pose for  which  Christ  came.  The  gospel 
promotes  peace,  harmony,  happiness. 
It  recognizes  and  secures  the  rights  of 
all.  But  the  sinful  passions  of  men  are 
arrayed  against  it.  Persecutions,  blood- 
shed, and  wars  ensue,  and  thus  a  result 
is  brought  about,  for  which  Christianity 
is  not  at  all  responsible.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  groundless,  as  well  as  mali- 
cious charges,  which  infidelity  advances 
against  the  religion  of  Christ,  that  it 
has  caused  almost  all  the  wars  and  dis- 
cords, which  have  ravaged  and  disturb- 
ed Christendom  since  its  promulgation. 
It  is  to  the  wickedness  of  men  that 
these  evils  are  to  be  charged,  and  not 
to  the  Gospel.  When  its  principles  are 
universally  disseminated  and  observed, 
men  will  beat  their  swords  into  plough- 
shares, and  their  spears  into  pruning 
hooks.  Wars  will  cease,  and  the  angel- 
ic prediction,  "on  earth  peace,"  will 
be  fully  verified. 

35,  36.  In  V.  21,  the  persecuting 
spirit,  with  which  members  of  the  same 
family  should  rise  up  against  one  an- 
other, is  foretold.  The  cause  of  this 
family  bitterness  and  hostility,  is  here 


A.  D.  32.]  CHAPTER  X. 

law    against     her   mother-in-law. 

36  And  ^  a  man's  foes  shall  he 
they  of  his  own  household. 

37  '  He  that  loveth  father  or 
mother  more  than  me,  is  not  wor- 
thy of  me :  and  he  that  loveth 
sou  or  daughter  more  than  me,  is 
not  worthy  of  me. 

y  Ps.  41 :  9,  &55  :  13;  Mi.  7:  6;  Jno.  13  :  18. 
z  Lu.  14  :  26. 


119 


declared  to  be  the  mission  of  Christ. 
To  set  at  variance  ;  literally,  to  divide 
into  two  parts,  to  disunite.  It  implies  here 
both  positive  and  active  hostility.  The 
danghter-in-law  against  her  mother-in- 
law.  It  is  assumed  that  there  was  no 
previous  variance  between  these  parties. 
Hence  the  disuniting  effects  of  the  gos- 
pel, in  the  conversion  of  one  or  the 
other  of  them  to  Christianity,  is  more 
emphatically  seen,  in  severing  even 
those,  between  whom  this  relation,  so 
proverbially  attended  with  family  jars, 
had  failed  thus  far  to  produce  discord. 
This  state  of  things  was  predicted  in 
Mieah  7:6.  A  man^sfoes,  &c.  Such 
will  be  the  bitter  and  relentless  hatred 
of  his  family,  on  his  conversion  to 
Christ,  that  compared  with  it,  he  might 
be  said  to  have  elsewhere  no  enemies 
at  all.  A  man^s ;  literally,  the  ma7i's, 
generically  spoken.     See  N.  on  v.  16. 

37.  See  Deut.  33 :  9 ;  Ex.  32  :  26-29, 
to  which  passages  this  verse  is  thought 
to  have  reference.  In  these  family  dis- 
cords, should  any  oue  be  tempted  to 
abjure  his  faith,  and  thus  show  that  he 
loved  his  friends  and  relatives  more 
than  his  Savior,  he  would  be  unworthy 
of  him.  He  could  have  no  claim  to  be 
numbered  among  his  friends,  or  to 
partake  of  the  blessings  of  his  kingdom. 
Steir  well  remarks  on  the  great  reward, 
which  underlies  the  expression  worthy 
of  ine,  counterbalancing  any  seeming 
asperity  in  these  words  of  Christ. 

38.  Taketh  not  his  cross.  It  was  cus- 
tomary among  the  Romans,  to  compel 
a  person  to  bear  his  own  cross  to  the 
place  of  punishment.  In  the  nature  of 
the  case,  this  must  have  been  an  op- 
pressive burden.     Many  sank  under  it. 


38  "And  he  that  taketh  not 
his  cross,  and  followeth  after  me, 
is  not  worthy  of  me. 

39  *He  that  findeth  his  life 
shall  lose  it :  and  he  that  loseth 
his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it. 

40  ^r  "  He  that  receiveth  you, 

a  Ch.  16  :  24 ;  Ma.  8  :  34  ;  Lu.  9  :  23,  &  14  : 
2".  b  Ch.  16 :  25 ;  Lu.  17  :  23 ;  Jno.  12 :  25. 
c  Ch.  18  :  5;  Lu.  9  :  48,  &  10  :  16:  Juo.  12  :  44, 
&  13  :  20 ;  Ga.  4 :  44. 

Our  Savior,  weakened  by  previous 
suffering,  was  unable  to  bear  his  cross 
the  whole  distance,  and  it  was  laid 
upon  another  (27  :  32).  To  take  up  the 
cross  became  in  this  way  a  proverbial 
expression,  denoting  the  performance 
of  a  very  painful  duty.  The  abjuration 
of  one's  family  by  remaining  faithful  to 
Christ,  was  one  of  the  most  formidable 
crosses  which  the  early  Christians  had 
to  bear.  Tears,  entreaties,  threats, 
banishment  from  the  domestic  circle, 
persecutions  even  unto  death,  were  the 
almost  invariable  results  of  embracing 
Christ.  I  cannot  think  with  Alford, 
that  our  Lord  intended  that  this  should 
be  understood  of  his  own  death  and 
cross,  although  it  is  doubtless  implied, 
especially  in  the  next  clause,  followeth 
after  me,  the  usual  signification  of 
which,  however,  is  to  follow  as  one's 
disciple. 

39.  Jle  that  findeth  his  life,  i.  e.  he 
that  saveth  his  life  by  renouncing 
Christ.  Shall  lo.^e  it,  i.  e.  eternal  feli- 
city, often  designated  as  life  in  its  high- 
est sense.  He  that  loseth  his  life 
through  adhesion  to  his  Savior.  Tliis 
appears  from  the  following  expression, 
for  my  sake,  which  is  added  to  prevent 
the  false  notion,  that  the  loss  of  one's 
life  has  in  itself  any  merit,  or  necessa- 
rily secures  any  of  the  blessings  prom- 
ised to  such  as  suffer  for  the  cause  of 
Christ.  See  N.  on  Matt.  5  :  10.  It 
also  supplies  the  idea  of  desire,  which 
is  wanting  in  the  word  loseth  as  oppos- 
ed to  findeth,  for  no  one,  in  itself  con- 
sidered, can  wish  to  lose  his  life ;  yet 
this  is  so,  when  done  for  the  sake  of 
Jesus  Christ.  If  as  Olshausen  and  Al- 
ford think,  the  expression  also  has  a 


120 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


receiveth  me  :  and  he  that  re- 
ceiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me. 

41  '^  He  that  receiveth  a  pro- 
phet in  the  name  of  a  prophet, 
shall  receive  a  prophet's  reward : 

d  1  Ki.  17  :  10,  &  18 : 4;  2  Ki.  4  :  8. 

deeper  signification,  dicing  unto  sin, 
crucifying  the  lusts  of  the  body,  then  it 
may  be  literally  true,  that  no  one  can 
be  more  desirous  to  save  his  natural 
life,  than  the  Christian  to  destroy  this 
body  of  sin,  from  which  he  is  anxious 
to  be  dehvered  (Rom.  7  :  24).  Shall 
find  it  in  the  bliss  and  enjoyment  of 
heaven. 

40.  He  that  receiveth  you,  as  guests, 
teachers,  friends.  An  external,  formal 
reception  is  not  here  referred  to,  but 
such  a  warm  and  hearty  welcome,  as  is 
given  to  friends  of  kindred  feeUng  and 
sympathy.  Our  Lord  here  recurs  again 
to  his  disciples  whom  he  was  about  to 
send  forth.  Receiveth  me.  They  were 
Christ's  ambassadors,  and  he  was  hon- 
ored, or  the  contrary,  in  the  treatment 
which  they  received.  In  like  manner 
as  Christ  was  sent  of  the  Father,  who- 
ever received  him,  (as  every  one  would, 
who  received  in  heart  the  message  of 
his  apostles,)  received  him  by  whom  he 
was  sent.  So  intimate  a  relationship 
between  Christ  and  his  ministers,  invests 
their  office  with  great  dignity,  and  ren- 
ders the  reception  of  their  message  a 
matter  of  the  most  momentous  in- 
terest. 

41.  A  prophet.  This  term  is  here 
applied,  in  general,  to  divinely  appoint- 
ed teachers  under  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation. The  word  is  sometimes  used  in 
a  special  sense,  of  those  endowed  with 
the  prophetic  gift,  and  who  were  next 
in  rank  to  the  apostles.  See  1  Cor. 
12  :  28  ;  Eph.  4:11.  In  the  name  of 
a  prophet,  i.  e.  in  his  character  as  a 
prophet,  and  because  he  is  one.  It  is 
remarkable  how  our  Savior  turns  away 
the  mind  from  the  mere  act,  and  fast- 
ens it  upon  the  motive.  Shall  receive 
in  the  day  of  final  account.  A  prophet's 
reward,  i.  e.  a  similar  reward  to  that, 
which  the  prophet  himself  shall  receive 


and  he  that  receiveth  a  righteous 
man  in  the  name  of  a  righteous 
man,  shall  receive  a  righteous 
man's  reward. 

42  '  And  whosoever  shall  give 
to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little 

eCh.  8:5,  6,  &25:40;  Ma. 9:  41;  He.  6  :  10. 


from  Him  whose  commission  he  bears. 
There  are  great  lessons  of  instruction 
and  encouragement  to  be  drawn  from 
this  passage.  If  the  reception,  in  a 
spirit  of  Christian  kindness  and  hospi- 
tality, of  one  of  Christ's  ministers,  en- 
titled him  who  practised  it  to  a  share 
in  the  reward  of  the  person  thus  re- 
ceived, how  can  we  help  inferring  a  like 
participancy  in  blessing,  of  those  who 
in  these  days  assist  in  training  up  and 
sending  forth  ministers  of  the  gospel  to 
the  destitute  in  our  own  and  in  foreign 
lands.  The  patrons  of  our  education 
and  missionary  societies  are  virtually 
preaching  the  gospel  by  those,  whom 
they  have  put  into  the  field  of  labor, 
and  are  there  sustaining  by  their  pray- 
ers and  benefactions.  So  also  with 
those  who  sustain  the  other  benevolent 
organizations  of  the  churches.  None 
shall  lose  their  reward.  A  righteous  man. 
This  seems  to  refer  not  to  a  professed 
teacher,  as  does  the  word  prophet,  but 
to  a  private  Christian.  Kindness  and 
sympathy  bestowed  upon  them,  was  not 
to  be  without  their  reward.  Christ 
overlooks  not  the  humblest  of  his  fol- 
lowers. They  are  all  the  objects  of  his 
unceasing  regard.  He  who  receives 
them  into  his  love  and  confidence,  sym- 
pathizes in  their  trials  and  sorrows,  as- 
sists them  by  his  counsels,  and  when 
necessary,  by  his  contributions,  will  re- 
ceive from  his  Savior  abundant  reward 
both  here  and  hereafter. 

42.  One  of  these  little  ones.  This  is 
not  to  be  referred  to  little  children,  or 
young  persons,  or  those  especially  in 
humble  station,  as  it  is  by  some  errone- 
ously interpreted,  but  to  his  disciples, 
who  were  yet  learners,  and  therefore  of 
humble  attainments  as  well  as  station 
in  life.  A  cup  of  cold  water  only.  In 
the  hot  countries  of  the  East,  water  was 
sometimes  carried  about  the  streets  of 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


121 


ones,  a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in 
the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise 
lose  his  reward. 


cities,  and  oifered  to  persons,  from 
whom  some  trifling  reward  was  custom- 
arily received.  The  expression  here 
denotes  the  smallest  act  of  kindness. 
In  the  name  of  a  disciple,  i.  e.  because 
he  is  a  disciple.  This  shows  that  the 
"little  ones"  here  referred  to  were  dis- 
ciples. Lose  his  reward;  literally,  the 
reward,  i.  e.  the  reward  due  to  such  an 
act  of  courtesy  and  kindness. 

The  review  of  this  chapter,  as  it  has 
been  thus  explained,  furnishes  much 
instruction  and  encouragement  in  the 
midst  of  trials  and  opposition.  Ours  is 
the  same  Savior,  who  sent  these  dis- 
ciples forth  with  such  tender  solicitude 
for  their  welfare.  The  protection  he 
promised  them,  and  the  rewards  with 
which  he  cheered  them  on,  are  ours  to 
possess,  for  he  has  promised  (28  :  20) 
to  be  with  his  ministers  and  people  al- 
ways even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  A 
life  of  zeal  and  activity,  an  unshaken 
rehance  upon  God's  providential  care, 
a  firm,  bold,  and  uncompromising 
spirit  in  preaching  truth  and  opposing 
error,  a  forsaking  of  all  for  Christ,  and 
a  readiness  to  sacrifice  the  dearest  ties 
of  life,  if  found  to  interfere  with  the 
claims  of  the  Redeemer,  are  all  made 
incumbent  upon  a  faithful  profession  of 
his  name,  and  connected  with  the  high- 
est rewards  in  the  eternal  world.  Nor 
shall  the  slightest  acts  of  benevolence, 
if  performed  in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
be  overlooked  by  Him,  who  has  pro- 
mised to  acknowledge  and  reward  the 
mere  giving  of  a  cup  of  cold  water  to 
one  of  his  disciples. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

1.  Made  an  end  of  commanding,  i.  e. 
finished  giving  them  instructions.  He 
departed  thence,  &c.  He  did  not  cease 
from  his  own  labors,  while  the  apo.stles 
were  absent.  In  their  cities.  The 
cities  of  the  Galileans,  in  whose  region 
he  was  now  laboring. 

2-19.  John  the  Baptist  sends  Dis- 
VoL.  I.— 6 


A' 


CHAPTER  XI. 
ND  it  came  to  pass  when  Je- 
sus had  made  an  end  of  com- 
manding his  twelve  disciples,  he 

ciPLES  to  Jesus.  Capernaum.  Luke 
1  :  18-35.  This  narrative,  placed  by 
Matthew  after  the  sending  forth  of  the 
Twelve,  should  have  followed  the  heal- 
ing of  the  centurion's  servant  (8  :  .5- 
13).  It  is  here  evidently  out  of  its 
order,  for  Herod  beheaded  John,  while 
the  Twelve  were  absent  (see  Mark  G  : 
30  ;  Matt.  14  :  13).  It  is  probable  that 
Jesus  was  at  or  near  Capernaum,  when 
he  received  this  message  of  inquiry 
from  John. 

2.  Had  heard  from  his  own  disciples. 
See  Luke  7  :  18.  In  the  prison.  His 
place  of  confinement,  according  to 
Joscphus,  was  the  castle  of  Macha?rus, 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  Pcrea, 
east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Howe  (Orient. 
Scenes,  p.  223)  thinks  that  this  feast 
was  celebrated  in  the  midst  of  Galilee, 
either  at  Sepphoris,  a  little  north-west 
of  Nazareth,  or  at  Tiberias,  Herod's 
new  and  favorite  city.  But  the  dis- 
tance of  the  place  of  this  event  from 
the  theatre  of  Jesus'  labors,  referred  to 
in  N.  on  14  :  13,  would  seem  to  indicate 
Machasrus  or  some  such  remote  place. 
While  confined  there,  either  from 
doubts  arising  in  his  own  mind  (which 
is  Olshausen's  view),  or  what  is  more 
likely,  to  confirm  by  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance with  Jesus,  the  faith  of  his  dis- 
ciples, wavering  amidst  the  circum- 
stances of  trial,  in  which  they  were 
placed  by  the  imprisonment  of  their 
master,  he  sends  two  of  them  with  the 
direct  inquiry  as  to  the  Messiahship  of 
our  Lord.  Alford  rejects  both  these 
reasons  for  the  inquiry,  the  one  or  the 
other  of  which  all  interpreters,  from  the 
time  of  Chrysostom  have  adopted,  and 
which  the  terms  of  the  inquiry  on  its 
very  face  demands,  and  makes  it  result 
simply  from  a  desire,  on  the  part  of 
John,  to  obtain  from  the  lips  of  our 
Lord  a  distinct  and  pubHc  declaration 
of  his  Messiahship,  which  would  set  at 
rest  all  doubt  in  the  minds  of  those,  who 
were  distracted  by  the  conflicting  ru- 


122 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


departed  thence  to  teach  and  to 
preach  in  their  cities. 

2  ^  Now  when  John  had  heard 
'  in  the  prison  the  works  of  Christ, 
he  sent  two  of  his  disciples, 

3  And  said  unto  him.  Art  thou 
*■  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we 
look  for  another  ? 


a  Lu.  7 :  13, 19,  &c.        b  Ch.  14  :  8. 
cGe.49:10;  Nu.  24:  17;  Da.  9:  24;  Jno.  6:14. 


mors  of  his  character  and  wonderful 
works.  This  opinion  is  entitled  to  much 
consideration,  although  the  form  of  the 
question,  especially  the  second  clau.se 
of  it,  hardly  admits  of  its  adoption. 
Olshausen  inclines  to  the  opinion  that 
the  message,  besides  its  indication  of 
John's  wavering  faith,  also  contained  a 
call  upon  Jesus,  to  hasten  the  car- 
rying out  of  his  plans.  But  the  answer 
of  our  Lord  in  vs.  4-6,  does  not  look 
to  such  a  point  in  the  question,  and 
besides,  we  can  hardly  suppose  that 
John  would  venture  on  such  a  proce- 
dure with  a  person,  whom  he  had  ac- 
knowledged so  much  his  superior  (see 
3  :  14  ;  John  1  :  29-34.)  The  works, 
i.  e.  miracles,  as  appears  from  vs.  3-5. 
3.  Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  i.  e. 
the  Messiah.  One  of  the  designations 
of  the  Messiah  was  the  coming  One.  See 
John  6  :  14  ;  11  :  27  ;  Luke  17  :  20. 
Compare  also  with  this.  Rev.  1  :  4,  8. 
Or  do  we  look  for  another  ?  Must  we 
look  for  some  one  else  as  this  person- 
age ?  Art  thou  the  true  Messiah,  or 
are  we  yet  to  wait  for  his  appearance  ? 
Some  by  translating  the  clause,  thou 
art  he  that  should  come,  and  do  we  look 
for  another,  think  that  John  had  re- 
ference to  the  notion,  which  the  mod- 
ern Jews  assert  was  entertained  by 
the  Jews  of  an  early  period,  that  there 
were  to  be  two  Messiahs,  the  one  suf- 
fering, the  other  triumphant.  But  not 
to  say  that  this  translation  is  inad- 
missible, there  is  no  proof  whatever, 
that  the  Jews  of  that  time  indulged  in 
so  absurd  an  expectation.  There  might 
have  been  some  doubt  and  perplexity 
in  reconciling  the  prophecies,  where  he 
is  referred  to,  as  in  a  state  of  extreme 


4  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
them.  Go  and  shew  John  again 
those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and 
see : 

5  ''The  blind  receive  their 
sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers 
are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear, 
the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  '  the 

d  Is.  29  :  18,  &  35  :  4,  5,  6,  &  42 :  7 ;   Jno.  2: 
23,  &  3  :  2,  &  .5  :  36,  &  10  :  25,  88,  &  14  :  11. 
e  Ps  22 :  26;  Is.  61 : 1 ;  Lu.  4  :  18 ;  Ja.  2  :  5. 

humiliation,  and  yet,  as  a  conqueror, 
subjugating  all  his  enemies  and  oc- 
cupying the  throne  of  his  father  David. 
But  none  attempted  to  remove  the 
difficulty,  by  supposing  that  two  Mes- 
siahs were  to  appear,  as  claimed  by  the 
modern  Jews. 

4.  Our  Savior  did  not  give  a  direct 
reply  to  this  inquiry  of  John,  but 
pointed  to  his  works,  which  answered 
fully  to  the  predictions  of  the  Old 
Testament,  respecting  the  office  and 
works  of  the  Messiah.  If  John's  mes- 
sage was  intended  to  confirm  his  dis- 
ciples, they  would  thus  be  made  them- 
selves to  furnish  an  answer  to  his 
question.  They  would  report  on  their 
return,  that  they  found  him  performing 
miracles,  and  imparting  instruction  to 
men  of  all  classes,  and  especially  the 
poor,  in  a  way  answering  exactly  to 
the  prophecy  in  Isa.  61  :  1 ;  35  :  6,  6. 
Thus  their  doubts,  if  they  had  any, 
would  be  removed  more  fully,  than 
though  Jesus  had  met  them  with  a 
direct  avowal  of  his  Messiahship. 

5.  The  blind  receive,  &c.  We  are 
not  -to  suppose  that  all  these  miracu- 
lous cures  took  place  at  this  time  in  the 
presence  of  John's  disciples.  Luke 
(7  :  21)  says  that  in  "that  same  hour 
he  cured,"  &c.  He,  doubtless,  per- 
formed some  of  these  miracles  in  their 
presence.  But  the  whole  country  rang 
with  the  report  of  his  deeds,  and  there 
was  no  room  for  ignorance  or  doubt  of 
his  mighty  power.  The  raising  of  the 
dead,  which  Alford  takes  also  in  a 
spiritual  sense,  as  betokening  the  bless- 
ings and  miracles  of  divine  grace 
upon  the  souls  of  men,  may  refer  to 
the  widow's  son  at  Nain  (Luke  7:11- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


123 


poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to 
them. 

6  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever 
shall  not  •'  be  offended  in  me. 

7  ^  And     as    they    departed, 
Jesus  began  to  say  unto  the  mul- 

/Is.  8  :  14, 15 ;  ch.  13  :  57,  &  24  :  10,  &  26: 
81;  Ro.  9:32,33;  1  Co.  1 :  23,  &2: 14;  Ga.  5  : 
11 ;  1  Pe.  2  :  8.        g  Lu.  7 :  24. 


18),  the  narrative  of  whose  restoration 
to  life  immediately  precedes  tliis  mes- 
sage of  John,  if  not  to  the  ruler's 
daughter  (9  :  25).  The  poor  have  the 
gospel  preached  to  them  ;  literally,  glad 
tidings  are  preached  to  the  poor.  This 
■was  not  miraculous,  but  yet  furnished 
evidence  of  his  Messiahship,  because 
his  doctrines  were  of  such  a  nature  as 
to  be  referable  to  God  only  as  their 
author,  and  were  preached  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Messianic  prophecy. 
By  poor  is  meant  here  the  humble 
classes  of  society.  Tholuck  thinks  that 
there  is  a  twofold  reference  to  external 
and  internal  poverty.  In  preaching  to 
those  of  low  estate,  Christ  showed  him- 
self unlike  the  teachers  of  Judaism,  or 
the  heathen  philosophers,  who  courted 
the  rich  and  despised  the  poor.  This 
feature  in  his  ministry,  so  strange  that 
it  is  here  joined  with  the  most  stupen- 
dous miracles,  corresponded  exactly  to 
the  prediction  in  Isa.  61  :  1.  What  a 
heavenly  portraiture!  Such  has  been 
the  peculiar  feature  of  Christianity,  ever 
since  the  time  of  its  founder.  The 
poor  have  been  the  principal  recipients 
of  its  blessings.  To  them  it  offers  con- 
solation in  trial,  heavenly  riches  in 
place  of  poverty,  rest  from  the  toils 
and  hardships  of  life.  It  adapts  itself 
to  their  lowly  condition,  and  trans- 
forms many  a  hut  and  cottage  into  a 
temple  of  praise,  more  truly  glorious, 
than  the  most  gorgeous  and  magnifi- 
cent cathedral  ever  constructed. 

6.  This  verse  contains  a  gentle  re- 
buke of  the  want  of  faith,  either  on 
the  part  of  John  or  his  disciples,  which 
prompted  the  message  to  Jesus.  Shall 
not  be  offended  in  me.  The  word  trans- 
lated to  offend,  literally  signifies,  to 
cause  to  stumble,  as  when  one  purposely 


titudes  concerning  John,  What 
went  ye  out  into  the  wilderness 
to  see  ?  *  A  reed  shaken  with  the 
wind  ? 

8  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to 
see  ?     A  man  clothed  in  soft  rai- 

A  Ep.  4 :  14. 


puts  in  the  way  of  another  a  stumbling- 
block.  The  humble  circumstances  in 
which  Jesus  appeared  and  claimed  the 
Messiahship,  so  contrary  to  the  expec- 
tation of  the  Jews,  is  spoken  of  as  a 
stumbling-block,  and  the  passage  may 
be  paraphrased :  Blessed  is  he  who 
does  not  place  my  humble  condition,  as 
a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  his  be- 
lief in  my  Messiahship. 

*?.  Jesus  now  takes  occasion  to  speak 
more  fully  of  John's  character  before 
the  people,  who  might  have  misappre- 
hended it,  from  the  question  he  had 
just  proposed,  and  this  he  introduces 
by  several  inquiries,  as  to  the  cause  of 
their  flocking  to  him  as  they  had  done. 
The  question  proposed  by  John,  al- 
though intended,  as  we  have  said,  to 
remove  the  doubts  of  his  disciples,  may 
have  left  an  unfavorable  impression  on 
the  multitude,  in  whose  hearing  it  was 
put.  Not  apprehending  the  scope  of 
the  inquiry,  they  may  have  been  led  to 
think  that  John,  whom  Jesus  claimed 
as  his  prophetic  forerunner,  had  already 
begun  to  question  his  Messiahship,  and 
had  been  rebuked  therefor  in  the  reply 
of  Christ.  To  remove  this  erroneous 
impression,  our  Lord,  after  the  depar- 
ture of  John's  disciples,  addresses  the 
people  with  the  inquiry,  "  What  went  ye 
out  into  the  wilderness  to  see  ?"  adding 
the  words,  "a  reed  shaken  by  the 
wind  ? "  i.  e.  a  man  of  changeful  and 
fickle  temperament,  and  as  inconstant 
as  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind.  This 
was  not  John's  character.  They  were 
not  to  suppose  from  John's  question, 
that  he  had  doubted  for  a  moment  the 
truth  of  the  testimony,  which  he  had 
himself  borne  to  Jesus  on  the  banks  of 
Jordan  (John  1  :  29-34).  In  this 
sense   the   words,  reed  shaken   by  the 


124 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


ment  ?      Behold,  they  that  wear  |  written,  *  Behold,  I  send  my  mes- 
soft  clothing  are  in  king's  houses,    senger  before  thy  face,  which  shall 


9  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to 
see  ?  A  prophet  ?  yea,  I  say  un- 
to you,  '  and  more  than  a  prophet. 

10  For  this  is  he  of  whom  it  is 

iCh.  14:5;  &  21 :  26;  Lu.  1:T6,  &7:26. 

wind,  are  apposite,  and  must  remove 
all  doubt  as  to  the  firmness  of  John's 
belief  in  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus.  A 
reed.  This  hollow  and  jointed  plant 
grew  on  low  and  wet  soils,  such  as  the 
portions  overflowed  annually  by  the 
Jordan,  which,  as  being  the  scene  of 
John's  ministry,  rendered  our  Lord's 
allusion  to  it  very  suitable.  Being 
light  and  yielding  it  was  easily  agitated 
by  the  winds,  and  hence  was  an  apt 
emblem  of  a  fickle  and  inconstant  man. 

8.  But  what  went  ye,  &c.  The  ad- 
versative conjunction  here  implies  a 
denial  of  what  was  assumed  in  the  pre- 
vious question.  As  Bloomfield  re- 
marks, it  gives  the  sense :  If  ye  deny 
that  ye  went  with  that  view,  for  what 
purpose  did  ye  go  ?  A  man  clothed  in 
soft  raivievt?  i.  e.  an  effeminate  person 
clad  in  elegant  and  costly  array.  Be- 
hold thei/  that  wear,  &c.  Such  persons 
are  not  ifound  making  their  home  in  the 
desert,  and  subsisting  on  the  scanty 
sustenance  obtained  in  those  solitary 
wilds.  The  garb  of  John  was  the  very 
opposite,  and  liis  habits  were  plain  and 
abstemious.  He  was  every  way  fitted 
for  the  stern  duties  of  a  reformer,  and 
to  be  the  forerunner  of  a  suffering  and 
persecuted  Messiah.  Soft  raimeiit,  i.  e. 
of  fine  texture  and  costly  material. 

9.  A  prophet.  A  rising  gradation, 
first  a  reed,  then  a  man,  and  here  a 
prophet,  the  great  Forerunner  of  the 
Messiah  predicted  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, greater  than  any  of  the  prophets 
who  had  gone  before.  The  character 
of  John  was  so  e.xalted,  and  his  preach- 
ing so  effective,  that  many  flocked  to 
him  with  the  vague  impression  that  he 
might  be  the  Christ,  or  at  least  one  of 
the  old  and  celebrated  prophets,  reap- 
pearing on  the  earth  (see  21  :  26 ; 
Luke  3  :  15;  John  1  :  19-23).      Yea,  I 


prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 

11  Verily  I  say  unto  you. 
Among  them  that  are  born  of  wo- 
men, there  hath  not  risen  a  greater 

k  Mai.  3:1;  Ma.  1  :  2 ;  Lu.  1 :  76,  &  7 :  27. 


sap  unto  you,  &c.  Christ  does  not 
deny  to  John  this  character,  as  he  did 
that,  denoted  by  the  shaking  reed  and 
the  soft  raiment.  He  even  goes  farther 
and  declares  that  he  was  more  than  a 
prophet,  i.  e.  of  more  clear  and  exalted 
views,  and  intrusted  with  a  higher 
commission  than  any  of  the  prophets. 

10.  For  this  is  he,  &c.  This  is  given 
as  a  reason  for  John's  superiority  over 
the  ancient  prophets.  He  was  the 
one  foretold  by  Malachi  (3  :  1),  as  the 
messenger  to  be  sent  before  the  face 
of  the  Messiah,  to  prepare  the  Jewish 
nation  for  his  reception.  How  honor- 
able the  post,  and  what  a  strong  living 
faith  must  the  messenger  have  had  in 
the  Messianic  character  of  Him  whom 
he  foretold  as  about  to  appear.  The 
quotation  from  Malachi  embraces  the 
sense,  but  not  the  exact  words  of  the 
original.  Before  thy  face,  in  the  origi- 
nal prophecy  is  before  7ne.  Its  change 
to  the  second  person  by  our  Lord, 
shows  that  what  was  originally  said  by 
Jehovah  of  himself,  may  with  proprie- 
ty, when  necessary,  be  said  of  the  Mes- 
siah, which,  as  Alford  remarks,  is  no 
mean  indication  of  his  own  eternal  and 
coequal  Godhead.  \Miich  shall  pre- 
pare, &c.     See  N.  on  3  :  3  ;  Mark  1  :  2. 

11.  This  verse  is  confirmatory  of  the 
latter  clause  in  v.  9.  Among  them  that 
are  born  of  women,  i.  e.  of  all  the  pro- 
phets and  saints,  who  have  hitherto 
hved.  This  is  an  advance  on  the  praise 
bestowed  upon  John  in  v.  9.  The  de- 
sign is  to  make  more  striking  the  con- 
trast, between  him,  and  "  the  least  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  with  which 
the  verse  closes.  A  greater  (prophet, 
see  Luke  7  :  28),  i.  e.  more  distinguish- 
ed as  being  the  forerunner  of  Christ. 
He  that  is  least;  literally,  the  lesser, 
put   generically    for   those   of  inferior 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER   XI. 


125 


than  John  the  Baptist :  notwith- 
standing, he  that  is  least  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than 
he. 


rank  and  attainments  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  The  sense  of  this  passage 
seems  to  be  this.  Although  John,  as 
tlie  forerunner  of  Christ,  and  in  his 
high  privilege  of  living  in  the  daj's  of 
the  Messiah,  and  administering  to  him 
the  riteof  baptism,  was  superior  to  any 
of  the  ancient  prophets,  yet  under  the 
gospel  dispensation,  the  least  of  Christ's 
ministers,  eiihghtened  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  see  more  clearly  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion and  the  mysteries  of  the  cross,  was 
greater  than  even  this  eminent  prophet. 
This  yields  a  good  sense  of  this  some- 
what difficult  passage,  and  answers  well 
to  its  general  scope,  which  is  the  com- 
parison of  John,  on  the  one  hand,  with 
the  ancient  prophets  ;  and  on  the  other, 
with  the  religious  teachers  of  the  new 
dispensation,  by  which  both  received 
distinguished  praise,  John,  by  being 
preferred  to  all  before  him,  Christ's 
ministers,  by  being  preferred  to  him. 
It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  the  great 
majority  of  interpreters  before  the  time 
ot'Calvin,  including  Luther,  Melancthon, 
a;id  the  principal  reformers,  referred 
the  expression  the  least,  to  the  Messiah 
in  his  state  of  humiliation.  As  it  re- 
spects the  phrase  kingdom  of  heaven,  it 
is  not  here  to  be  referred  to  the  beati- 
fied state  of  the  blessed  above,  for 
Christ  is  not  drawing  a  comparison  l^e- 
tween  John  and  the  saints  in  heaven. 
Nor  should  we  so  unduly  press  the 
terms  of  this  comparison,  as  to  make  it 
include  among  the  persons  here  referred 
to,  tlie  most  obscure  and  ignorant  saints 
of  the  Christian  dispensation.  The 
comparison  is  between  John  as  a  public 
teacher  of  religion,  and  the  apostles 
and  disciples  who  should  preach  the 
gospel  of  the  new  dispensation.  All 
such  passages  as  this  should  be  inter- 
preted with  due  regard  to  their  ob- 
vious scope. 

12.  This  verse  has  received  a  variety 
of  interpretations,   of  which  two  only 


12  '  And  from  the  days  of  John 
the  Baptist  until  now,  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  sufFereth  violence, 
and  the  violent  take  it  by  force. 

I  Lu.  16  :  16. 

will  be  here  noticed.  One  is  that  which 
refers  it  to  the  great  exertions,  which 
must  be  made  to  secure  a  personal  in- 
terest in  Christ,  and  effect  the  salvation 
of  the  soul.  But  this  interpretation 
overlooks  the  demands  of  the  context, 
and  conforms  so  little  to  the  parallel 
passage  in  Luke  16  :  16,  that  no  sound 
interpreter  can  adopt  it.  The  other 
interpretation  refers  it  to  the  eagerness, 
amounting  to  a  rush,  with  which  men 
flocked  to  hear  the  message  of  John, 
and  afterwards  the  gospel  from  Jesus 
himself.  This  agrees  with  Luke  in  the 
passage  above  referred  to,  "the  law 
and  the  prophets  were  until  John  ; 
since  that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
preached,  and  every  man  presseth  into 
it,"  i.  e.  every  one  presseth  forward 
with  eagerness  to  hear  the  gospel  mes- 
sage, in  its  first  preparatory  annuncia- 
tion by  John,  and  afterwards  in  its 
more  full  and  open  proclamation  by 
Jesus.  The  words,  %intil  now,  by  no 
means  imply,  that  the  time  of  this  eager- 
ness to  participate  in  the  blessings  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  was  then 
brought  to  a  close.  It  continued 
through  the  whole  ministry  of  our 
Lord  ;  it  was  a  feature  of  the  apostolic 
age ;  and  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  has 
marked  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel 
in  every  age  and  country  to  the  present 
time,  and  will  continue  to  be  the  case,  un- 
til the  whole  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord.  The  violent,  i.  e.  those 
who  thus  eagerly  press  into  the  kingdom. 
Take  it  by  force ;  literally,  seize  and  take 
it,  as  when  men  seize  and  drag  away  the 
plunder  of  a  sacked  city.  A  strong  ex- 
pression of  the  eager  joy  with  which  men, 
in  the  times  here  spoken  of,  thronged  to 
hear  from  John  and  Christ  the  woids  of 
salvation.  The  passage,  thus  interpret- 
ed becomes  illustrative  and  confirma- 
tory of  V.  11,  by  showing  the  superiority 
of  John  over  all  who  preceded  him,  not 
only   in    dignity   of  office,  but   in  the 


126 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


13  "'  For  all  the  prophets  and 
the  law  prophesied  uutil  John. 

14  And  if  ye   will  receive  it, 


m  Mai.  4:  6.    n  Mai.  4:  5;  ch.  17: 12;  Lu.  1 :  17. 


great  power  and  success  of  his  minis- 
trations. It  was  an  honorable  testi- 
mony to  the  worth  of  this  tried  servant, 
who  liad  now  been  imprisoned  for  a 
number  of  months  by  Herod,  and  who 
was  soon  to  suffer  death  at  his  hands. 

13.  -For  all  the  prophets,  &c.  This 
also  is  a  further  illustration  of  v.  11,  the 
dignity  of  John  being  yet  the  theme  of 
the  discourse.  The  verse  may  be  para- 
phrased :  for  all  the  Old  Testament 
prophets  and  other  writers  and  expound- 
ers of  the  law,  prophesied  of  times  to 
them  afar  off',  but  in  which  John  lived 
and  was  a  principal  actor.  They  s]ioke 
of  a  distant  dispensation,  which  John 
had  the  honor  to  introduce,  and  was 
therefore  in  the  dignity  of  his  office 
their  superior.  The  words,  tmtiljohn, 
are  not  therefore  to  be  interpreted  in 
the  sense,  that  the  prophetic  period 
continued  until  the  time  of  John,  of 
which  it  was  inclusive,  but  that,  as  01- 
shausen  well  remarks,  "  with  John  the 
prophecies  were  fidfilled."  The  laiv  is 
here  put  figuratively  for  the  writers  of 
the  law,  which  embraced  all  that  por- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament  not  included 
in  the  prophetic  writings. 

14.  This  verse  contains  additional 
evidence  of  John's  dignity  and  superi- 
ority to  those  before  him.  If  i/e  will  re- 
ceive it,  i.  e.  confide  in  my  testimony 
respecting  John,  and  receive  as  true  the 
declaration  I  am  about  to  make.  Tliis 
is  Elias,  &c.  Through  a  misinterpre- 
tation of  Mai.  4  :  5,  the  Jews  supposed 
that  Elias  was  to  reappear  upon  the 
earth.  Jesus  here  rectifies  their  error 
by  referring  this  prediction  to  John, 
who  came  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
Elias  (Luke  1  :  17).  The  denial  of 
John  (John  1  :  21)  had  reference  to  his 
personal  identity  with  Elias,  in  the 
sense  expected  by  the  Jews.  But  in 
his  zeal  as  a  reformer,  his  abstemious 
habits,  and  his  boldness  and  severity  of 


this  is  "  Elias,  which  was  for  to 
come. 

15  °  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear, 
let  him  hear. 

oCli.l3:9;  Lu.  8:8;  Ee.  2:7, 11,  17,  29,  &  3: 
6,  13,  22. 


denunciation  against  wickedness,  he 
was  the  antitype  of  Elias,  and  a  reap- 
pearance of  the  spirit  which  animated 
that  distinguished  prophet.  Olshausen 
thinks  that  Mai.  4  :  5,  had  its  partial 
fulfillment  at  least  in  the  Transfigura- 
tion, and  that  the  prophecy  is  not  yet 
wholly  fulfilled.  So  Alford  :  "the  great 
and  complete  fulfillment  is  yet  future — 
at  the  great  day  of  the  Lord."  The 
error  of  both  these  expositors  results 
from  a  wrong  interpretation  of  the  ex- 
pression in  Malachi,  "  before  the  coming 
of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the 
Lord."  The  gospel  dispensation,  al- 
though one  of  love  and  mercy  to  the 
penitent  and  believing,  yet  to  the  ene- 
mies of  truth,  is  always  represented  in 
the  Scriptures,  as  most  terrible  in  its 
results.  Compare  the  prophecy  of  Joel 
2  :  31,  which  Peter  (Acts  2  :  16)  de- 
clares to  have  begun  to  find  its  fulfill- 
ment on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Which 
was  for  to  come  as  predicted  by  Malachi. 

15.  In  the  preceding  verse,  our  Lord 
demands  the  faith  of  his  hearers,  in  re- 
spect to  the  fulfillment  in  John  of  the 
prophecy,  that  Elias  was  to  reappear  on 
earth.  This  was  a  great  truth  involving 
great  consequences.  If  John  was  the 
person  to  whom  the  law  and  the  pro- 
phets pointed  as  the  forerunner  of  the 
Messiah,  then  Jesus  was  evidently  that 
personage,  and  was  to  be  received  and 
obeyed  as  such.  To  this  implied  infer- 
ence he  summons  their  attention  in  the 
words  of  this  verse,  often  used  by  him 
after  the  utterance  of  parables  and  im- 
portant truths.  See  13  :  9,  43  ;  Mark 
4:  9,  23 ;  7  :  16 ;  Luke  8 : 8  ;  14:  35 ; 
Luke  8  :  8  ;  14  :  35  ;  Rev.  2  :  7,  11, 
17,  29  ;  3  :  6,  13,  &c.  Hath  ears  to 
hear,  i.  e.  the  natural  power  to  hear. 
Lei  him  hear  with  attention  and  desire 
to  understand. 

16-19.  The  transition  from  the  high 
official  dignity  of  John,  to  the  captious, 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


127 


16  i[  ^  But  whereunto  shall  I 
liken  this  generation  ?  It  is  like 
unto  children  sitting  in  the  mar- 
kets, and  calling  unto  their  fel- 
lows, 

17  And  saying,  We  have  piped 
unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced ; 

p  Lii.  7  :  81. 

fault-linding  spirit,  with  which  both  he 
and  Jesus  had  been  received,  was  very 
natural,  and  our  Lord  illustrates  it  by 
a  reference  to  the  amusements  of  chil- 
dren, in  which  some,  through  ill  humor, 
are  pleased  with  no  play  which  can  be 
suggested  by  their  young  companions. 
Under  this  most  appropriate  simile,  he 
administered  a  sharp  rebuke  to  the  per- 
verse and  cavilling  spirit  of  the  persons 
referred  to. 

16.  Wheretmto  shall  Iliken,  kc.  This 
question  serves  to  call  attention  to  the 
comparison  about  to  be  made,  and  was 
a  form  of  introduction  often  used  in 
such  connections.  See  Mark  4  :  30 
(where  the  condescending  plural,  as 
Alford  calls  it,  is  used);  Luke  13:  18, 
20.  This  generation.  In  Luke,  "  the 
men  of  this  generation."  Unto  chil- 
dren, &c.  In  ancient  times  the  markets 
were  places  of  resort,  not  only  for  men 
to  transact  public  and  private  business, 
but  for  children  to  engage  in  their 
sports.  They  are  here  said  to  be  sitting, 
either  in  reference  to  their  resting  from 
their  amusements,  or  more  probably, 
as  a  mode  of  expression,  conforming  to 
the  usual  posture  of  persons  in  the 
market,  without  implying  that  the  chil- 
dren were  absolutely  sitting,  at  the 
time  of  their  vain  attempts  to  start  a 
play.  Calling  unto  their  fellotus,  i.  e. 
addressing  their  companions.  The  verb 
is  used  generally  in  the  sense  of  calling 
by  name,  as  when  one  is  kindly  and 
familiarly  addressed.  It  has  generally 
been  supposed  that  the  speaking  chil- 
dren represented  Jesus  and  John,  and 
the  silent  children,  the  capricious,  fault- 
finding Jews.  But  Olshausen  refers 
both  classes  of  these  ill-humored  chil- 
dren, whom  it  was  impossible  to  please 
in  any  way,  to  the  capricious  contem- 
poraries of  Jesus.     But  as  Prof.  Ken- 


we  have  mourned  unto  you,  and 
ye  have  not  lamented. 

18  For  John  came  neither  eat- 
ing nor  drinking,  and  they  say, 
He  hath  a  devil. 

19  The  Son  of  man  came  eat- 
ing and   drinking,   and  they  say, 


drick  well  remarks,  he  seems  to  have 
overlooked  the  exact  point  of  the  com- 
parison, which  is  not  the  disagreement  of 
the  children  among  themselves,  but  the 
impossibility  to  suit  a  portion  of  them. 

17.  We  have  piped,  &c.  We  have 
engaged  in  joyous  sports ;  we  have 
piped  for  you,  as  is  done  at  weddings 
and  other  festivities,  and  yet  you  have 
not  joined  us  in  our  play,  but  remain 
sullen  and  dissatisfied.  We  have  mourn- 
ed, &c.  This  refers  to  a  play,  in  which 
children  went  through  the  forms  of 
mourning,  as  at  a  funeral.  This  failed 
ali-o  to  interest  these  wayward  children. 
Two  opposite  kinds  of  play  were  pro- 
posed, but  they  were  pleased  with 
neither. 

18.  For  John  came,  &c.  This  and 
the  following  verse  belong  to  v.  1(3, 
showing  the  ground  of  the  likeness, 
there  asserted  between  the  men  of  that 
generation  and  the  children  in  the  mark- 
et. Neither  eating  nor  drinking.  Luke 
says,  "neither  eating  bread  nor  drink- 
ing wine."  The  idea  is  that  John  did 
not  indulge  in  the  common  luxuries  of 
the  table.  He  ate  no  bread  and  drank 
no  wine.  He  lived  according  to  the 
strictest  regimen  of  the  Nazarenes  (see 
3  :  4).  Tliey  (i.  e.  the  Pharisees)  say  he 
hath  a  deinl.  So  abstemious  were  his 
habits,  and  so  secluded  was  he  from  the 
society  of  his  fellow  men,  that  his  ene- 
mies charged  him  with  being  possessed 
with  a  gloomy  demon,  which  drove  him 
off  into  the  wilderness.  According  to 
the  demonology  of  the  Jews,  wicked 
and  unclean  spirits  were  wandering 
about  in  dry  and  desert  places  (see  12  : 
43),  restless  and  wretched,  and  John's 
retirement  to  the  desert  seemed  to  indi- 
cate that  he  was  under  demoniacal  in- 
fluence. 

19.  TTie  Son  of  man.     See  N.  on  8  : 


128 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  31. 


Behold,  a  man  gluttonous,  and  a  '  and  sinners.     'But  wisdom  is  jus- 
wine-bibber,  '  a  friend  of  publicans  ,  tified  of  her  children. 

20  1^   'Then  began  he  to  up- 

q  Ch.  9  :  10.  r  Lu.  T :  35.         s  Lu.  10 :  13,  &c. 


20.  Came  eating  and  drinking,  i.  e. 
living  like  other  men  and  practising  no 
austerities.  This  sense  is  clear,  from 
the  antithesis  with  "not  eating  and 
drinking,"  in  the  preceding  verse.  Re- 
ference may  also  be  had  to  his  occa- 
sional attendance  upon  feasts,  as  the 
marriage  at  Cana,  Levi's  entertainment, 
&c.  They,  i.  e.  the  same  persons  who 
had  charged  John  with  being  a  demo- 
niac. Behold  a  man,  &c.  This  charge 
was  false  and  malicious.  The  very 
habits  of  life,  which  they  had  found 
fault  with  John  for  not  practising,  they 
charge  as  a  crime  upon  our  Savior. 
They  even  went  so  far  as  to  accuse  him 
of  gluttony  and  fondness  for  wine,  a 
wine-hibher,  one  who  indulges  freely  in 
wine.  As  wine  was  a  common  bever- 
age in  that  land  of  vineyards,  in  its  un- 
fermented  state,  our  Lord  most  likely 
drank  it.  But  that  he  did  so  in  its  in- 
toxicating forms,  or  that  he  indulged  to 
excess  in  its  use  in  any  form,  was  a 
false  and  malicious  libel  upon  his  cha- 
racter. But  the  Pharisees  were  ready 
to  find  fault  with  any  one,  who  refused 
them  the  homage  and  respect,  which 
they  claimed  in  virtue  of  their  superior 
piety  and  attainments.  It  was  enough 
that  John  had  addressed  them  as  a 
generation  of  vipers.  From  that  time 
they  speak  of  him  as  one  possessed  of 
a  demon.  Had  no  other  cause  of  en- 
mity existed,  in  reference  to  Jesus,  his 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  was  sufficient  to 
have  aroused  their  opposition  and 
hatred.  They  endeavored  to  break 
down  or  weaken  his  influence,  by  charg- 
ing him  with  gluttony  and  wine-bibbing. 
A  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners. 
Words  uttered  with  ill  intent  by  them, 
but  how  precious  in  the  high  and  hea- 
venly sense  in  which  they  are  true.  His 
association  with  this  class  of  men,  was 
a  crime,  in  their  estimation  worse  even 
than  gluttony  or  drunkenness.  But  in 
the  light  of  the  blessed  gospel,  and  in 
view -of  his  divine  mission  to  save  lost 
sinners,  there  is  no  point  in  his  life, 
where  he  appears  more  transcendently 


glorious,  than  when  he  thus  mingles 
with  outcast  men  and  calls  them  to 
repentance.  The  Sinner's  Friend;  this 
will  be  the  brightest  gem  in  his  media- 
torial crown.  But  (literally  and  yet) 
v:isdoni  is  justified,  &c.  This  is  put  in 
strong  contrast  with  what  precedes. 
The  wise  and  prudent  line  of  conduct 
pursued  by  John  and  Christ,  although 
made  the  theme  of  reproach  and  cal- 
umny by  the  Pharisees,  yet  will  be 
understood  and  approved  by  those  who 
are  truly  wise,  or,  as  Calvin  expresses 
it  (see  below),  wisdom  will  maintain 
her  credit  and  authority  with  her  own 
children.  In  respect  to  the  various 
significations  of  the  word  wisdom,  see 
N.  on  12  :  42.  Is  justified.  The  literal 
rendering,  was  justified,  would  be  better. 
The  circumstances  attending  the  com- 
ing of  John  and  Jesus  Christ  were  such, 
that  wisdom  was  fully  justified.  The 
children  of  wisdom  is  put,  according  to 
the  Oriental  style,  for  the  wise,  and  is 
here  strongly  contrasted  with  the  chil- 
dren of  folly,  whose  erroneous  views 
of  Jesus  and  John  led  them  to  the  cap- 
tious, fault-finding  spirit  referred  to  in 
the  preceding  context.  As  true  wis- 
dom consists  in  the  fear  of  God  (see 
Job  28  :  28),  so  her  children  are  those 
only  who  are  enlightened  from  above. 
Such  persons,  in  studying  the  characters 
of  Christ  and  his  Forerunner,  would  see 
how  consistent  they  were  with  their 
respective  office-work,  and  how  exactly 
they  answered  to  the  Old  Testament 
predictions  respecting  them.  There 
.seems  to  be,  as  Calvin  well  remarks, 
"  a  silent  antithesis  in  these  words  of 
Christ,  between  the  true  and  bastard 
sons  of  wisdom  who  display  the  empty 
title  without  having  the  thing  itself. 
As  if  Christ  had  said :  Let  those  who 
proudly  l)oast  themselves  to  be  the  sons 
of  wisdom  go  on  in  their  own  insolence. 
She  will  notwithstanding  maintain  her 
credit  and  authority  with  her  sons." 

20-30.  Jesus  upbraids  Capernaum 
AND  OTHER  CITIES.     Capemaum. 

20.  Tlien  began  he,  &c.    These  words 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER   XI. 


H>9 


braid  the  cities  -wherein  most  of 
his  miglity  works  were  done,  be- 
cause they  repented  not  : 

21  Woe   unto  thee,  Chorazia ! 


were  doubtless  spoken  in  connection 
with  the  preceding,  ahhough  there  may 
have  been  a  slight  pause  in  the  dis- 
course. The  perverscness  and  incon- 
sistency of  the  Pharisees,  which  he  had 
just  rebuked,  especially  in  vs.  16-19, 
gave  occasion  for  a  more  general  re- 
proof of  those  cities,  which  had  enjoyed 
his  ministrations  and  witnessed  the  most 
of  his  wonderful  works.  Because  they 
repented  not  (see  4:17).  There  were 
doubtless  many  who  believed  on  Jesus, 
but  the  people  in  general  remained  in 
a  state  of  impenitence  and  unbelief. 

21.  Woe  unto  thee,  or  alas  for  thee. 
An  interjectional  phrase  expressive  of 
grief  and  indignation.  Chorazin,  a  city 
supposed,  on  the  authority  of  Jerome,  to 
have  been  about  two  miles  from  Caper- 
naum. Bethsaida  of  Galilee,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  another  town  of  the 
same  name,  on  the  N.  E.  extremity  of 
the  lake.  The  town  here  referred  to 
was  the  birth-place  of  Philip,  Andrew, 
and  Peter  (John  1  :  45),  and  lay  proba- 
bly near  Capernaum.  Mighty  works; 
literally,  viighty  powers,  i.  e.  miracles, 
including  all  the  circumstances  attend- 
ing their  performance,  by  which  the 
divine  mission  of  Christ  was  established. 
Tyre.  This  celebrated  city,  the  com- 
mercial emporium  of  Phoenicia,  and  the 
mart  of  nations,  was  situated  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  the  Mediterranean, 
about  midway  between  Egypt  and  Asia 
Minor.  It  was  founded  about  200  years 
before  the  time  of  Solomon,  and  al- 
though it  was  within  the  limits,  assigned 
to  Asher,  yet  it  was  never  subject  to 
the  Israelites,  not  even  in  the  times  of 
David  and  Solomon.  Its  relations,  how- 
ever, with  the  Israelites  were  always  of 
an  amicable  nature.  It  grew  to  such 
commercial  importance,  that  it  was 
styled,  "  the  merchant  city  whose  mer- 
chants were  princes,  whose  traffickers 
were  the  honorable  of  the  earth."  Isa. 
23  :  8.  See  also  Ezek.  chaps.  26  and  27. 
It  sustained  several  sieges,  one  by  Shal- 
VoL.  1.— 6* 


woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida  !  for  if 
the  mighty  works,  which  were 
done  in  you,  had  been  done  in 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have 


maneser  of  five  years ;  another  by  Ne- 
buchadnezzar of  13  years,  by  whom  it 
was  probably  taken,  as  it  came  under 
the  sway  of  the  Chaldean  monarchs, 
and  afterwards  of  the  Persians.  Its 
most  celebrated  siege  was  the  one  it 
sustained  from  Alexander  the  Great. 
During  the  siege,  the  ancient  portion 
of  the  city,  or  the  mainland,  was  de- 
stroyed, and  its  materials  employed  by 
the  Greeks,  to  cast  up  a  mound  against 
the  portion  of  the  city  built  upon  a 
narrow  rocky  island,  about  a  mile  in 
length,  and  distant  a  half  mile  from  the 
old  city.  The  mole  thus  built  by  Alex- 
ander, by  the  accumulation  of  sand,  has 
become  an  isthmus  connecting  the  isl- 
and with  the  mainland.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  island  is  now  naked  and 
desolate,  "  a  place  to  spread  nets  upon." 
No  predictions  were  ever  more  exactly 
and  fully  accomplished,  than  those  re- 
lating to  the  downfall  of  this  once  great, 
rich,  and  powerful  city  (see  Ezek.  26  : 
21).  The  pride,  luxury,  and  vice  of 
this  city  were  great,  and  although  so 
contiguous  to  the  people,  with  whom 
was  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  yet 
its  forms  of  idolatry  were  never  broken 
up,  or  even  impaired  thereby.  Sid-on. 
This  was  also  a  celebrated  city  of  Phce- 
nicia,  much  older  than  Tyre,  and  lying 
on  the  sea-coast  about  20  miles  N.  of 
Tyre.  It  was  probably  built  by  Sidon, 
the  great  grandson  of  Noah  (Gen.  lo  : 
15,  19),  and  was  the  most  ancient  of  all 
the  cities  of  Phoenicia.  Under  the  name 
of  Saida,  it  is  now  a  town  of  from  6000 
to  7000  inhabitants,  principally  Mo- 
hammedans. 

Our  Lord  affirms  in  the  passage  before 
us,  that  in  the  height  of  their  pride  and 
power,  if  these  cities  had  seen  his 
mighty  works,  such  as  had  been  wrought 
in  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida,  they  would 
have  abandoned  their  idolatrous  habits, 
and  like  Nineveh  at  the  preaching  of 
Jonah,  would  have  repented  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes.    Long  ago,  i.  e.  of  old, 


130 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


repented  long  ago  '  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes. 

22  But  I  say  unto  you,  "  It 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
than  for  you. 

23  And  thou,  Capernaum, 
"■  which  art  exalted  unto  heaven, 
shalt  be  brought  down  to  hell :  for 

tJon.  3:7,  8.        m  Ch.  10 :  15 ;  ver.  24. 

formerly.  Sackcloth.  A  coarse  black 
cloth,  usually  made  of  hair,  and  worn 
in  times  of  distress  and  mourning.  In 
addition  to  this,  ashes  were  sometimes 
cast  upon  the  head  and  body,  as  expres- 
sive of  grief  and  humiliation. 

22.  It  shall  be  more  tolerable^  &c.  See 
N.  on  10:  15. 

23.  CapernaMtn  is  here  more  espe- 
cially reproved,  for  here  was  our  Lord's 
residence,  after  his  expulsion  from  Na- 
zareth, and  the  scene  of  some  of  his 
principal  miracles.  Exalted  to  heaven. 
A  hyperbolical  expression  for  the  high- 
est prosperity,  as  the  antithetic  phrase, 
brought  down  to  hell,  denotes  the  depths 
of  adversity.  In  its  enjoyment  of  the 
ministry  of  Christ,  it  was  by  far  the 
most  favored  city  in  the  land,  and 
might  almost  literally  be  said  to  have 
been  raised  to  heaven  in  its  spiritual 
privileges.  But  the  Savior  was  soon  to 
leave  it,  never  personally  to  revisit  it. 
Soon  those  mighty  works  Avould  cease 
to  be  wrought  within  its  precincts.  It 
would  be  left  to  perish  in  its  unbelief. 
It  would  never  emerge  from  the  depths 
of  spiritual  darkness,  into  which  it  had 
fallen  through  its  rejection  of  Christ. 
Shalt  be  brought  doivn  to  hell.  The  word 
bore  rendered  hell,  is  not  gehenna,  but 
hades,  the  invisible  or  lower  world, 
where  dwell,  according  to  the  ancient 
conception,  the  shades  of  the  dead.  It 
does  not  here  signify  the  place  of  future 
punishment,  any  more  than  heaven  in 
the  preceding  clause,  means  the  seat  of 
bliss  where  God  dwells.  Both  are 
figuratively  used,  to  denote  great  spir- 
itual privileges  as  well  as  temporal 
prosperity,  and  the  depths  of  ruin  into 


if  the  mighty  works,  which  have 
been  done  in  thee,  had  been  done 
in  Sodom,  it  would  have  remained 
until  this  day. 

24  But  I  say  unto  you,  ^  That 
it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the 
land  of  Sodom  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  than  for  thee. 

25  ^  '  At  that  time  Jesus  an- 

icSeels.  14:  13;La.2:l.        ych.  10:15. 
sLu.  10:21. 


which  they  would  fall  through  the  abuse 
of  these  privileges.  Eor  if  the  mighty 
works,  &c.  This  is  an  advance  upon 
the  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart, 
attributed  to  the  previously  mentioned 
cities.  Had  Sodom  even,  that  most 
wicked  of  all  cities,  the  cry  of  whose 
grievous  sin  came  up  to  heaven,  and 
brought  down  God's  wrath,  enjoyed  the 
presence  of  Christ  and  witnessed  his 
mighty  works,  as  did  Capernaum,  it 
would  have  been  spared  the  fiery  storm 
which  overwhelmed  it,  and  would  have 
remained  to  the  present  time. 

24.  It  shall  be  more  tolerable,  &c. 
If  the  guilt  of  Capernaum  was  thus  ag- 
gravated, how  much  more  dreadful  will 
be  the  doom  of  those,  who,  in  these 
latter  days  with  privileges  equal  to 
those  enjoyed  by  Capernaum,  have  in 
addition  the  gift  of  the  Spirit's  influ- 
ences, poured  out  according  to  promise, 
but  neglect  this  so  great  salvation,  and 
persist  in  unbelief  and  impenitence. 
With  the  means  of  grace,  the  freedom  of 
conscience,  and  the  abundance  of  reli- 
gious instruction  enjoyed  by  us,  in  this 
age  and  country,  there  was  no  city  of  Pa- 
lestine, not  even  Capernaum,  over  which 
so  fearful  a  doom  impended,  as  the  one 
to  which  unbelief  in  Christ  would  expose 
us.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  in  con- 
nection with  this  denunciation  of  our 
Lord,  that  the  site  of  the  three  places 
here  mentioned  is  now  unknown. 

25.  At  that  time  (literally,  season), 
i.  e.  about  the  time  when  the  foregoing 
discourse  took  place.  There  is  a  close 
connection  of  thought,  between  this 
passage  and  the  preceding  context. 
The  obstinacy  and  perverseness  of  the 


A.  T).  31.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


131 


swered  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  0 
Fiither,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
because  "thou  hast  hid  these  things 

a  See  Ps.  8: 2;  1  Co.  1 :  19, 27,  &2 :  8 ;  2  Co.  3 :  14. 

Pharisees  and  Jewish  rulers,  in  rejecting 
John's  message,  and  also  that  of  our 
Savior,  had  been  dwelt  upon,  and  the 
cities  reproved  for  their  blindness  and 
unbelief.  From  this  dark  picture  of  un- 
belief and  ruin,  he  turns  to  the  humble 
faith  and  cheerful  obedience  with  which 
the  poor  and  lowly  had  received  him, 
and  in  view  of  this  exclaims,  "  I  thank 
thee,"  &c.  Dlshausen  calls  these  verses 
a  commentary  on  the  words  in  v.  19, 
"  wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children." 
Answered  and  said.  This  form  of  ex- 
pression is  adapted  to  the  train  of 
thought,  which  ran  through  the  pre- 
ceding discourse.  Answered  to  the 
manifestation  of  God's  righteous  judg- 
ments, and  his  mysterious  ways  in  thus 
dooming  these  highly  favored  but  guilty 
cities.  I  thank  thee.  The  verb  literally 
signifies,  to  confess  to  07ie,  and  expresses 
our  Lord's  cheerful  assent  to  the  divine 
plan  and  purpose,  in  hiding  the  truths 
of  the  gospel  from  the  wise  and  prudent, 
and  revealing  them  unto  babes.  There 
is  here  the  additional  idea  of  returning 
thanks  for  benefits.  Our  Savior  speaks 
as  though  a  personal  favor  had  been 
bestowed  upon  him.  He  had  begun  to 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  his 
heart  was  filled  with  joy  and  praise. 
0  Father.  This  refers  to  the  peculiar 
relation  which  Christ,  as  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man,  sustained  to  the 
first  person  in  the  Trinity,  and  not  to 
any  essential  relation  subsisting  between 
the  first  and  second  persons  in  the  God- 
head. Jesus,  as  Messiah,  was  the  Son 
of  God,  and  hence  the  correlative  term 
Father,  which  Christ  here  and  else- 
where employs.  In  his  flesh  he  was 
begotten  of  God,  and  in  his  official  re- 
lation subordinate  to  Him,  by  whom  he 
was  sent  into  the  world  (see  N.  on  28  : 
19).  But  while  he  was  begotten  in  the 
flesh,  in  his  divine,  uncreated  nature, 
he  is  co-equal  with  the  Father,  or  as 
our  catechism  admirably  expresses  it, 
"the same  in  substance,  equal  in  power 
and  glory."     Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 


from  the  wise  and  prudent,  '  and 
hast  revealed  them  unto  babes. 


&Ch.  16:17 


i.  e.  Supreme  Lord  and  Sovereign  of  the 
universe ;  employed  here  in  striking 
contrast  with  babes  (in  other  connec- 
tions, "little  ones,"  "poor  in  spirit," 
&c.).  Alford  remarks  that  Jesus  does 
not  address  the  Father,  as  his  Lord,  but 
as  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  he  who 
"  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will."  Eph.  1:11.  Because 
thou  hast  hid  is  to  be  taken  here  in  the 
sense,  permitted  these  thinc/s  to  be  hid. 
In  Scripture  language,  God  is  often  said 
to  do,  what  in  his  wise  and  sovereign 
plans  he  permits  to  be  done.  He  did 
not  hide  the  gospel  by  any  direct  agency, 
from  these  proud  and  conceited  Phar- 
isees. It  formed,  however,  a  part  of 
his  sovereign  plan,  that  tiiey  should  re- 
ject his  Son,  and  in  this  their  free 
agency  was  not  in  the  least  infringed 
upon.  These  things  refers  to  the  doc- 
trines and  precepts  of  the  gospel,  which 
Christ,  the  great  Revealer,  was  now 
making  known  to  men.  Wise  and  pru- 
dent in  their  own  estimation.  If  any 
difference  is  to  be  sought  in  these 
words,  the  former  may  refer  to  persons 
of  great  erudition,  the  latter,  to  those 
possessed  of  natural  talent  and  shrewd- 
ness. With  all  their  learning  and  dis- 
cernment, these  persons  were  so  blinded, 
as  not  to  see  what  was  like  sunbeams  of 
truth,  to  those  of  humble  talent  and  at- 
tainment. Hast  revealed  them  (literally, 
uncovered  them),  by  imparting  a  clear 
spiritual  perception  of  their  truth  and 
importance.  This  agency  of  God  in 
enlightening  men  through  the  truth,  is 
direct,  and  therefore  unlike  that  by 
which  he  is  said  to  hide  the  truth  from 
the  wise  and  prudent,  which  is  little 
else  than  giving  them  up  to  their  own 
darkened  understanding.  Unto  babes. 
This  stands  in  contrast  with  wise  and 
prudent,  and  refers,  therefore,  to  per- 
sons of  low  and  humble  condition,  mere 
babes  in  knowledge,  compared  with 
those  proud,  arrogant,  and  conceited 
Pharisees. 

26.  The  sovereignty  of  God  in  calling 


132 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


26  Even  so,  Father ;  for  so  it 
seemed  good  in  thy  sight. 

27  ""  All   thiug.s    are   delivered 
unto  me  of  my  Father ;   and  no 

c  Ch.  28  :  18 ;  Lii.  10  :  22 ;  John  3 :  35,  &  13 :  3, 
&1T:2;  ICo.  15:27. 


some  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and 
passing  others  by,  is  not  arbitrary  or 
unjust.  He  is  of  infinite  benevolence, 
and  will  do  all  things  right.  In  refer- 
ence to  all  his  ways,  which  are  to  us  un- 
fathomable and  mysterious,  we  should 
say,  as  did  our  blessed  Savior,  £!ven  so, 
lather,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy 
siffkt.  Such  was  thy  good  pleasure. 
With  the  words,  even  so,  we  may  sup- 
ply from  the  preceding  context,  I  thank 
thee  ;  or  more  literally,  yes,  I  thank  thee. 
The  sovereign  pleasure  of  God  is,  in 
this  clause,  given  as  a  reason  for  the 
benevolent  arrangement,  which  called 
forth  the  grateful  acknowledgments  of 
our  Lord. 

27.  All  things  are  delivered,  &c. 
Christ  in  his  divine  nature  was  equal 
with  the  Father.  But  in  his  media- 
torial office,  his  authority  is  a  delegated 
one.  In  his  complex  person,  as  God- 
man,  he  is  always  spoken  of  as  inferior 
to  the  Father  in  dignity,  power,  and 
knowledge.  See  Mark  13  :  32  ;  John 
8  :  28  ;  1-1  :  28  ;  15  :  10.  By  keeping 
this  great  fact  continually  in  sight,  no 
difficulties  will  be  experienced  from  any 
of  those  texts,  which  speak  of  Jesus  as 
having  finite  attributes.  To  him  as  Me- 
diator, have  been  committed  the  su- 
preme sway  of  all  things  both  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  (see  28  :  18),  and  the  dis- 
posal of  the  final  destinies  of  all  at  the 
day  of  judgment  (compare  John  5  :  22  ; 
Acts  10  :  42  ;  17  :  31).  He  is  thus  to 
reign,  until  he  has  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet  (1  Cor.  15  :  25).  Then  having 
"  delivered  up  the  kingdom  (i.  e.  his 
Mediatorial  authority)  to  God,  even  the 
Father,"  he  shall,  so  to  speak,  resume 
his  original  Godhead,  from  which  he 
had  emptied  himself  (Phil.  2  :  6-8),  and 
God  will  be  all  in  all  (1  Cor.  15  :  28), 
and  no  longer  govern  the  universe  by  a 
mediator  or  vicegerent.  All'ord  ex- 
plains the  delivering  up  of  all  things  to 


man  knoweth  the  Son,  but  the 
Father ;  ''  neither  knoweth  any 
man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and 
he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  re- 
veal him. 

d  John  1 :  18,  &  6  :  46,  «&  10  :  15. 


the  Son,  by  the  preceding  hast  revealed, 
only  this  form  of  speech  could  not  be 
used  of  the  Eternal  Son,  himself  being 
the  great  Revealer  of  that  delivered  to 
him  by  the  Father,  in  order  to  be  re- 
vealed. This  is  true,  but  does  not 
sound  the  full  depths  of  this  great  pas- 
sage. No  man  knoweth  the  Son  hit  the 
Father.  This  mutual  knowledge  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  is  based  upon,  and 
refers  to  their  co-e([ual  relationship,  as 
persons  in  the  Godhead.  In  the  first 
clauseof  this  verse,  our  Lord  having  as- 
serted his  exaltation  as  God-man,  to  be 
the  supreme  Head  of  all  things,  now 
goes  on  to  declare  that  between  God 
the  Father  and  himself,  in  his  higher 
nature,  separate  from  humanity,  there 
exists  an  equality  of  knowledge  in  re- 
spect to  each  other,  such  as  could  not  be, 
if  either  were  less  than  the  Omniscient 
God.  In  this  verse  we  then  find  the 
whole  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  of 
one  of  the  Persons  in  the  Trinity.  The 
humble  and  despised  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
in  union  with  his  human  nature,  had  a 
divine  nature,  co-eternal  with  God  the 
Father,  and  having  all  the  attributes  of 
the  Godhead.  To  this  mysterious  and 
divine  Personage,  all  things  have  been 
given  by  Him,  who,  in  the  economy  of 
redemption,  has  an  official  superiority 
designated  by  the  term  Father,  and 
who  as  such  sent  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  achieve  this  glorious  work. 
And  he  to  whoinsoever,  &c.  "  No  man 
hath  seen  God  at  any  time ;  the  only 
begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him." 
John  1:18.  Christ  was  the  great  Re- 
vealer of  the  ways  of  God  to  man.  He 
could  make  known  the  hidden  things  of 
God,  for  he  was  truly  and  verily  God. 
No  created  being  could  do  this.  The 
highest  finite  intelligence  can  no  more 
fathom  the  infinitude  of  God's  perfec- 
tions, than  the  lowest.  "  Who  by  search- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAl'TER  XI. 


133 


28  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest. 

29  Take  my  yoke  upon   you, 


ingcan  find   Him  out,"   or  reveal  the 
depths  of  his  infinite  mind  ? 

28.  Come  unto  me,  &c.  How  inex- 
pressibly sweet  and  affecting  is  the 
transition  from  the  grandeur  of  the 
preceding  theme,  to  this  tender  invita- 
tion to  poor,  weary,  heavy-laden  sin- 
ners to  come  and  find  rest  in  Him,  who, 
in  the  light  of  what  he  had  just  uttered, 
was  mighty  to  save  all  who  trusted  in 
him.  That  labor  and  are  heavy  laden  ; 
literally,  laboring  and  heavy  laden,  the 
former  of  which  refers  to  the  vain 
struggles  of  the  soul,  while  out  of 
Christ,  10  free  itself  from  sin ;  the 
latter  to  the  ponderous  load  of  guilt 
which  is  weighing  it  down.  Two  more 
expressive  terms  to  portray  sin  and  its 
consequences  could  hardly  be  found. 
Some  refer  the  burdens  here  spoken  of 
to  the  cumbrous  rites  and  ceremonies, 
with  which  the  common  people  were 
laden  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees. 
This  may  be  true  in  part,  but  the 
main  reference  is  most  unquestionably 
to  the  burden  of  sin,  with  which  all, 
whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  are  bowed 
down.  The  rest,  or  repose,  here  spoken 
of,  is  a  conscience  free  from  the  sting 
of  sin,  a  calm  reliance  upon  Christ  for 
salvation,  freedom  from  the  terrors  of 
death,  and  eternal  felicity  in  the  world 
to  come.  The  word  implies  a  previous 
condition  of  toil  and  fatigue,  and  places 
in  delightful  contrast  the  struggles  and 
burdened  condition  of  the  soul,  while 
under  the  law  of  sin  and  death,  and 
its  sweet  and  peaceful  serenity  when  it 
is  attracted  to  Jesus. 

29.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you.  The 
yoke  was  the  symbol  of  subjugation. 
Here  it  refers  to  the  precepts  and  ser- 
vice of  Christ,  which  were  light  and 
gentle,  when  compared  with  the 
cumbrous  ceremonies,  under  which 
the  Jews  were  weighed  down,  and 
especially  the  load  of  sin  pressing 
heavily  upon  all.  Take  my  yoke  upon 
you,  was  equivalent  to  saying,   be  my 


'  and  learn  of  me  :  for  I  am  meek 
and  ^  lowly  in  heart :  •"  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls. 

6  Jn.  13:15;  Phi.  2:5;  1  Pe.  2  :  21 ;  1  Jn.2:6. 
/Zee.  9:9;  Phi.  2  :  7,  8.         gia.6: 16. 


discipjles,  the  same  thought  being 
carried  out  in  the  next  clause,  lear?!  of 
me,  as  the  Revealer  and  Teacher.  The 
invitation  is  given  to  all  to  become 
learners  in  the  school  of  Christ,  and  re- 
ceive that  revelation  of  the  Father 
spoken  of  in  v.  26.  These  words  are 
also  susceptible  of  another  shade  of 
thought.  3Iy  yoke  may  be  referred  to 
the  one,  which  Christ,  as  our  Redeemer, 
himself,  has  borne.  As  he  entered 
upon  a  life  of  suffering,  and  bore  the 
yoke  or  burden  of  our  sins  with  meek- 
ness and  lowliness  of  heart,  so  he  ex- 
horts all  to  come  to  him  with  a  like 
spirit  of  patient  endurance,  and  learn 
from  his  example  to  take  upon  them- 
selves any  burden  or  duty  which,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  may  be  imposed 
upon  them.  This  sense  accords  well 
with  the  words,  for  I  am  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart,  which  furnish  an  example 
of  imitation,  as  well  as  ground  of  en- 
couragment  for  distressed  and  trem- 
bling sinners  to  come  boldly  to  him 
for  relief.  In  heart.  Not  only  in  per- 
son, "  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief,"  but  in  heart,  sympathizing 
with  all  who  are  pressed  down  with  the 
burden  of  sin.  And  ye  shall  fnd  rest, 
&c.  This  is  an  emphatic  repetition  of 
the  last  clause  of  the  preceding  verse. 
Unto  yonr  souls.  It  was  a  spiritual 
rest  which  was  promised,  the  only  one 
desirable  and  permanent.  "  There  re- 
maineth  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God." 
Exemption  from  physical  toils  is  often- 
times a  positive  curse,  and  is  never  to 
be  coveted  by  a  person  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  good  health.  But  the  rest  of 
the  soul,  how  precious,  how  desirable. 
What  whirlwinds  of  sorrow  and  care  at 
times  sweep  over  the  spirit  of  man. 
How  are  the  waters  agitated  and 
troubled  to  their  lowest  depths.  _  To 
put  ourselves  under  the  care  of  a  Being, 
who  can  say  to  these  storms  and  angry 
waves,  peace,  be  still,  is  a  blessing  of 
infinite  value. 


134 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


30  ''  For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and 
my  burden  is  light. 


A 


CHAPTER  XII. 
T  that  time  "Jesus  went  on 
the  sabbath  day  through  the 

A  IJn.  5 :  3. 


30.  For  my  yoke  is  easy;  literally, 
useful,  serviceable.  This  is  added  by 
way  of  confirmation  of  the  sentiment 
of  the  preceding  verse.  The  service 
of  Christ  imposes  duties  upon  us.  It 
is  a  yoke.  But  it  is  one  that  is  useful 
and  gentle.  The  burden  is  light. 
Whoever  bears  it  will  find  it  a  most 
delightful  symbol  of  subjection  to  the 
Savior,  who  died  for  him,  and  lives  as 
his  great  Advocate  and  Intercessor. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

1-8.  The  Disciples  pluck  the 
Ears  of  Grain  on  the  Sabbath. 
Mark  2  :  28-28  ;  Luke  6  :  1-5. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass.  The  inci- 
dent here  related  took  place,  probably, 
on  our  Savior's  way  to  Galilee  from 
Jerusalem,  which  he  left  in  consequence 
of  the  persecution  of  the  Jews,  because 
he  had  healed  the  infirm  man  at  the 
pool  of  Bethesda  (John  5  :  16,  18). 
Went  through  the  corn  (i.  e.  the  fields 
of  corn).  Indian  maize  is  not  here 
intended,  as  that  was  probably  un- 
known to  the  Jews.  The  word  corn  in 
Scripture  usage,  is  generically  put  for 
what  we  denominate  English  grains,  as 
wheat,  rye,  barley,  &c.  Kernels  of 
these  grains  may  be  eat,  without  any 
previous  preparation.  The  fact,  how- 
ever, that  the  disciples  ate  these  raw 
kernels,  and  that  Jesus  justified  it  on  the 
plea  of  necessity,  when  charged  with 
violating  the  Sabbath,  shows  that  they 
must  have  been  reduced  to  extreme 
hunger.  It  is  from  such  incidents  as 
this,  that  we  obtain  a  glimpse  of  the 
privations  of  our  blessed  Redeemer. 
True  it  is  not  said,  that  our  Savior  ap- 
peased his  hunger  in  tlie  way  here 
spoken  of.  But  this  does  not  imply 
that  his  wants  were  supplied  from  other 
sources,  but  rather  that  he  was  so  ab- 


corn ;  and  his  disciples  were  an 
hungered,  and  began  to  pluck  the 
ears  of  corn,  and  to  eat. 

2  But  when  the  Pharisees  saw 
it^  they  said  unto  him,  Behold, 
thy  disciples  do  that  which  is  not 

oDe.23:25;  Ma.  2:  23;  Lu.  6:1. 

sorbed  in  his  work  of  communicating 
instruction,  that  he  was  in  a  measure 
insensible  to  the  pangs  of  hunger.  On 
the  sabbath  day  (literally,  sabbath  days, 
the  plural  of  this  word  being  often  used 
for  the  singular).  Luke  calls  it  "  the 
second  sabbath  after  the  first,"  the  se- 
cond-first sabbath,  as  Dr.  Robinson  well 
interprets  it.  The  Jews  numbered  off 
seven  Sabbaths  from  the  second  day  of 
the  passover,  or  of  unleavened  bread, 
to  the  Pentecost.  This  Sabbath  was 
the  first  of  these  seven.  This  enables 
us  to  fix  pretty  nearly  the  time,  when 
our  Lord  passed  through  these  corn- 
fields. It  was  just  after  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  second  passover,  which  he 
attended  (John  5:1),  and  from  which, 
for  the  reason  above  given,  he  returned 
hastily  to  Galilee.  To  pluck  the  ears. 
This  pulling  off  the  heads  of  grain,  in- 
cludes what  Luke  expresses  by  "  rub- 
bing them  in  their  hands,"  so  as  to 
separate  the  grain  from  the  chaff.  It 
was  allowed  in  the  law  (Deut.  23  :  25) 
to  pluck  ears  of  corn,  as  one  passed 
through  a  field.  Had  it  been  unlawful, 
the  Pharisees  would  have  seized  upon 
that,  as  a  ground  of  accusation. 

2.  But  when  the  Pharisees  saw  it.  Of 
their  own  accord,  or  employed  for  this 
purpose  by  the  rulers,  certain  persons 
of  this  sect  appear  to  have  followed 
Jesus  from  place  to  place,  to  find  some 
ground  of  accusation  against  him.  Our 
Lord's  visit  to  Jerusalem  (John  5:1) 
seems  to  have  stirred  up  the  hostility 
of  the  Pharisees,  so  that  from  this  time 
they  appear  never  to  have  lost  sight  of 
him,  but  always  to  have  watched  him 
with  an  evil  eye.  Do  that  which  is  not 
laicful,  &c.  As  the  act  of  eating  was 
not  a  violation  of  the  Sabbath,  this 
cliarge  lay  in  the  plucking  of  the  ears 
of  grain,  which,   by  a  species  of  quib- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


135 


lawful   to  do  upon   the    sabbath 
day. 

3  But  he  said  unto  them,  Have 
ye  not  read  *  what  David  did  when 
he  was  a  hungered,  and  they  that 
were  with  him ; 

4  How   he   entered   into   the 

51  Sa.  21:6.        c  Ex.  25:  30;  Le.  24  :  5. 


bling,  they  brought  under  the  head  of 
reaping^  in  the  very  face  of  Deut.  23  : 
25,  where  a  distinction  is  made  between 
the  two  acts. 

3.  Although  our  Lord  might  have 
answered,  that  the  plucking  off  and 
rubbing  out  of  a  few  heads  of  grain,  to 
satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger,  was  a 
far  different  thing  from  reaping  and 
gathering  a  harvest,  yet  he  chose  to 
reply,  by  advancing  a  general  principle 
of  great  use  to  his  people  of  every  age, 
in  determining  the  lawfulness  of  certain 
acts  on  the  Sabbath.  He  justifies  his 
disciples  on  the  ground  of  necessity, 
and  thus  teaches  that  all  acts  of  this 
sort,  as  well  as  of  mercy  (see  v.  12), 
are  lawful  to  be  performed  on  the  Sab- 
bath. Have  ye  not  read,  &c.  See  N. 
on  19  :  4.  Without  directly  answering 
their  charge,  he  introduces  the  ex- 
ample of  David  (1  Sam.  21  :  1-1),  who 
through  necessity  ate  of  the  bread  ap- 
propriated to  the  use  of  the  priests  only 
(Levit.  24 :  6-9),  and  thus  broke  the 
letter  of  the  ceremonial  statutes.  The 
language  in  1  Sam.  21  :  6,  seems  to  in- 
dicate that  hot  bread  had  been  put  in, 
on  the  day  that  David  came,  which 
shows  that  it  was  on  the  Sabbath  (Levit. 
24 :  8).  This,  as  Alford  remarks,  makes 
the  example  doubly  appropriate.  And 
they  (were  a  hungered)  that  were  with 
hhn.  Reference  is  had  to  the  persons 
who  had  fled  with  him  from  the  court  of 
Saul,  for  the  companies  of  distressed 
and  discontented  persons  did  not  join 
him,  until  his  escape  to  the  cave  of 
AduUam  (1  Sam.  22  :  1,  2). 

4.  House  of  God,  i.  e.  the  Tabernacle. 
Until  the  building  of  the  temple,  this 
was  the  place,  where  were  deposited 
the  sacred   utensils  and    symbols  of 


house  of  God,  and  did  eat  '  the 
shewbread,  which  was  not  lawful 
for  him  to  eat,  neither  for  them 
which  were  with  him,  ''  but  only 
for  the  priests  ? 

5   Or  have  ye  not  read   in   the 
'  law,  how  that  on  the  sabbath  days 

dEx.  29:  82,  33;  Le.  8:  31,  &  24:  9. 
eNu.28:9;   Jn.  T  :  22. 


God's  presence,  and  where  the  tribes 
gathered  themselves  together  for  public 
worship.  It  was  divided  into  three 
parts,  the  court  of  the  tabernacle, 
about  150  feet  long,  and  75  feet  wide, 
surrounded  on  all  sides,  by  linen  cur- 
tains five  cubits  in  height,  fastened 
with  rods  of  silver  accacia  (shittim 
wood).  The  entrance  was  on  the  east 
side,  and  was  closed  by  letting  fall  a 
sort  of  tapestry,  and  opened  by  draw- 
ing it  up.  In  the  middle  of  the  west- 
ern side  of  this  court,  was  the  Taber- 
nacle, properly  so  called,  being  covered 
in  every  part,  and  of  an  oblong  square, 
30  cubits  long  from  west  to  east,  and 
10  cubits  broad  from  north  to  south. 
This  was  divided  into  two  parts,  the 
holy,  in  which  was  the  golden  candle- 
stick, the  table  of  shewbread,  on 
which  were  placed  in  two  piles,  twelve 
unleavened  loaves,  as  a  symbol  of  the 
offerings  they  were  to  make  to  their  theo- 
cratic King,  and  the  altar  of  incense  ; 
the  holy  of  holies,  in  which  was  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  and  into  which  it  was 
lawful  for  no  person  to  enter,  except 
the  high  priest  on  the  day  of  propi- 
tiation. It  was  the  outer  court  into 
which  David  probably  entered,  and  re- 
ceived from  Ahimelech  the  bread  he 
needed.  Shewbread,  or  bread  of  the 
presence  or  face,  so  called  because  it 
was  placed  before  the  face  or  presence 
of  Jehovah,  as  the  royal  table  is  spread 
in  the  presence  of  an  earthly  king. 
Bid  ;  literally,  except,  referring  to  the 
words,  was  not  lawful. 

6.  Another  example  of  necessary 
labor  on  the  Sabbath,  acknowledged  by 
the  Jews  themselves  to  be  sinless,  is 
drawn  from  the  service  of  the  priests 
in  killing,  flaying,  dressing,  and  burning 


136 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  SI. 


the  priests  in  the  temple  profane 
the  sabbath,  and  are  bUimelerfs  ? 

6  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  in 
this  place  is  ^  one  greater  than  the 
temple. 

7  But  if  ye  had  known  what 

/2  Ch.  6  :  IS ;  Mai.  3 : 1. 

Siicrifices,  and  baking  shewbread 
(Levit.  24  :  8)  on  the  Sabbath,  which 
if  done  by  persons  upon  whom  no  such 
necessity  was  laid,  would  have  been 
a  violation  of  the  day.  In  the  law,  i.  e. 
the  revealed  lew.  See  Numb.  28  :  9, 
10,  18,  19.  As  Steir  well  remarks,  not 
only  does  sacred  history  furnish  exam- 
ples of  exception  to  the  law  of  the  Sab- 
bath from  necessity,  but  the  law  itself 
ordains  work  to  be  done  on  the  Sabbath 
as  a  duty.  In  the  temple,  where  the 
desecration  of  the  Sabbath  might  least 
be  expected.  This  is  added  as  a  height- 
ening circumstance,  if  the  priests  real- 
ly profaned  the  Sabbath  by  their  labors, 
as  they  did,  if  the  doctrine  laid  down 
by  the  Pharisees,  in  their  charge  against 
the  disciples,  was  correct.  Profane 
the  sabbath.  Not  really  so,  but  by 
doing  what  in  other  circumstances 
would  have  been  a  profanation.  Are 
blameless,  because  what  they  did  was 
the  necessary  discharge  of  duty.  Thus 
by  these  two  examples,  drawn  the  one 
from  David,  their  most  honored  king, 
the  other  from  their  own  priests,  Christ 
triumphantly  shows,  that  a  work  of 
necessity  is  no  violation  of  the  Sab- 
bath. 

6.  Having  thus  established  the  prin- 
ciple, Jesus  shows  in  this  verse,  that  the 
act  of  his  disciples  fell  within  its  provi- 
sions. If  in  the  temple  worship,  a  priest 
might  labor  on  the  Sabbath,  and  yet  be 
blameless,  his  disciples  would  on  like 
principle  be  blameless,  in  doing  what 
was  necessary  in  the  service  of  One, 
who  was  far  greater  than  the  temple. 
They  were  faint  and  hungry,  and  their 
labors  must  not  be  rendered  ineffective 
by  exhausted  bodily  strength.  It  was 
necessary  to  the  active  discharge  of 
their  duties,  as  disciples  and  followers 
of  Christ,  that  they  should  take  suste- 
nance.    According  to  the  principle  of 


ihis  meaneth,  ■'  I  will  have  mercy, 
and  not  sacrifice,  ye  would  not 
have  condemned  the  guiltless. 

8  For  the  Son  of  man  is  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath  day. 

fir  Ho.  6 :  6 ;  Mi.  6 :  6,  7,  8 ;  ch.  9  :  13. 

necessity  just  established,  they  had 
been  guilty  of  no  profanation  of  the 
Sabbath.  In  this  place.  Our  Lord 
may  have  made  some  gesture,  indicative 
of  a  reference  to  himself.  Greater  in 
respect  to  the  importance  of  the  service 
due  to  him.  This  is  the  point  in  which 
our  Savior  compares  himself  with  the 
temple.  But  the  temple  service  was 
ordained  of  God,  being  founded  upon 
the  tabernacle  service,  instituted  ac- 
cording to  the  pattern  shown  to  Moses 
in  the  Mount  (Heb.  8  :  5).  In  asserting 
that  his  service  was  superior  to  the 
temple  service,  Christ,  therefore,  gives 
precedence  to  his  service,  over  that 
which  had  been  divinely  constituted, 
which  was  no  less  than  claiming  to  be 
God,  and  to  have  spoken  which,  had 
he  not  been  truly  God,  would  have  been 
the  rankest  blasphemy.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  the  word  translated 
greater,  is  taken  by  many  editors  and 
commentators,  as  a  neuter,  something 
greater,  a  greater  thing,  i.  e.  a  greater 
service  or  work  than  the  temple  ser- 
vice. But  the  sense  is  the  same.  A 
superiority  is  claimed,  which  no  created 
being  could  properly  have  assumed. 

7.  Our  Lord  again  refers  to  the  pas- 
sage quoted  in  9  :  13  (on  which  see  N.), 
to  show  that  acts  of  piety  and  goodness 
are  to  be  preferred  to  outward  forms 
and  ordinances.  If  1J^  ^'*"^  knovm.  If 
ye  had  fully  comprehended  the  import. 
Ye  would  have  not  condemned  the  guilt- 
less (i.  e.  my  disciples),  who  are  en- 
gaged in  such  works  of  love  and  mercy 
in  my  service. 

8.  The  general  sense  of  this  passage 
will  be  rendered  clear,  by  regarding 
V.  */,  as  parenthetic,  and  connecting 
this  in  thought  with  v.  6,  as  furnish- 
ing a  reason,  why  Christ's  superiority 
to  the  temple  would  warrant  his  setting 
aside  any  ceremonial  institution.     For 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


137 


9  '  And  when  he  was  departed 
tlieuce,  he  went  into  their  syna- 
gogue. 

A  Ma.  3  : 1 ;  Lu.  6  :  6. 


the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  even  of  the  Sab- 
bath, i.  e.  has  an  absolute  right  to 
repeal  the  law  of  the  Sabbath,  or  modify 
it  as  he  pleases.  This  is  one  of  the 
strongest  proof-texts  of  Christ's  divinity, 
to  be  found  in  the  whole  Bible.  What 
created  being  would  dare  to  assert  his 
supremacy  over  any  divine  enactment, 
and  power  to  abrogate  or  abridge  the 
strictness  of  its  claims  ?  It  would  be 
blasphemy  of  the  deepest  dye  thus  to 
do.  Marli  introduces  before  this  verse 
these  words,  "  tlie  Sabbath  was  made 
for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath  : 
therefore  the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also 
of  the  Sabbath."  The  sense  of  this  is, 
that  the  Sabbath  was  intended  as  a 
blessing  and  help  to  man  in  the  service 
of  his  Maker,  and  was  not  an  arbitrary 
institution,  to  press  him  down  by  its 
burdensome  duties  and  requirements. 
It  was  made  for  man,  and  therefore  the 
Son  of  man,  having  assumed  man's  na- 
ture, and  become  his  full  and  perfect  re- 
presentative and  head,  has  it  under  his 
own  power.  The  connective,  therefore, 
in  Mark,  has  led  some  critics  to  regard 
Son  of  man,  as  put  for  man  in  general, 
and  to  interpret  the  passage,  as  teach- 
ing that  man  is  the  lord  and  umpire  of 
the  Sabbath,  constituted  as  it  was  for 
his  benefit.  But  the  phrase  the  Son  of 
man,  as  Bloomfield  remarks,  occurs  in 
87  places,  besides  this,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  in  every  instance  refers  to 
him  as  Messiah.  What  slender  ground 
is  there  then  for  wresting  it,  in  this 
place,  from  its  invariable  meaning.  The 
word  translated,  therefore,  in  Mark  may 
be  rendered,  mnreomr,  introducing  an- 
other reason  why  the  Sabbath  was  not 
to  be  regarded  as  superior  to  the  claims 
of  humanity  and  mercy,  viz.  that  the 
Son  of  man  was  its  Lord,  and  could  ab- 
rogate it  if  he  saw  fit.  In  this  way, 
therefore  in  Mark  harmonizes  with  for 
in  Matthew.  We  are  not  to  suppose 
from  this  passage  that  our  Lord  has 
abrogated  any  of  the  claims  or   sanc- 


10  And  behold,  there  was  a 
man  which  had  his  hand  wither- 
ed.    And  they  asked  him,  saying, 


tions  of  the  Sabbath.  He  only  asserts 
his  power  to  do  this,  and  thus  shows 
that  in  his  service  and  for  the  benefit 
of  man,  things  may  be  done  on  that 
day,  which  in  other  circumstances  and 
relations  are  forbidden.  Hence  the 
criticism  is  groundless,  which  makes 
Jesus  claim  to  be  Lord  of  the  Sabbath, 
but  not  of  the  Sabbath  law. 

9-14.  Jesus  heals  a  withered 
Hand  on  the  Sabbath.  Galilee.  Mark 
3:1-6;  Luke  6  :  6-11. 

9.  And  when  he  was  departed  thence, 
on  his  way  to  Galilee.  See  N.  on  v.  1. 
Their  synayogue,  i.  e.  the  synagogue  of 
the  people  among  whom  he  had  come, 
but  not  necessarily,  as  Trench  thinks, 
the  synagogue  of  those  with  whom  he 
had  just  disputed.  He  was  now  proba- 
bly in  some  city  or  town  of  Galilee. 
Luke  says,  that  it  was  on  another  Sab- 
bath day,  that  he  entered  into  the  syn- 
agogue, most  likely  the  one  immediate- 
ly following  that,  in  which  he  passed 
through  the  corn-fields. 

10.  A  withered  ha7id;  literally,  a  dry 
hand,  withered  and  shrunken,  as  though 
the  juices  or  moisture  had  been  dried 
up  through  heat ;  an  atrophy  of  the 
hand,  attended  with  a  withering  away, 
and  an  inability  to  move  the  nerves  and 
muscles.  Dr.  Jahn  ranks  it  under  cata- 
lepsy, or  a  species  of  palsy,  in  which 
the  Hmb  remains  fixed  and  motionless, 
in  the  same  position  in  which  it  was, 
when  first  struck  with  the  disease.  It 
has  ever  been  regarded  as  an  incurable 
disease.  And  they  asked  him.  Luke 
(6  :  7)  says  "the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
watched  him,  whether  he  would  heal  on 
the  sabbath  day,  that  they  might  find 
accusation  against  him,"  and  that  Christ 
knowing  their  thoughts,  commanded 
the  man  to  rise  up  and  stand  forth  in 
the  midst  of  the  assembly.  So  also 
Mark  (3  :  3).  It  was  at  this  point  of 
the  transaction,  that  the  Pharisees  made 
the  inquiry  recorded  only  by  Matthew : 
Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sabbath  day  ? 


138 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


'  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sab- 
bath days?  that  they  might  ac- 
cuse him. 

11  And  he  said  unto  them, 
What  man  shall  there  be  among 
you,  that  shall  have  one  sheep, 
and  *  if  it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the 

i  Lu.  13 :  14,  &  14  :  3;  John  9  :  16. 

a  question  implying  in  itself,  a  strong 
denial  of  the  lawfulness  of  the  act. 
With  a  sort  of  pious  horror,  they  thus 
exclaim  against  this  profanation  of  the 
day. 

11.  Our  Savior  replies  to  their  ques- 
tion, as  he  was  wont  to  do,  by  pro- 
posing another,  in  which  he  brings 
forward  an  additional  class  of  acts,  viz. 
those  of  merci/,  to  be  added  to  the 
works  of  7iecessiti/,  permitted  by  him  in 
tlie  previous  discourse  with  the  Phari- 
sees in  the  corn-field,  to  be  done  on 
the  sabbath  day.  This  appears  clearly 
from  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke, 
where,  as  Trench  well  observes,  our 
Lord  shows  that  the  alternative  is  not 
in  doing  or  not  doing,  as  they  had  put 
it,  but  in  doing  or  failing  to  do  good, 
about  which  there  could  be  no  question, 
since  we  are  bound  to  do  good  and 
shun  evil  at  all  times.  In  this  question, 
as  recorded  by  Matthew,  he  shows  that 
his  accusers  themselves  acted  on  the 
principle,  in  their  effort  to  save  an 
animal  from  death,  which  had  fallen 
into  a  pit  on  the  sabbath  day.  See  N. 
on  the  following  verse.  WJiat  mati,  &c. 
The  question  is  twofold,  like  that  in 
7  :  9.  The  simple  form  would  be  : 
Who  of  you  that  has  one  sheep,  if  it 
fall,  &c. — will  not  lay  hold,  &c.  But  this 
construction  would  have  been  less  em- 
phatic. The  idea  is  not  that  one  sheep 
only  was  possessed,  but  the  fiilling 
into  a  pit  of  one  only,  out  of  a  flock  of 
perhaps  several  hundred.  This  height- 
ens the  force  of  our  Lord's  argument, 
that  to  save  one  sheep,  which  would 
scarcely  be  missed  from  the  flock,  such 
strenuous  efforts  should  be  made  on 
the  sabbath  day.  A  pit.  In  Luke  14: 
5,  it  is  a  well.  They  were  excavations 
in  the  fields  answering  for  cisterns,  into 


sabbath  day,  will  he  not  lay  hold 
on  it,  and  lift  it  out  ? 

12  How  much  then  is  a  man 
better  than  a  sheep  ?  Wherefore 
it  is  lawful  to  do  well  on  the  sab- 
bath days. 

13  Then  saith  he  to  the  man, 

ifc  See  Ex.  23 : 4,  5 ;   De.  22:  4. 


which  animals  sometimes  stumbled  and 
fell.  Lai/  hold  on  it  and  lift  it  out. 
These  words  are  expressive  of  the  haste 
and  energy  of  effort  to  save  the  animiil. 
At  the  time  of  our  Savior,  this  was  law- 
ful. It  was  afterwards  forbidden  (as 
Steir  suggests,  on  account  of  these 
words  of  Christ),  and  planks  only  were 
laid  for  the  beast  to  come  out  itself. 

12.  How  much  then  is  a  man  better. 
How  much  more  valuable  his  life  and 
happiness,  and  with  how  much  gi-eater 
pains  should  his  wants  be  attended  to, 
and  his  infirmities  removed.  The  argu- 
ment is  both  a  fortiori  (see  N.  on  5 : 
15),  and  what  logicians  call  ad  hominem, 
i.  e.  reasoning  upon  their  own  grounds 
or  principles.  As  they  thought  it  not 
wrong  to  save  the  life  of  a  sheep  on 
the  sabbath  day,  they  could  find  no 
fault  with  the  more  important  service 
he  was  about  to  render  the  man,  who 
stood  before  him.  They  were  right  in 
performing  deeds  of  mercy  to  the  brute 
creation  on  the  Sabbath ;  he  was  also 
right,  in  administering  relief  to  the  man 
on  that  day.  To  do  well,  i.  e.  to  per- 
form acts  of  mercy  and  benevolence. 

13.  It  appears  from  Mark  and  Luke, 
that  previously  to  performing  the  cure, 
he  proposed  in  turn  a  question  to  the 
Pharisees,  by  which  he  hinted  at  their 
murderous  designs  upon  himself,  and 
rebuked  their  hypocritical  pretensions 
of  regard  for  the  sanctity  of  the  Sab- 
bath. "  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good  (as  I 
am  doing)  on  the  sabbath  days,  or  to 
do  evil  (as  is  your  practice)?  to  save 
life  or  to  kill  (as  you  are  endeav- 
oring to  do  in  planning  my  destruc- 
tion) ?  "  With  a  holy  indignation  and 
grief  at  such  hypocrisy  and  wickedness, 
he  looked  around  upon  them,  after 
which  he  said  to  the  man.  Stretch  forth 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


139 


Stretch  forth  thine  hand.  And  he 
stretched  it  forth  ;  and  it  was  re- 
stored whole,  like  as  the  other. 

14  Then  '  the  Pharisees  went 
out,  and  held  a  council  against 
him,  how  they  might  destroy  him. 

ZCli.  2T:1;  Ma.8:6;  Lu.  6:11;  Jn.  5  :  18,  & 
10  :  39,  &  11 :  53. 

thhie  hand.  No  outward  act  was  here 
performed,  as  was  usual  with  our  Lord, 
but  a  simple  command,  and  thus  his 
enemies  had  no  legal  ground  of  charg- 
ing him  with  a  violation  of  the  Sabbath. 
The  dignity  and  solemnity  of  the  whole 
scene,  was  such  as  to  stop  their  mouth 
from  any  reply,  although  how  deeply 
they  felt  his  stern  rebuke,  is  seen  from 
what  Luke  says,  that  "  they  were  filled 
with  madness,"  and  from  the  fact,  that 
they  immediately  went  forth,  and  con- 
sulted together  how  they  might  put 
him  to  death.  Stretch  forth.  The  very 
thing  which  he  had  in  himself  no  power 
to  do.  Yet  he  obeyed  the  command, 
and  his  obedience  was  accompanied 
with  the  necessary  power.  Thus  in  the 
work  of  personal  salvation,  obedience 
to  the  requisitions  of  the  gospel  will 
always  be  attended  with  divine  aid  and 
influence,  and  so  harmonious  and  con- 
temporaneous will  be  our  own  and  the 
divine  agency,  that  it  will  appear  as 
though  the  power  was  all  lodged  in 
ourselves,  even  though  in  the  light  of 
God's  word,  and  the  experience  we 
have  of  our  own  spiritual  helplessness, 
we  know  that  it  all  comes  from  above. 
It  was  restored  whole  ;  literally,  it  was 
established  or  made  quite  whole.  The 
word  denotes  a  complete  and  perma- 
nent cure. 

14.  Went  out  from  the  synagogue.  They 
left  it  with  a  pretended  horror  at  the 
defilement  of  the  Sabbath.  Held  a 
council,  i.  e.  consulted  together.  Mark 
(3  :  6)  says  that  they  took  counsel  with 
the  Herodians,  or  partisans  of  Herod 
Antipas,  the  political  opponents  of  the 
Pharisees,  being  stanch  supporters  of 
the  Roman  authority  in  Palestine.  If, 
as  is  probable,  this  political  sect  em* 
braced  many  of  the  chief  men  of  the 
Sadducees,  their  reUgious  tenets  also 


15  But  when  Jesus  knew  it, 
"'he  withdrew  himself  from  thence: 
"  and  great  multitudes  followed 
him,  and  he  healed  them  all  ; 

16  And  "  charged  them  that 
they  should  not  make  him  known  : 

m  See  ch.  10 :  23;  Ma.  3:7.        n  Ch.  19  :  2. 
o  Ch.  9  :  80. 


were  adverse  to  the  Pharisees.  Yet,  with 
these  political  and  religious  opponents, 
they  hold  an  amicable  consultation  to 
destroy  Jesus.  Thus  do  we  often  see 
wicked  men  uniting  to  oppose  religion 
or  great  social  reforms,  and  like  Pilate 
and  Herod,  becoming  friends,  when 
Jesus  is  to  be  crucified,  or  his  gospel 
opposed.  This  was  the  first  consulta- 
tion of  the  kind  reported  to  us.  From 
this  time  onward,  it  was  the  great  ob- 
ject of  their  solicitude,  to  find  some 
legal  pretence  to  put  him  to  death. 

15-21.  Multitudes  follow  Jesus  to 
THE  Sea  of  Tiberias.  Lake  of  Galilee. 
Mark  3  :  7-12. 

15.  Knew  it,  i.  e.  their  murderous 
designs.  He  withdrew  himself  from 
thence  (see  10  :  23).  The  time  had  not 
come  when  he  was  to  be  delivered  up 
to  them,  and  therefore  he  temporarily 
withdrew  from  his  enemies.  Mark 
says  that  he  went  with  his  disciples  to 
the  sea  of  Galilee.  See  N.  on  Mark 
3  :  7.  Great  midtitiules  folloived  him. 
They  came  from  almost  every  quarter 
of  the  land  (Mark  3  :  7),  drawn  to- 
gether by  the  report  of  his  wonderful 
works.  He  healed  them  all,  1.  e.  all  who 
were  afflicted  with  maladies.  We  are 
indebted  to  Mark,  for  a  more  full  ac- 
count of  his  labors  on  this  occasion,  at 
the  sea  of  Tiberias.  The  eagerness  of 
the  multitude,  especially  such  as  had 
diseases,  to  touch  him  was  so  great, 
that  as  a  precautionary  measure  against 
being  pressed  by  too  large  a  crowd,  a 
small  ship  was  put  in  readiness  to  re- 
ceive him,  if  it  should  be  necessary. 
Many  possessed  with  unclean  spirits,  as 
soon  as  they  came  into  his  presence, 
fell  down  before  him,  and  acknowledged 
him  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  See  Mark 
3  :  9-11. 

16.  And  charged  them.     The    con- 


140 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


17  That  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  by  Esaias  the 
prophet,  saying, 

18  'Behold  my  servant,  whom 
I  have  chosen ;  my  beloved,  *  in 
whom  my  soul  is  well  pleased : 
I    will  put  my  Spirit  upon  him, 

p  Is.  42  : 1. 


struction  refers  this  to  all  the  persons 
healed  on  this  occasion,  but  in  Mark  it 
would  seem  to  be  especially  directed  to 
those,  from  whom  he  had  cast  out  devils, 
and  who  were  giving  loud  utterance  to 
his  being  the  true  Messiah.  Our  Sa- 
vior was  now  so  beset  by  his  insidious 
enemies,  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians, 
that  it  became  prudent  to  avoid  every 
thing  adapted  to  embitter  them  against 
him.  It  did  not  comport  also  with  his 
unostentatious  spirit,  that  a  display 
should  be  made  of  his  mighty  works. 
Make  him  known,  i.  e.  blazen  abroad 
his  fame. 

17.  That  it  might  be  fulfilled,  &c. 
See  N.  on  1  :  22. 

18.  This  quotation  from  Isa.  42  :  1- 
4,  is  not  in  the  exact  words  of  the  ori- 
ginal, but  yet  adheres  closely  to  the 
sense.  The  prophecy  was  fulfilled  in 
the  quiet,  humble,  unostentatious  spirit, 
with  which  Jesus  prosecuted  his  work. 
He  had  withdrawn  from  the  cities  to  a 
retired  place  by  the  sea.  He  had 
strictly  enjoined  silence  in  respect  to 
his  miracles.  His  whole  demeanor  cor- 
responded exactly  to  the  character 
given  him  in  the  prophecy  referred  to. 
Behold  my  servant.  These  words  served 
to  direct  attention  to  the  Messiah. 
Christ  took  upon  himself  the  form  of  a 
servant.  As  Mediator  he  was  in  a  state 
of  subordination  and  servitude  to  the 
Father.  See  N.  on  11:  26.  Whom  I 
have  chosen  for  the  office-work  of  the 
Messiah.  My  beloved,  &c.  Almost  the 
exact  words  of  the  voice  from  heaven, 
at  the  time  of  his  baptism  (3:17).  / 
will  put  my  spirit  upon  him.  This  also 
had  a  fulfilment  at  his  baptism  (3  :  16), 
and  John  also  testified  (3  :  34),  that  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  were  not  en- 
joyed by  him  in  limited  measure.     As 


and  he  shall  shew  judgment  to  the 
Gentiles. 

19  He  shall  not  strive,  nor 
cry ;  neither  shall  any  man  hear 
his  voice  in  the  streets. 

20  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not 
break,  and  smoking  flax  shall  he 

S'  Ch.  3  :  17,  &  17  :  5. 

God,  our  blessed  Savior  needed  not  the 
Spirit's  influence,  but  as  God-man,  or 
God  incarnate,  having  our  nature  in 
union  with  the  divine,  he  received  it 
to  fit  him  for  his  mediatorial  work.  This 
twofold  nature  of  Christ  should  ever  be 
kept  in  mind,  when  we  read  such  pas- 
sages as  this.  As  one  of  the  persons  of 
the  Trinity,  he  was  God,  uncreated, 
eternal,  independent ;  as  God-man,  he 
was  born  of  woman,  dependent  and  sub- 
ject to  all  the  ills  and  accidents  of  hu- 
manity, sin  only  excepted.  He  shall 
show  judgment,  &c.  He  shall  make 
known  to  the  Gentiles  the  principles  of 
rectitude  and  justice,  as  found  in  the 
divine  law,  and  illustrated  in  the  gos- 
pel. His  dignity  and  judicial  power  as 
Messiah,  is  here  contrasted  with  his 
meekness  and  gentleness  about  to  be 
spoken  of.  We  find  in  Mark  (3  :  8), 
that  of  the  multitude  which  followed 
him  to  the  sea,  there  were  some  from 
about  Tyre  and  Sidon.  The  Gentiles 
(in  this  case  probably  proselytes)  were 
thus  already  beginning  to  enjoy  that 
gospel,  which,  in  subsequent  times,  was 
to  be  preached  to  them  more  fully  by 
Christ's  apostles  and  ministers. 

19.  He  shall  not  strive  nor  cry,  i.  e. 
shall  not  shout  as  a  warrior,  nor  be  a 
noisy,  brawling  demagogue,  striving  for 
supremacy.  The  same  sentiment  is  con- 
tained in  the  next  clause,  neither  shall 
any  man,  &c.  i.  e.  he  shall  not  frequent 
public  places  of  resort,  or  harangue  in 
public  assemblies,  as  is  done  by  am- 
bitious men. 

20.  A  bruised  reed,  &c.  A  prover- 
bial expression.  The  cane  or  reed  is  a 
tender  plant  of  many  joints  and  easily 
broken.  The  fearful,  humble  soul, 
whose  faith  wavers  under  trial,  is  here 
aptly  represented  by  one  of  these  reeds, 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


141 


not  quench,  till  he  send  forth  judg- 
ment unto  victory. 

21  And  in  his  name  shall  the 
Gentiles  trust. 

22  T[  ■■  Then  was  brought  unto 

r  See  ch.  9 :  82 ;  Ma.  3 :  11 ;  Lu.  11 :  14. 

almost  severed  from  the  stem,  and  lia- 
ble, by  rude  handling,  to  be  entirely 
broken  off.  But  such  is  the  tenderness 
of  the  Messiah,  that  he  will  gently  raise 
up  and  strengthen  the  bruised  and 
broken  plant,  and  cause  it  to  adhere 
again  firmly  to  the  supporting  stem. 
So  also  his  kind  and  gentle  treatment 
of  the  humble  and  penitent,  whose 
piety  has  been  nearly  extinct,  is  repre- 
sented in  the  following  clause  by  the 
smoking  fax,  or  the  wick  of  a  lamp,  out 
of  which  the  oil  has  been  exhausted, 
and  burning  with  a  feeble  and  smoky 
flame,  as  if  about  to  expire.  This  flame 
shall  not  be  entirely  quenched,  but  oil 
shall  be  supplied,  and  it  shall  again 
give  forth  a  clear  light.  Thus  the 
nearly  extinct  piety  of  the  humble  soul, 
shall  be  renovated  and  made  bright  and 
clear,  under  the  kind  and  gentle  care 
of  the  Redeemer.  Till  he  send  forth 
judgment,  &c.  Until  truth  shall  be 
victorious  over  the  whole  earth.  The 
word  judgment  here,  as  in  v.  20,  is  put 
for  the  divine  statutes,  the  law  illustrated 
and  enforced  in  the  gospel.  It  is  er- 
roneous to  suppose  with  some,  that  re- 
ference is  had  to  the  vengeance  taken 
upon  the  Jews  for  their  rejection  of 
the  gospel.  Nor  does  the  word  till 
here  imply,  that  when  truth  was  thus 
triumphant,  the  Messiah's  kindness  and 
gentleness  towards  his  people  would 
come  to  an  end,  but  it  rather  denotes 
perpetuity ;  until  then  and  certainli/ 
never  afterwards,  seems  to  be  its  full 
meaning.  See  5  :  18.  This  general 
sense  does  not  forbid  its  special  appli- 
cation to  the  humble  believer,  towards 
whom  this  gentleness,  forbearance,  and 
support  will  be  exercised,  until  death, 
with  all  its  attendant  evils,  shall  be 
swallowed  up  in  victory. 

21.  And  in  his  name,  &c.  The  great- 
est apparent  discrepancy,  between  the 
words  here  quoted  and  the  original,  is 


him  one  possessed  with  a  devil, 
blind  and  dumb :  and  he  healed 
him,  insomuch  that  the  blind  and 
dumb  both  spake  and  saw. 

23    And   all   the   people  were 


found  in  this  verse.  But  the  difference 
is  only  verbal.  The  word  isles  in 
Hebrew  usage  was  put  for  remote  or 
distant  nations,  not  Jews  but  Gentiles. 
The  sense  of  the  original  is  then  well 
preserved  in  the  word  Geiitiles,  em- 
ployed in  this  quotation.  Nor  is  the 
word  law  misinterpreted  by  name  in 
this  verse.  For  to  trust  in  God's  name 
is  to  obey  his  law,  or,  as  expressed  in 
Isaiah,  to  wait  for  his  law.  The  sense 
is  therefore  essentially  the  same.  There 
are  besides  some  words  omitted  in  the 
quotation  which  are  found  in  the  origi- 
nal, and  a  slight  change  in  others.  Yet 
the  general  sense  is  transferred  with 
remarkable  accuracy,  and  no  ground  is 
furnished  to  cavillers  that  the  citation 
is  inaccurately  made. 

22-37.  The  Healing  of  a  Demoniac. 
The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  Blas- 
pheme. Galilee.  Mark  3  :  19-30;  Luke 
14,  15,  17-23.  Following  the  order  of 
Mark,  Dr.  Robinson  places  the  healing 
of  this  demoniac,  and  the  blasphemy  of 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  after  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  twelve,  and  during 
his  second  circuit  in  Galilee.  The  mi- 
racle was  probably  performed  on  the 
morning  of  that  day,  on  which  Christ 
delivered  the  parable  of  the  sower 
(13  :  1),  and  on  the  evening  of  which 
he  crossed  the  sea,  and  went  into 
the  country  of  the  Gadarenes  (8  : 
28-34). 

22.  There  was  brought  unto  him.  Our 
Lord  was  at  this  time  in  a  house  (Mark 
3  :  19).  This  should  be  remembered, 
in  order  to  understand  why  his  mother 
and  brethren  could  not  reach  him  on 
account  of  the  crowd  (v.  46 ;  Luke 
8  :  19).  Blind  and  dumb.  This  pos- 
session was  one  of  no  common  violence, 
as  is  evident  from  the  amazement  with 
which  the  cure  was  witnessed  by  the 
people. 

23.  Were  amazed ;  literally,  were  be- 


142 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


amazed,  and  said,  Is  not  this  the 
Son  of  David  ? 

24  'But  when  the  Pharisees 
heard  it,  they  said,  This  fellow 
doth  not  cast  out  devils,  but  by 
Beelzebub  the  prince  of  the  devils. 

25  And    Jesus    'knew    their 

sCh.  9:34;  Ma.3:22;  Lu.  11:15. 

side  themselves  through  astonishment. 
And  said  one  to  another.  Is  not  this  ; 
literally,  whether  perchance  is  this  ?  i.  e. 
may  not  this  perhaps  be  ?  The  people 
may  have  expressed  themselves  thus 
doubtfully,  through  fear  of  the  Phari- 
sees. Hie  son  of  David.  The  Messiah, 
descended  from  the  hne  of  David.  See 
Ns.  on  1  :  1 ;  9  :  27.  The  people  rightly 
supposed,  that  such  power  over  demons 
belonged  to  no  ordinary  personage,  and 
regarded  the  miracle,  as  it  was  intended 
to  be,  a  proof  of  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus. 

24.  Btit  ivhen  the  Pharisees  heard  it, 
i.  e.  this  inference  from  his  works  in 
favor  of  his  Messiahship.  Mark  says 
(3  :  22)  that  these  were  scribes  which 
came  from  Jerusalem.  They  were  per- 
haps the  same  pei-sons  who  had  fol- 
lowed him  from  Jerusalem,  and  brought 
the  accusation  against  his  disciples  in 
the  cornfields  (12  :  2),  and  who  had 
been  doubtless  deputed  by  the  rulers  to 
attend  him  from  place  to  place,  to 
watch  his  words  and  actions,  in  order 
to  find  something  of  which  they  might 
accuse  him.  This  felloio  doth  not  cast 
out,  &c.  A  strong  negative  affirmation 
of  what  is  expressed  in  the  positive 
form  in  Mark  and  Luke.  The  sense  is 
this :  there  is  not  a  demon  which  he 
casts  out,  in  which  he  is  not  aided 
thereto  by  Beelzebub  (see  N.  on  9  :  34), 
the  prince  of  devils.  He  is  therefore 
an  impostor,  doing  nothing  wonderful, 
except  through  the  agency  of  his  mas- 
ter the  devil.  It  is  worthy  of  note, 
that  they  did  not  deny  the  reality  of 
his  miracles.  This  they  could  not  do. 
As  they  were  believers  in  only  one  God, 
if  they  did  not  attribute  the  works  of 
Christ  to  Him,  they  had  no  resource 
left,  but  to  charge  upon  him  collusion 
with  the  great  adversary. 


thoughts,  and  said  unto  them, 
Every  kingdom  divided  against 
itself,  is  brought  to  desolation ; 
and  every  city  or  house  divided 
against  itself,  shall  not  stand. 

26  And  if  Satan  cast  out  Satan, 
he  is  divided  against  himself;  how 

<Ch.9:4;  John2:25;  Ee.2:23. 

25.  Knew  their  thoughts.  See  John, 
2  :  25.  What  accumulative  evidence  do 
we  find,  as  we  pass  along,  of  the  divinity 
of  our  Savior.  Every  kingdom  divided,  &c. 
Our  Lord  answers  this  wicked  and  ma- 
licious charge  by  showing  its  absurdity. 
By  reference  to  a  well-known  saying, 
that  a  kingdom  or  house  divided  against 
itself  is  soon  brought  to  ruin,  he  shows 
the  absurdity  of  supposing,  that  Satan 
would  use  him  as  an  instrument  to  cast 
out  devils,  which  he  had  himself  em- 
powered to  enter  into  and  torment  men. 
This  would  be  to  destroy  his  own  work. 
By  such  contradictory  action  his  king- 
dom would  soon  come  to  an  end.  The 
argument  is  what  is  called,  reductio  ad 
absurdum,  or  the  argument  ab  abnurdo, 
i.  e.  proving  the  falsity  of  an  argument 
or  assertion  by  showing  its  absurdity. 
Trench  well  remarks  (Miracles,  p.  58), 
that  Jesus  "  does  not  deny  that  the 
kingdom  of  Satan,  in  respect  to  itself, 
is  infinite  contradiction  and  division, 
but  only  asserts  that  in  relation  to  the 
kingdom  of  goodness,  it  is  at  one : 
there  is  one  life  in  it  and  one  soul  in 
relation  to  that." 

26.  This  verse  contains  the  applica- 
tions of  the  preceding  principle  to  the 
case  in  hand.  Satan.  See  N.  on  4  : 
10.  Is  divided  against  himself,  i.  e.  is 
employing  my  agency  to  dispossess  men 
of  the  unclean  spirits,  which  he  has 
commissioned  to  go  into  them.  Stand, 
i.  e.  continue  to  flourish.  Alford  re- 
marks that  "  our  Lord  here  in  the  most 
solemn  manner  re-asserts  and  confirms 
the  truths  respecting  the  kingdom  of 
evil,  which  the  Jews  also  held.  The 
kingdoms  [of  evil  and  good]  are  so  set 
parallel  with  one  another,  that  the 
denial  of  the  reality  of  the  one  with  its 
prince,  or  the  supposing  it  founded, 
merely   in  assent  on  the  part  of  our 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


143 


shall  then  his  kingdom  stand? 
27  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast 
out  devils,  by  whom  do  your 
children  cast  them  out  ?  therefore 
they  shall  be  your  judges. 

wDa.  2:44,  &r:14;  Lu.  1 :  83,  &  11 :  20,  &17: 
20,  21. 


Lord  to  Jewish  notions,  inevitably 
brings  with  it  the  same  conclusions, 
with  regard  to  the  other." 

27.  B}^  whom  (i.  e.  by  what  agency) 
do  your  children,  &c.  Christ  here  silen- 
ces them  by  referring  to  their  own 
practice'  and  belief,  in  the  argument  ad 
hominum  (see  N.  on  v.  12).  The  Jews 
believed  in  exorcisms.  Their  exorcists, 
called  here  the  children  (i.  e.  disciples) 
of  the  Pharisees,  pretended  to  eject 
demons,  and  persuaded  the  common 
people  that  they  really  did  so.  Now 
the  argument  of  Christ  was  this  :  You 
believe  that  your  children  the  exorcists 
cast  out  devils,  but  charge  me  with 
doing  this  by  Satanic  influence.  Why 
are  you  so  inconsistent,  as  to  accuse  me 
of  collusion  with  Satan,  and  not  your 
exorcists  ?  This  reasoning  of  Christ  is 
perfectly  lawful.  It  is  employed  to 
illustrate  their  inconsistency,  and  show 
their  hypocrisy,  as  he  had  in  vs.  26,  27, 
shown  the  falseness  of  their  charge. 
Such  illustrations  may  be  drawn  from 
any  source.  A  missionary  may  be  con- 
versing with  a  learned  Brahmin,  respect- 
ing the  incarnation  of  our  Savior.  He 
treats  the  idea  with  contempt  and  be- 
gins to  start  difficulties  respecting  it. 
The  missionary  replies  that  he  is  the 
last  person,  who  should  offer  objections 
of  this  sort,  since  he  believes  in  ten  in- 
carnations of  his  god  Vishnu.  The  mis- 
sionary does  not  by  this  reasoning  ad- 
mit the  truth  of  these  incarnations,  or 
that  such  a  god  as  Vishnu  ever  existed. 
Nor  does  our  Savior  acknowledge  the 
reality  of  these  pretended  exorcisms, 
but-  only  uses  this  form  of  argument  to 
show,  that  on  their  own  principles  they 
ought  not  to  charge  him  with  casting 
out  devils  by  Beelzebub.  That  their 
cures  were  pretended  and  incomplete  is 
evident  from  9  :  33,  where  in  view  of 
the  perfect  cure  of  the  dumb  man  pos- 


28  But  if  I  cast  out  devils  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  then  "  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  you. 

29  ""  Or  else,  how  can  one  enter 
into  a  strong  man's  house,  and 
spoil  his  goods,    except   he   first 

SB  Is.  49 :  24 ;  Lu.  11 :  21,  22,  23. 

sessed  with  a  devil,  the  people  said  that 
"  it  was  never  so  seen  in  Israel,"  i.  e. 
no  such  cure  had  ever  been  effected. 
Therefore,  i.  e.  in  consequence  of  such 
inconsistency  and  hypocrisy.  Shall  be 
your  judges,  "  in  the  sense  of  convicting 
you  of  partiality."     Alford. 

28.  But  «/'(as  you  must  admit)  I  cast 
out  devils  by  the  Spirit  of  God  (i.  e.  by 
divine  power),  then  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  come  unto  you,  and  you  are  bound  to 
receive  me  as  the  accredited  messenger 
of  God,  and  give  heed  to  my  instruc- 
tions. This  was  the  only  alternative  to 
their  absurd  and  hypocritical  charge 
of  his  collusion  with  Beelzebub.  The 
verb,  is  come,  may  be  more  literally 
rendered,  has  already  come,  before  you 
expected  it,  or  was  aware  of  it. 

29.  The  general  sentiment  of  this 
verse  is,  that  Christ  was  not  aided  by 
Satan  in  casting  out  demons,  inasmuch 
as  his  power  was  superior  to  that  of 
Satan.  It  could  not  therefore  be  the 
exercise  of  human  power,  but  must 
come  from  God.  Or  else,  i.  e.  if  it  be 
as  you  affirm,  that  I  am  acting  under 
the  authority  of  Beelzebub.  Iloio  can 
one,  &c.  This  illustration  was  natural 
and  apposite.  The  point  is,  that  unless 
Satan  willingly  suffered  himself  to  be 
despoiled  of  his  power,  the  absurdity  of 
which  was  shown  in  v.  25,  the  power  of 
Christ  in  expelling  demons,  was  as 
manifestly  superior  to  that  of  Satan,  as 
the  power  of  the  spoiler  is  superior  to 
that  of  the  strong  man  bound  and  de- 
spoiled. Here  then,  as  in  vs.  2-8,  he  not 
only  refutes  the  charge  made  against 
him,  but  rises  in  his  argument,  to  the  as- 
sertion of  his  higher  divine  nature,  which 
makes  him  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
with  power  to  bind  and  crush  the 
powers  of  darkness  at  his  pleasure. 

30.  Jle  that  is  not  with  me,  &c.  This 
is  a  proverbial  expression,  showing  in  its 


144 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


biud  the  strong  man?  and  then 
he  will  spoil  his  house. 

30  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is 

connection  here,  that  there  can  be  no 
neutral  ground  between  Christ  and  Sa- 
tan. Is  against  »ie,  i.  e.  belongs  to  the 
opposite  party.  Gathereth  not  with  me. 
A  metaphorical  expression  taken  from 
the  gathering  of  sheaves  together  in  the 
time  of  harvest,  or  as  some  think,  from 
the  gathering  of  sheep  into  the  fold.  Re- 
ference is  had  to  co-operation  with 
Christ,  in  carrying  out  his  purposes  of 
love  and  mercy  towards  our  fallen  race. 
Where  that  co-operation  is  wanting,  it 
may  be  certain  that  it  is  actively  exerted 
on  the  side  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan.  It 
was  this  certainty  that  the  Pharisees  were 
themselves  in  league  with  Satan  in  oppos- 
ing Christ,  that  gave  occasion  for  the  re- 
markable declaration  which  follows. 

31,  32.  Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to 
administer  to  these  wicked  Pharisees 
one  of  the  most  awful  warnings  ever 
made  to  man.  He  tells  them  of  a  sin 
of  such  deep  and  aggravated  turpitude, 
as  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  forgiveness 
in  this  and  in  the  future  world.  The 
sin  of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  taught  in  this  passage,  is  not  easy 
of  explanation.  One  thing  is  quite  evi- 
dent, that  it  consists  in  words  malig- 
nantly spoken  against  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  working  in  Christ  Jesus. 
The  Pharisees  are  virtually  charged 
with  having  committed  this  crime.  It 
was  beyond  dispute  that  a  demon  had 
been  cast  out  of  the  deaf  and  dumb 
man.  No  human  power  could  have 
effected  this.  There  was  evidently  a 
divine  interposition.  None  could  be  so 
blind  as  not  to  see  this.  But  the  Pha- 
risees attributed  the  miracle  to  the 
agency  of  Satan.  They  did  it  deliberate- 
ly, and  in  face  of  the  highest  evidence 
that  their  charge  was  false  and  unfound- 
ed. What  sin  more  heaven-daring  and 
aggravated  than  this  ?  Mark  (3  :  30) 
gives  this  as  the  particular  ground  of 
our  Lord's  denunciation,  "because  they 
said,  He  hath  an  unclean  spirit,"  i.  e. 
casteth  out  devils  by  Beelzebub,  the 
prince  of  devils.   lu  this  consisted  their 


against  me ;  and  he  that  gathereth 
not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad. 
31  Wherefore  I  say  unto  you, 

dreadful  sin.  They  had  attributed  to 
the  devil  one  of  the  highest  acts  of 
Omnipotence.  No  conceivable  sin  could 
be  greater  than  this.  Doddridge  with 
Whitby  takes  this  as  a  warning  to  the 
Pharisees,  that  while  such  impious 
words  spoken  against  Jesus  might  be 
forgiven,  yet  when  uttered  against  the 
dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  to  come  after- 
wards on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  they 
would  be  beyond  forgiveness.  But  was 
not  the  Holy  Ghost  given  to  Christ 
without  measure  (John  3  :  34),  and  was 
it  a  less  heinous  sin  to  charge  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  wrought  in  Christ  to 
the  agency  of  the  devil,  than  the  work 
of  that  same  Spirit,  manifested  in  the 
teachings  and  miracles  of  his  followers? 
Certainly  not.  There  was  no  manifes- 
tation of  the  Spirit  so  clear,  glorious, 
powerful,  as  was  made  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Archbishop  Seeker  well  remai-ks  :  "  It 
was  the  greatest  and  most  willful  ob- 
stinacy in  wrong  that  can  be  imagined, 
when  they  and  all  around  them  saw  the 
most  illustrious  and  beneficial  miracles, 
done  in  confirmation  of  the  most  holy 
and  benevolent  doctrines,  to  stand  out 
in  opposition  to  both  ;  to  insist  that  the 
devil  conspired  against  himself,  rather 
than  own  the  finger  of  God,  when  it 
was  so  exceeding  visible  ;  not  only  to 
oppose,  but  to  revile,  the  strongest  evi- 
dence laid  before  them  in  the  fullest 
manner,  and  that  very  probably  against 
the  conviction  of  their  own  hearts,  such 
behavior  manifests  the  most  hardened 
and  desperate  wickedness."  When  in 
addition  to  these  considerations,  we 
again  take  into  view  the  express  decla- 
ration of  Mark,  that  Jesus  uttered  these 
words  against  the  Pharisees,  because 
they  said,  "  He  hath  an  unclean  spirit," 
we  cannot  but  regard  the  opinion  of 
Doddridge  and  others,  who  refer  the  sin 
to  the  calumniation  of  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  after  Christ's  ascension,  as  un- 
tenable. 

This  reference  of  the  sin  here  spoken 
of,  to  words  uttered  by  the  Pharisees 


A.  D.  31.] 


GHAPTER  XII. 


145 


y  All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy 
shall  be  forgiven  unto  men  :  '  but 

y  Ma.  3:28;  Lu.  12:10;  He.  6:4,&c.,  &10: 
26,  29  ;  IJn.  5 :  16. 


against  the  Holy  Spirit,  not  as  operating 
in  Christ,  but  in  his  followers  after  his 
ascension,  has  led  to  confused  and  er- 
roneous views,  as  to  that  in  which  the 
sin  consists.  It  has  been  quite  com- 
mon with  many,  to  refer  it  to  what  is 
called  sinning  away  the  day  of  grace, 
doing  despite  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  &c. 
While  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  these 
sins  are  somewhat  allied  in  their  dread- 
ful results,  to  the  sin  here  spoken  of,  yet 
it  is  very  clear  they  do  not  constitute 
the  sin.  It  is  an  oifence,  which  casts 
far  into  the  background  any  other  sin 
which  men  commit.  Whether  this  par- 
ticular sin  is  of  frequent  occurrence  is 
quite  uncertain.  It  probably  is  not. 
We  know  that  there  is  such  a  sin,  that 
it  consists  in  blasphemous  words  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  when  once 
committed  it  inevitably  seals  up  the 
doom  of  the  offender.  This  should 
cause  every  bold  transgressor  to  pause 
in  his  wicked  career,  lest  he  should  fall 
under  its  condemnation. 

Having  thus  spoken  of  this  sin  in  its 
general  aspects,  some  verbal  explana- 
tions claim  our  attention.  Mlicrefore, 
i.  e.  on  account  of  the  impious  words  of 
the  Pharisees,  the  sin  of  which  is  shown 
in  the  verse  immediately  preceding.  / 
sa)/  unto  you.  A  solemn  and  emphatic 
introduction,  frequently  employed  by 
our  Lord,  when  about  to  utter  some 
weighty  truth.  See  6  :  29  ;  18  :  10,  19, 
&c.  All  manner  of  sin;  literally,  all 
sin,  evert/  siti.  Our  English  translation 
has  misled  many  to  suppose,  that  cer- 
tain kinds  of  sin  or  sinful  states  of 
mind  are  here  referred  to,  and  there- 
fore that  the  great  sin  with  which  they 
are  compared,  is  also  some  state  or  con- 
dition of  the  mind,  embracing  all 
flagrant  sins  against  the  Spirit,  such  as 
grieving  Him  away  by  obstinate  and 
continued  resistance,  sinning  away  the 
day  of  grace  by  remaining,  in  times  of 
religious  excitement,  careless  and  un- 
alarmed,  and  by  acts  of  procrastination, 
like  that  of  Felix,  all  which  sins,  if  be- 
VoL.  I.— 7 


the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto 


s  Ac.  7  :  51. 


yond  the  reach  of  forgiveness,  must  be 
included  in  the  one  here  spoken  of. 
But  the  subject  is  narrowed  down  to 
a  contrast  between  any  single  sin  or 
kind  of  blasphemy,  and  that  which  is 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Besides  the 
sins  referred  to  above,  are  states  of  the 
mind,  resulting  from  a  series  of  sins, 
and  not  one  bold,  calumnious,  blasphe- 
mous word  or  act  against  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Nor  is  it  certain  that  the  above- 
mentioned  sins  are  beyond  the  reach 
of  God's  mercy,  if  the  sinner  will 
humbly  apply  for  pardon  through 
Christ.  He  may  indeed  have  reached 
so  callous  a  frame  of  mind,  as  to  make 
no  such  application  for  pardon,  and 
thus  his  damnation  may  be  virtually 
sealed  up  long  before  his  death.  But 
this  is  different  from  affirming,  that  his 
state  is  such,  that  if  he  applied  for  for- 
giveness and  salvation,  it  would  be 
denied  him.  The  discourse  of  our 
Savior  here  is  not  about  hardened  and 
seared  consciences,  or  unreformable 
habits  of  sin  which  so  alienate  the 
soul  from  God,  that  it  makes  no  efforts 
to  obtain  forgiveness,  but  it  is  concern- 
ing one  great  and  deadly  sin,  which, 
when  committed,  renders  forgiveness 
absolutely  impossible,  whatever  may  be 
done  afterwards  to  secure  it.  If  this  is 
not  taught  here  in  the  plainest  lan- 
guage, no  words  can  be  found  to  do  so. 
Olshausen  finds  a  threefold  gradation 
of  sins  in  this  passage.  "  All  manner 
of  sin  and  blasphemy."  He  refers  to 
sins  against  God  the  Father,  committed 
by  those  who  have  only  a  general 
knowledge  of  God.  The  sins  against 
the  Son  are  committed  by  such  as  being 
more  advanced  and  able  to  recognize 
the  Son  of  man,  are  in  a  position  to 
reject  the  deeper  and  more  spiritual 
revelations  of  the  Divinity  manifested 
in  him.  The  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  theirs,  who  have  experienced 
in  their  hearts  the  workings  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Olshausen's  views  of  this 
whole  subject  appear  confused  and  un- 


146 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


32  And  whosoever  "  speaketh  a 
word  against  the  Sou  of  man,  '  it 
shall  be  forgiven  him:  but  who- 
soever speaketh  against  the  Holy 

oCh.ll:19,&13:55;  John T:  12: 52. 

satisfactory,  as  do  those  of  all  expositors, 
who  depart  from  the  simple  teachings 
of  the  text.  Shall  be  forgiven,  in  case 
forgiveness  is  asked  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  -with  a  penitent,  believing 
heart.  Blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  i.  e.  attributing  to  the  devil  what 
is  clearly  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
casting  so  great  an  insult  upon  the 
Spirit  of  hohness,  as  to  ascribe  his 
manifest  works  to  the  adversary  of  God 
and  man.  Shall  not  be  forgiven,  even 
if  forgiveness  were  asked.  This  sense 
is  demanded  by  the  antithesis.  The 
forgiveness  of  all  manner  of  sin  is  not 
promised,  irrespective  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance, on  the  part  of  the  sinner. 
On  the  other  hand  forgiveness  of  the 
sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not 
denied,  because  not  sought  in  faith  and 
penitence,  for  this  would  be  true  of 
every  sin ;  but  it  is  denied  on  account 
of  its  intrinsic  turpitude,  which  renders 
it  unpardonable,  whatever  efforts  may 
be  subsequently  made  to  obtain  for- 
giveness. It  is  not  probable  that  one 
who  has  committed  this  sin  will  ever 
afterwards  be  brought  into  such  a  frame 
of  mind,  as  to  ask  for  pardon  through 
Christ,  but  even  if  he  should  be,  the 
dreadful  words,  shall  not  be  forgiven, 
would  still  remain  recorded  against  his 
sin.  Unfo  men  (in  Mark,  "  sons  of 
men,"  with  the  same  signification),  is 
repeated  in  this  verse  for  the  sake  of 
emphasis. 

32.  In  this  verse,  the  sin  of  which 
Christ  is  speaking  is  more  definitely  de- 
fined. Speaketh  a  word,  &c.  Reference 
is  had  to  words  of  contempt,  spoken 
against  Christ,  in  his  low  and  obscure 
condition.  The  humiliation  of  Christ, 
as  Son  of  man,  is  here  contrasted 
with  his  higher  nature,  as  mani- 
fested by  his  works  and  doctrine. 
Words  uttered  against  him  as  an  ob- 
scure man  were  pardonable.  The 
humble    condition    in   which    he    ap- 


Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven 
him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither 
in  the  ivorld  to  come. 

33  Either  make  the  tree  good, 

5 1  Ti.  1  :  13. 


peared,    might  excite  at  first  emotions 
of  contempt  in  many,  who  afterwards, 
in  view  of  his  mighty  works,  would  ac- 
knowledge him  as  the  Messiah,  and  be 
pardoned   for   their  previous   unbehef 
and   contemptuous  words.     But  those 
who   should   speak  against    the    Holy 
Ghost,    or  those  miraculous  powers  by 
which  Christ's  higher  nature,  as  God- 
man,  was   made   known,    could   never 
receive  forgiveness.     This  contrast  be- 
tween  his  two  natures,  the  one  repre- 
sented by  the  phrase  Son  of  man,  the 
other  or  higher   nature  by  the   ffoly 
Ghost,   given  to   him  without  measure 
(John   3  :  34),  and  through  whom   he 
was   "  declared   to   be  the  Son  of  God 
with   power"  (Rom.  1  :  3),  makes   the 
passage   plain   and   easy  of  interpreta- 
tion.    We  are  not  to  suppose,  that  this 
sin   against  the  Holy  Ghost  consists  in 
opprobrious  words  only.     The  phrase, 
speaketh  against,   is  put  generically  for 
any  manifestation  of  contempt,  serving 
as  an  index  of  the  impiety  and  unbelief 
within,     /m  this  world,  i.  e.   during  his 
present  life.     In  the  world  to  come.     By 
contrast,  the  future  existence  of  a  man. 
The  expression,  world  to  come,  is  used 
by  the  New  Testament  writers,  of  the 
Messianic  dispensation,  beginning  with 
the  appearance  of  Christ  on  earth,  and 
fully  developed   at  the   final   arrange- 
ment and  confirmation  of  all  things,  at 
the  day  of  judgment.     Hence  it  is  em- 
ployed in  general,  to  denote  the  spirit- 
ual, endless  existence  beyond  the  grave, 
upon  which  all  after  death  must  enter. 
The  whole  expression,  "  neither  in  this 
world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come,"  is 
beyond  all  question  an  emphatic  nevkr. 
Olshausen   and    some    others,  from   a 
wrong  interpretation  of  1  Pet.  3  :  18, 
understand   the   passage   to  imply  for- 
giveness on   repentance  in  the  imper- 
fect state  of  the  dead  before  judgment ; 
but  the  phrase,  world  to  come,  is  here 
added,  to  give  emphasis  and  complete- 


I 


A.  D.'Sl.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


147 


and  '  his  fruit  good  ;  or  else  make 
the  tree  corrupt,  and  his  fruit  cor- 
rupt :  for  the  tree  is  known  by  his 
fuit. 

34  0  "^  generation  of  vipers,  how 
can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good 
things  ?    ^  for   out    of   the   abun- 

cCh.T:lT;  Lu.6:43,  44.    dCh.  .3:7,&23:  33. 

ness  to  the  idea,  and  not  to  teach  by 
imphcation  or  otherwise,  that  all  other 
sins  than  blaspliemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  are  pardoned  in  the  future  state. 
This  is  neither  taught  here,  nor  in 
1  Pet.  3:18,  and  is  directly  at  war  with 
many  other  passages,  expressly  declar- 
ing the  immutability  of  the  soul's  con- 
dition beyond  the  grave. 

33.  The  sentiment  of  this  verse  is  : 
If  I  do  good,  consider  me  as  good,  and 
act  consistently.  It  connects  in  sense 
with  the  argument  in  v.  30,  showing 
the  inconsistency  of  the  Pharisees,  in 
charging  him  with  evil,  when  his  works 
were  good.  Make  the  tree  good,  &c.  i.  e. 
regard  the  tree  as  good,  if  the  fruit  be 
pronounced  good.  Corrupt.  See  N. 
on  7  :  17.  For  the  tree  is  known,  &c. 
This  criterion  of  character  is  founded 
on  an  universal  law  of  the  natural 
world,  to  which  the  law  of  the  moral 
world  is  strictly  analogous.  The  char- 
acter of  a  man  is  determined  by  his 
actions.  The  Pharisees  could  be  at  no 
loss  in  respect  to  our  Lord's  true  char- 
acter, inasmuch  as  his  life,  and  the  ten- 
dency of  his  doctrines  were  good. 
They  had  no  excuse,  therefore,  for 
their  malicious  charge  of  his  collusion 
with  Satan. 

34.  0  generation  of  vipers.  See  N. 
on  3  :  7.  How  can  ye,  &c.  A  strong 
expression  of  what  is  deemed  impossible. 
The  law  that  like  proceeds  from  like, 
wliich  prevails  in  the  moral  no  less 
than  in  the  natural  world,  would  pre- 
vent the  Pharisees,  who  were  evil,  from 
bringing  forth  good  fruit,  here  denoted 
by  speaking  good  things.  For  ont  of 
the  abundance,  &c.  By  this  proverbial 
expression,  we  are  taught  that  words 
or  outward  acts,  are  an  index  of  the 


dance  of  the  heart,  the  mouth 
speaketh. 

35  A  good  man,  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  the  heart,  briiigeth 
forth  good  things :  and  an  evil 
man,  out  of  the  evil  treasure, 
bringeth  forth  evil  things. 

36  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 

e  Lu.  6  :  45. 

state  of  the  heart  within,  and  when 
that  abounds  in  corrupt  and  abominable 
thoughts,  there  will  be  a  necessary  ex- 
pression of  them  in  words.  Abundance; 
literally,  what  is  over  and  above,  the 
superabundance,  denoting  that  evil 
words  are  merely  the  overflowings  of  a 
wicked  heart,  and  make  no  draft  upon 
the  treasury  of  evil  within.  What  a 
vivid  picture  of  the  deeply-rooted  and 
abounding  depravity  of  the  human 
heart.    See  Ns.  on  15  :  18-20. 

35.  A  good  man,  &c.  The  same 
general  truth  that  the  heart  is  the  foun- 
tain, whence  proceed  good  or  evil 
words  and  actions,  is  here  expressed 
by  a  siiuile  drawn  from  a  treasury  or 
storehouse,  where  are  laid  away  things 
for  future  use.  The  mind  is  the  store- 
house of  thoughts,  feelings,  desires, 
plans,  which  are  developed  in  words 
and  acts,  giving  evidence  of  the  char- 
acter within.  A  good  man  will  be 
known  by  his  blameless  life  and  ac- 
tions ;  an  evil  man,  in  like  manner, 
will  be  convicted  by  his  evil  doings  and 
corrupt  words. 

36.  The  relation  of  words  or  out- 
ward acts  to  the  heart  within,  is  here 
represented  as  determining  character, 
at  the  day  of  judgment.  The  word  ren- 
dered idle,  has  furnished  some  difficul- 
ty as  to  its  precise  sense  in  this  con- 
nection. Some  refer  it  back  to  the 
calumnious  charge  of  the  Pharisees. 
Others  take  it  in  a  more  general  sense 
of,  rash,  presumptuous,  impious,  as  ap- 
plied to  other  subjects  than  blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  A  better 
sense  than  cither  of  these  inter])reta- 
tions,  may  be  obtained  by  connecting 
it  with  the  general  sentiment  advanced 
in  the  preceding  verse.     We  may  then 


148 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


every  idle  word  that  men  shall 
speak,  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

37  For  by  thy  words  thou  shalt 
be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou 
shalt  be  condemned. 

/Ch.  16:1;  Ma.  8:11;   Lu.  11:16,  29;  Jn.2: 
IS;  ICo.  1 :22. 


explain  it  idle,  useless,  false,  referring 
particularly  to  the  hypocritical  zeal  of 
the  Pharisees  for  the  honor  of  religion, 
expressed  in  words  of  apparent  sinceri- 
ty, but  uttered  with  evil  purpose.  Of 
course  there  is  embraced  in  these  idle, 
useless,  insincere  words,  the  incidental 
idea  of  evil,  and  especially  so  from  the 
connection  with  v.  35.  Tholuck  thus 
paraphrases  the  passage  :  "  Believe  me, 
he  who  uses  false  and  insincere  lan- 
guage, shall  suffer  grievous  punishment ; 
your  words,  if  uttered  with  sincerity 
and  ingenuousness,  shall  be  approved ; 
but  if  they  are  dissembled,  although 
they  may  bear  the  strongest  appearance 
of  integrity,  they  shall  be  condemned." 
Shall  give  account  thereof,  i.  e.  shall 
answer  for  its  utterance,  or  give  a  rea- 
son why  it  was  spoken.  The  phrase  is 
a  judicial  one. 

37.  This  verse  illustrates  and  con- 
firms the  sentiment  of  the  preceding 
one,  by  showing  the  rule  of  judgment, 
at  the  day  of  final  account.  For  by  thy 
words,  &c.  Words,  proceeding  as 
they  do  from  the  overflowing  of  a 
good  or  evil  heart,  furnish  a  decisive 
test  of  character.  See  N.  on  v.  34. 
The  words  of  a  man  form  no  incon- 
siderable portion  of  his  acts.  These, 
if  good,  will  constitute  under  grace, 
(not  under  law,  Rom.  3  :  20,)  a  ground 
of  justification.  So  also  will  wicked 
words  be  a  ground  of  condemnation,  in- 
asmuch as  they  show  clearly  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  heart.  In  the  light  of  this 
passage,  what  care  should  be  exercised 
over  the  words,  which  daily  fall  from 
our  lips.  We  may  forget  them,  but 
they  are  all  treasured  up  in  the  book  of 
God's  remembrance,  and  will  be  brought 
forward,  at  the  last  day,  for  our  justifi- 
cation or  condemnation. 

38-45.  The  Scribes  and  Pharisees 


38  ^  Then  certain  of  the  scribes 
and  of  the  Pharisees  answered, 
saying,  Master,  we  would  see  a 
sign  from  thee. 

39  But  he  answered  and  said 
to  them,  An  evil  and  ^  adulterous 


Cls.  57:  3;  ch.  16:4;  Ma.  8: 


John  4 :  48. 


SEEK  A  SIGN.     Galilee.     Luke  11 :  16, 
24-36. 

38.  TTien  certain  of  the  scribes,  &c. 
These,  as  it  appears  from  the  parallel 
passage  in  Luke  11  :  16,  were  not  those 
who  had  blasphemously  accused  him  of 
being  in  league  with  Satan,  although 
they  had  doubtless  heard  the  accusa- 
tion and  its  answer.  They  appear  to 
have  taken  up  the  conversation  when 
the  others  were  silenced,  and  made  the 
request  that  he  would  show  them  a  sign 
from  heaven.  They  wished  to  appear 
in  the  eyes  of  the  common  people,  as 
seekers  after  truth,  and  ready  to  yield 
to  any  reasonable  evidence  of  Christ's 
divine  mission.  It  is  as  though  they 
had  said :  We  acknowledge  that  you 
appear  to  do  many  very  wonderful 
deeds,  yet  there  is  so  much  deception 
practised  by  all  impostors,  that  on  a 
subject  of  such  moment,  as  the  recog- 
nition of  your  claims  to  the  Messiah- 
ship,  we  would  see  a  sign  on  a  grander 
scale.  Show  us  then  a  sign  from  hea- 
ven (Luke  11  :  16).  Let  us  have  such 
overwhelming  evidence  from  above, 
that  there  shall  be  no  longer  room  for 
doubt.  Such  appears  to  be  the  con- 
nection of  this  passage  with  the  prece- 
ding context.  Master.  A  common 
term  of  respect  to  one  who  was  attend- 
ed by  disciples.  See  N.  on  9  :  11.  We 
would  see  a  sign.  Luke  says,  "a  sign 
from  heaven."  The  Jews,  from  a  mis- 
interpretation of  Dan.  7  :  13,  supposed 
that  the  Messiah  would  manifest  himself 
in  some  way  from  above.  To  this  popu- 
lar impression,  the  devil  probably  had  a 
reference  in  the  second  temptation,  as 
related  by  Matthew  4  :  6  (on  which  see 
N).  They  now  ask  of  Jesus  a  celestial 
sign,  something  which  should  meet  the 
general  expectation  of  the  manner,  in 
which  the  Messiah  should  reveal  him- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


149 


generation  seeketh  after  a  sign ; 
and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given 
to  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet 
Jonas: 


self.  His  miracles  thus  far  related  to 
things  upon  the  earth.  They  now  wish 
for  some  display  of  his  power  in  the 
visible  heavens,  as  furnishing  higher 
evidence  of  his  Messiahship.  This  re- 
quest was  afterwards  repeated.  See 
16:  1  ;  Mark  8  :  11.  Compare  also 
John  6  :  30  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  22.  These  re- 
ferences may  help  us  to  understand 
Matt.  24  :  30.  From  thee,  i.  e.  taking 
place  at  thy  word  or  by  thy  autho- 
rity. 

39.  An  evil  and  adulterous  genera- 
tion. It  appears  from  Luke  (11:  29), 
that  the  people  thronged  together, 
either  with  the  expectation  of  seeing 
some  wonderful  appearance  in  the  hea- 
vens, or  to  hear  what  reply  Jesus  would 
make  to  the  demand  of  these  Pharisees. 
The  word  adulterous  is  here  used  in  a 
spiritual  sense.  In  the  Old  Testament 
usage,  it  refers  to  idolatry,  the  forsak- 
ing of  the  true  God  for  those  which 
were  false.  But  as  the  Jews  in  Christ's 
time  were  not  guilty  of  idol-worship,  it 
refers  here  to  practical  infidelity,  im- 
piety, apostacy  from  spiritual  religion. 
Seeketh.  after,  with  a  cavilling  ami  un- 
believing spirit,  and  not  as  sincere  and 
humble  inquirers  after  truth.  It  is  to 
be  noted  that  our  Lord  does  not  cen- 
sure them  for  requiring  evidence  of  his 
Messiahship  (see  16  :  2,  3,  where  signs 
of  the  times  is  put  for  the  evidence  fur- 
nished by  the  miracles  of  Jesus),  but  for 
closing  their  eyes  to  that  which  had 
been  so  abundantly  given,  and  de- 
manding further  and  more  convincing 
proof.  Shall  no  sign  be  given.  Our 
Savior  continued  to  work  miracles, 
but  gave  them  no  sign  such  as  they 
required.  But  the  sign  of  the  pro- 
phet Jonas.  The  resurrection  of  Christ 
from  the  dead,  of  which  the  de- 
liverance of  Jonah  from  the  fish's 
belly  {the  bellg  of  ffades,  Jonah  2  :  2), 
was  a  remarkable  type,  is  here  for  the 
first  time  in  the  recorded  ministry  of 


40  *For  as  Jonas  was  three 
days  and  three  nights  in  the 
whale's  belly  :  so  shall  the  Son  of 
man    be    three    days    and    three 

h  Jon.  1 :  IT. 


our  Lord  alluded  to.  This  event  was 
the  crowning  proof  of  his  Messiahship, 
and  was  a  sign,  which  ought  to  have 
removed  every  doubt  from  the  Jewish 
people,  as  to  his  divine  mission. 

49.  For  as  Jonas,  &c.  See  Jonah 
2  :  1  ;  2  :  10.  Three  dags  and  three 
nights.  See  Jonah  1  :  17.  In  the 
whale's  helly.  As  whales  are  seldom,  if 
ever,  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  and 
as  the  throat  of  that  fish  is  said  to  be 
too  small  to  receive  a  man,  it  is  gen- 
erally supposed,  that  it  was  a  shark,  or 
some  other  large  fish,  which  swallowed 
Jonah.  The  word  here  translated  whale, 
signifies  a  huge  fish,  a  sea-monster,  and 
in  later  usage,  it  is  applied  to  whales, 
sharks,  tunnies,  &c.  It  should  be  re- 
membered that  it  is  not  said  that 
Jonah  was  swallowed  by  a  whale,  but 
hy  a  great  fish  [J  oiiSihl  :  17).  So  shall 
the  So?i  of  man,  &c.  The  resemblance 
consists  in  the  time  in  which  both  Jonah 
and  Christ  were  buried  from  human 
view,  from  which  condition  they  were 
both  raised  by  the  power  of  God  to  life. 
Some  find  it  difficult  to  reconcile  with 
this  the  time,  in  which  our  Savior 
actually  lay  in  the  tomb.  But  the 
Jewish  method  of  computing  time 
was  to  reckon  parts  of  days,  as  whole 
days.  As  they  had  no  word  to  express 
a  whole  or  natural  day,  they  employed 
for  this  purpose  the  expression  day  and 
night.  In  the  Jerusalem  Talmud,  quoted 
by  Lightfoot,  it  is  said,  "  that  a  day  and 
night  together  make  up  a  whole  natural 
day,  and  that  any  part  of  such  period 
is  counted  as  the  whole."  Thus,  al- 
though our  Savior  was  only  two  nights 
and  a  part  of  three  days  in  the  tomb, 
yet  the  expression,  three  days  and  three 
nights,  according  to  the  Jewish  mode  of 
speaking,  was  a  correct  assertion  in  re- 
ference thereto.  In  the  heart  of  the 
earth,  is  put  for  in  the  earth,  the  idea  of 
completeness  and  entireness  of  burial 
being  conveyed  in  the  expression.    The 


150 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


nights  in    the   heart  of  the  earth. 
41  '  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall 


i  Lu.  11 :  32. 


Jews  sought  a  sign  from  heaven,  but 
the  sign  which  should  be  given  them, 
was  one  from  the  depths  of  the  earth, 
Tiz.  Christ's  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
This  was  the  great  proof  of  his  divine 
mission,  and  one  to  which  the  apostles 
confidently  referred,  when  arguing  with 
the  unbelieving  Jews.  It  is  strange 
that  Alford  should  find  here  no  refer- 
ence to  the  burial  of  our  Lord's  body 
in  the  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea, 
(inasmuch  as  that  could  not  be  said  to 
be  in  the  heart  of  the  earth,  nor  was 
the  '  Son  of  man'  there  during  the  time,) 
but  to  our  Lord's  personal  descent  into 
the  place  of  departed  souls.  He  seems 
to  have  overlooked  the  fact,  that  the  re- 
caUing  of  our  Lord's  spirit  or  soul  from 
Hades,  would  be  to  the  Jews  no  sign  at 
all,  not  being  discernible  by  the  na- 
tural senses,  whereas  a  resurrection  of 
his  body  from  ^he  tomb,  animated,  of 
course,  with  his  soul,  would  be  most 
palpable  to  the  vision  of  all,  to  whom 
he  chose  to  show  himself  The  whole 
person  of  our  Lord,  soul  and  body,  is 
most  unquestionably  referred  to. 

41.  This  verse  is  introduced  in  Luke 
by  the  words,  "  for  as  Jonas  was  a  sign 
to  the  Ninevites,  so  shall  also  the  Son 
of  man  be  to  this  generation,"  on  which 
see  Note.  TTie  men  of  Nineveh ;  literally, 
the  men  Ninevites.  A  form  of  expres- 
sion common  in  Greek,  signifying  noth- 
ing more  than  the  Ninevites,  or  the  peo- 
ple of  Nineveh.  This  celebrated  city, 
situated  on  the  Tigris,  was  declared  by 
some  ancient  historians  to  have  been 
even  larger  than  Babylon.  The  walls 
are  said  to  have  been  100  feet  high, 
and  so  broad  that  three  chariots  might 
be  driven  on  them  abreast.  On  these 
walls  stood  1,500  towers,  each  200  feet 
high,  rendering  the  city  well  nigh  im- 
pregnable. For  1450  years  it  was  the 
mistress  of  the  East,  to  which  Babylon 
itself  was  subject.  In  the  reign  of 
Sardanapalus,  B.  C.  747,  it  was  taken 
by  the  Medes  and  Babylonians,  which 
terminated  the  Assyrian  Empire.     Two 


rise  in  judgment  with  this  gen- 
eration,  and  *  shall  condemn  it : 

k  See  Je.  3 :  11 ;  Ez.  16 :  51,  52 ;  Eo.  2 :  27. 

kingdoms  from  this  time  sprang  up,  the 
Assyrian  and  Babylonian.  But  when 
Esar-haddon  took  Babylon,  for  54  years 
Nineveh  became  the  capital  again  of 
both  empires.  On  the  conquest  of 
Babylon  by  Nabapolassar,  an  Assyrian 
general,  and  father  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
who  made  himself  king,  Nineveh  began 
steadily  to  decline  before  the  rising 
power  of  its  rival  city,  until  it  fell  be- 
fore the  united  arms  of  the  Medes  and 
Babylonians,  B.  C.  633  ;  after  which 
time  its  decay  was  rapid  and  unchecked. 
Its  ruins  are  now  seen  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Tigris,  opposite  the  town 
of  tTie  modern  Mosul.  Shall  rise  in 
judgment.  Shall  stand  forth  before  the 
tribunal  of  judgment.  The  expression 
refers  to  the  standing  forth  of  witnesses 
or  accusers,  to  give  their  testimony 
against  criminals  on  trial.  With  this 
generation,  i.  e.  on  the  trial  of  this  gen- 
eration of  men.  We  are  not  neces- 
sarily to  suppose,  that  there  will  be  a 
real  confronting  of  the  Jews  by  the 
Ninevites,  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
Their  well  known  reception  of  Jonah 
will  stand  forth,  an  example  condemna- 
tory of  the  hardness  of  heart  and  un- 
belief of  the  Jews  in  rejecting  one,  who 
gave  such  evidence  that  he  was  sent  of 
God,  as  did  Jesus  Christ.  A  greater 
than  Jonas,  &c.  Greater  in  dignity, 
and  whose  mission  was  attested  by 
greater  miracles.  This  was  what  en- 
hanced the  condemnation  of  the  wicked 
Jews.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  our  Lord 
does  not  here  refer  to  the  sign  of 
Jonah  in  the  fish's  belly,  but  to  Jonah 
preaching  to  the  repenting  Ninevites. 
As  he  did  this  subsequent  to  his  re-ap- 
pearance from  the  depths  of  Hades 
(Jonah  2  :  2),  so  our  Lord  after  his 
resurrection  preached  by  his  apostles, 
and  yet  botla  before  and  after  that 
wondrous  event,  he  was  rejected  by 
the  unbelieving  Jews,  the  very  reverse 
of  the  conduct  of  the  Ninevites  at  the 
preaching  of  Jonah.  We  are  not  told 
how  many  of  the  Ninevites  repented. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


151 


'because  they  repented  at  the 
preaching  of  Jonas ;  and  behold, 
a  greater  than  Jonas  is  here. 

42  '"  The  queen  of  the  south 
shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment  with 
this  generation,  and  shall  condemn 


I  Jou.  3  :  5. 


ml  Ki.  10:1,2;  ch.9:l: 
Lu.  11 :  31. 


Probably  a  large  number,  including  the 
king  and  chief  men.  See  Jonah  3  : 
6-9. 

42.  In  the  same  oriental  style  of  ex- 
pression, the  queen  of  the  south  is  re- 
presented, as  appearing  in  judgment 
against  the  men  of  that  generation. 
Reference  is  had  to  the  queen  of  Sheba, 
who,  attracted  by  the  fame  of  Solomon, 
came  from  the  remotest  regions  {utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth)  to  hear  his 
wisdom  and  behold  his  magnitieence. 
Sheba  was  probably  a  city  of  Arabia 
Felix,  and  the  name  of  this  queen  was 
Bekris  or  Balkis.  Josephus  (Antiq.  8, 
6,  5)  styles  her  the  queen  of  Egypt  and 
Ethiopia.  The  phrase,  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth,  is  no  objection  to  the  loca- 
tion of  the  country  in  Arabia,  as  the 
imperfect  geographical  knowledge,  and 
the  tediousness  and  difficulty  of  "inter- 
communication, rendered  countries,  now 
considered  near  at  hand,  comparatively 
remote  and  unknown.  Wisdom  of  Sol- 
omon, here  referring  to  his  great  know- 
ledge and  learning,  as  shown  in  1  Kings 
4  :  29-34.  In  this  sense  of  general 
learning  and  science,  wisdom  is  to  be 
taken  in  Acts  7  :  22,  and  as  exhibited 
in  teaching,  in  Matt.  13  :  54.  In  the 
higher  sense  of  wisdom,  as  revealed  in 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  the  word  is  to  be 
taken  in  11  :  19.  A  greater  than  Sol- 
omon, I.  e.  possessed  of  more  wisdom 
and  true  greatness.  In  both  this  and 
the  preceding  verse,  the  neuter  is  used 
in  the  original,  in  the  sense  of  more 
tha7i  Jonas,  more  than  Solomon,  re- 
ferring not  only  to  Jesus  as  the  an- 
nouncer of  glad  tidings,  but  to  the  gos- 
pel itself,  the  preacher  and  the  subject 
being  greatly  superior  to  any  thing 
which  had  ever  yet  appeared  on  earth. 

43-45.  Commentators  unite  in  re- 
garding this  as  a  difficult  passage,  both 


it :  for  she  came  from  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  to  hear 
the  wisdom  of  Solomon ;  and  be- 
hold, a  greater  than  Solomon  is 
here. 

43  "  When  the  unclean  spirit  is 

n  Lu.  11 :  24. 

in  regard  to  its  connection  and  subject. 
Some  refer  it  to  vs.  38-40,  in  this  sense : 
that  if  a  sign  were  given  them  so  celes- 
tial and  glorious  as  to  compel  their 
acknowledgment  of  his  Messiahship,  yet 
it  would  be  but  momentary,  for  the 
demon  of  unbelief  would  return  and 
take  possession  of  their  heart.  Others 
with  more  propriety,  refer  it  to  the 
whole  of  the  preceding  context,  em- 
bracing both  his  calumniators  (v.  24) 
and  the  sign-seekers  (v.  38).  This 
latter  class  of  persons  stood  by  and 
heard  the  blasphemous  words  uttered 
against  the  divine  power  of  Christ,  as 
displayed  in  his  ejection  of  demons,  and 
it  seems  forced  and  partial,  to  refer 
this  simile  of  the  unclean  spirit  to 
either  of  these  sets  of  persons  exclusive 
of  the  other.  The  whole  transaction 
is  to  be  taken  into  view,  in  order  to 
clothe  this  remarkable  simile  with  its 
appropriate  appositeness  and  force. 
The  Pharisees  had  brought  a  malignant 
charge  against  Christ,  and  having  been 
silenced  and  put  to  shame  by  him, 
others  of  their  number  standing  by, 
came  to  the  rescue,  and,  in  order  to 
maintain  appearances  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people,  with  great  apparent  sincerity 
demanded  a  sign  of  his  Messiahship. 
This  he  refuses  to  give  them  (vs.  39-42), 
and  then  proceeds  to  warn  them  of 
the  doom  which  awaits  their  impiety 
and  unbelief.  Whether  our  Lord  in- 
tends in  this  simile  to  speak  of  what 
actually  occurs  in  demoniacal  posses- 
sions, or  whether  the  account  is  to  be 
received  as  parabolical  and  ornamental 
in  its  minor  circumstances,  is  more  than 
we  can  tell.  No  one  can  disprove  its 
being  an  actual  occurrence,  for  it  refers 
to  a  subject,  of  which  we  can  have  no 
knowledge  except  from  revelation. 
43.  Is  gone  out  of  a  man,  i,  e.  is  dis- 


152 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


gone  out  of  a  man,  "  he  walketh 
through  dry  places,  seeking  rest, 
and  findeth  none. 

44  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return 
into  my  house  from  whence  I  came 
out ;    and  when  he   is   come,    he 

o  Job.  1:7;  1  Pe.5:  8. 


j)ossessed  by  a  higher  power,  as  the 
demon  would  not  voluntarily  leave  the 
person  possessed.  He  walketh  (i.  e. 
proceedeth)  through  dry  places.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Jewish  notion,  the  abode 
of  these  unclean  spirits  was  in  the  air 
(Ephes.  2  :  2),  and  in  dry  and  deserted 
places  (Isa.  13  :  21,  22  ;  3J:  :  14).  When 
cast  forth  from  the  man,  he  returns  at 
once  to  his  dwelling  place,  and  there 
passes  a  restless,  discontented  existence 
\seeking  rest  and  finding  none),  until  an 
opportunity  is  afforded  him  of  doing 
further  mischief. 

44.  Then  he  saith,  &c.  He  resolves 
to  return  once  more  to  the  man  from 
whom  he  had  been  cast  out,  hoping  in 
some  way  to  effect  an  entrance.  What 
a  picture  of  the  eagerness  of  these  ma- 
lignant beings  to  afflict  man.  My  house. 
He  speaks  of  the  human  body,  as  his 
own  habitation,  in  which  he  has  com- 
parative happiness.  Hefindethit  empty, 
&c.  Every  thing  is  ready  for  his  recep- 
tion. The  imagery  is  taken  from  a 
house,  all  cleaned  and  decorated  for 
the  reception  of  some  expected  guest. 
This  is  expressed  in  the  original  by  the 
perfect  participles,  having  been  swept 
and  garyiished,  so  as  to  be  ready  for 
the  occupant.  The  cleanliness  and 
emptiness  of  tliis  habitation  of  the  de- 
mon was,  in  reality,  a  state  of  high 
moral  corruption  and  fullness  of  evil.    • 

45.  Then  goeth  he,  &c.  At  sight  of 
his  old  abode,  all  fitted  up  for  his  occu- 
pancy and  use,  in  an  ecstasy  of  demoni- 
acal joy,  he  hastens  to  associate  with 
himself  (i.  e.  as  companions)  seven 
other  spirits,  of  greater  malignity  and 
power  to  do  mischief  than  himself. 
The  word  seven  was  often  put  by  the 
Jews  for  an  indefinite  round  number, 
and  tlius  it  is  frequently  used  in  the  Scrip- 
tures.    More  wicked  than  himself,  i.  e. 


findeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  gar- 
nished. 

45  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh 
with  himself  seven  other  spirits 
more  wicked  than  himself,  and 
they  enter  in  and  dwell   there : 


they  had  greater  capacity  and  inclina- 
tion for  wickedness  than  the  demon 
which  had  previously  possessed  the  man. 
This  shows  on  his  part  a  malignant 
desire  to  render  the  man  as  miser- 
able as  possible.  It  shows  also  that 
there  are  grades  of  wickedness  among 
bad  spirits.  Compare  Eph.  6  :  12. 
Enter  in.  Take  possession  of  the 
man.  And  dwell  there.  He  becomes 
their  fixed  and  permanent  abode. 
Nothing  short  of  omnipotent  power 
can  free  him  from  this  dreadful  pos- 
session, and  seldom  is  that  exerted  in 
behalf  of  an  individual  thus  repossessed 
by  the  devil.  And  the  last  state,  &c. 
It  could  not  be  otherwise,  being,  as  he 
was,  under  the  influence  of  this  seven- 
fold Satanic  possession.  Last  state 
(literally  last  ihi7igs)  comprises  the 
whole  condition  and  circumstances  of 
the  man's  being.  So  the  Jirst  designeites 
his  previous  state,  when  possessed  by 
only  one  demon.  Even  so  shall  it  be, 
&c.  The  application  is  intended  first, 
as  we  have  shown,  for  the  calumniators 
of  Jesus,  and  sign-seekers  who  had  just 
been  tempting  him  (Luke  11  :  16). 
But  this  simile  had  a  still  wider  range. 
The  Jewish  nation,  which  at  previous 
times,  especially  in  the  Babylonish  cap- 
tivity, had  been  dispossessed  of  some 
of  their  national  sins,  especially  the 
demon  of  idolatry,  had  gradually  under 
the  influence  of  Pharisaical  teaching, 
sunk  into  the  lowest  depths  of  for- 
mality and  hypocrisy.  This  was  their 
state  when  Christ  appeared  on  earth. 
Instead  of  reforming  under  his  plain 
and  searching  ministry,  they  became 
worse  and  worse,  until  having  filled  up 
the  measure  of  their  iniquities,  they 
were  destroyed  by  the  Romans.  Their 
crimes  and  excesses,  as  related  by 
Josephus,  are  scarcely  equalled  by  those 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


153 


''and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is 
worse  than  the  first.  Even  so 
shall  it  be  also  unto  this  wicked 
generation. 

46  1[  While  he  yet  talked  to 
the  people,  'behold,  his  mother 
and  '  his  brethren  stood  without, 
desiring  to  speak  with  him. 

47  Then  one  said  unto  him,  Be- 

p  He.  6:  4,  &  10  :  26;  2  Pe.  2  :  20,  21,  22. 
g  Ma.  3 :  31 ;  Lu.  S  :  19, 20,  21. 


of  any  nation,  whose  history  has  come 
down  to  us.  Lessons  of  instruction 
may  also  be  drawn  from  this  passage, 
in  reference  to  the  increased  wicked- 
ness, which  generally  marks  the  apos- 
tasy of  those  who,  having  professed 
religion,  turn  away  from  the  truth  to 
their  former  evil  ways. 

46-50.  Christ's  Disciples  his  true 
Relatives.  Galilee.  Mark  3  :  31 — 
85;  Luke  8:  19—21. 

46.  While  our  Lord  was  thus  vehe- 
mently denouncing  the  Pharisees,  his 
mother  and  brethren,  fearing,  as  it 
would  seem,  lest  he  should  expose  his 
life  to  the  rage  of  these  wicked  men, 
and,  as  we  are  informed  in  Mark  3  :  21 
(on  which  see  Note),  regarding  him  as 
in  a  measure  beside  himself,  were  de- 
sirous of  withdrawing  him  from  the 
scene  of  excitement  and  danger,  or  at 
least  of  addressing  him  with  words  of 
warning  and  caution  (see  Mark  3  :  21), 
but  were  unable  to  reach  him,  on  ac- 
count of  the  thronging  multitude.  His 
brethren.  Probably  the  sons  of  Joseph 
and  Mary,  although  some  think  the 
word  should  be  translated,  kinwien,  as 
referring  to  the  sons  of  Joseph  by  a 
former  wife,  or  of  Mary's  sister  the  wife 
of  Cleophas.  Without,  i.  c.  outside  of 
the  house  where  he  was  speaking,  or 
outside  of  the  crowd. 

47-49.  77i.en  one  said.  The  person 
doubtless  whom  his  relations  had  sent 
(see  Mark  3  :  31),  to  inform  Jesus  of 
their  wish  to  speak  with  him.  But  he 
answered  and  said.  We  may  infer  from 
this,  that  he  refused  at  this  time  to  see 
his  friends,  but  continued  his  discourse. 
This  was  from  no  disrespect  to  his  mo- 
VOL.  I.— 7* 


hold,  thy  mother  and  thy  breth- 
ren stand  without,  desiring  to 
speak  with  thee. 

48  But  he  answered  and  said 
unto  him  that  told  him.  Who  is 
my  mother  ?  and  who  are  my 
brethren  ? 

49  And  he  stretched  forth  his 
hand    toward    his    disciples,    and 

r  Ch.l8:55;  Ma.  6:8;  John  2  :  12,  &7:  3,5; 
Ac.  1  :  14;  1  Co.  9:5;    Ga.  1  :  19. 


ther  and  relatives,  but  because  he  had 
other  and  higher  duties  pressing  upon 
him,  which  would  admit  of  no  interrup- 
tion. Who  is  my  mother,  &c.  This 
question  served  to  call  attention  to 
what  he  was  going  to  say,  respecting 
the  relationship  of  believers  to  him. 
See  N.  on  11  :  16.  It  strikes  deep  at 
the  impious  and  superstitious  honors 
given  in  these  latter  times  to  the  mo- 
ther of  our  Lord.  The  ties  of  spiritual 
consanguinity  are  declared  to  be  so  su- 
perior to  those  merely  natural,  that  the 
one  is  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  the 
other.  Who  is  my  mother  ?  what  mo- 
ther have  /,  save  those  who  have  for- 
saken all  and  are  following  me,  as 
faithful  and  loving  disciples  ?  And  he 
stretched  forth  his  hand  ;  literally,  and 
having  stretched  forth  his  hand,  a  pause 
doubtless  following  the  gesture,  in 
order  to  give  emphasis  to  the  words 
which  followed.  Behold  my  mother, 
&c.  Here  again  no  slight  or  disrespect 
was  offered  to  his  mother  and  other 
relatives  by  this  spiritual  relationship 
claimed  with  his  true  disciples.  His  in- 
tention was  only  to  show,  in  this  impres- 
sive manner,  what  constitutes  true  and 
lasting  consanguinity.  He  meant  also 
perhaps  to  rebuke  gently  any  inter- 
ference with  the  work,  which  his  Father 
had  given  him  to  do.  It  was  necessary 
at  this  time,  that  he  should  vindicate 
himself  from  the  malicious  charge  of 
the  Pharisees,  and  had  he  withdrawn 
and  left  them  in  the  field,  without  boldly 
refuting  their  accusation  and  replying 
to  their  cavils,  his  disciples  would  have 
marked  and  renienibered  his  timorous 
conduct,  and  a  blow  would  have  been 


154 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


said,  Behold  my  mother  and  my 
brethren  ! 

50  For  '  whosoever  shall  do  the 
will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother, 
and  sister,  and  mother. 

«See  Jn.  15  :  14  ;  Ga.5  :  6,  &6:15;  Col.3:ll; 
He.  2: 11. 

given  his   cause,  from  which  it  would 
hardly  have  recovered. 

50.  For  whosoever  shall  do,  &c.  See 
N.  on  7  :  21.  This  extends  the  spiritual 
consanguinity  here  spoken  of  to  the 
whole  body  of  believers,  and  shows 
also  the  principle,  on  which  true  disci- 
pleship  is  founded.  To  be  a  disciple, 
one  must  be  not  a  hearer  only,  but  a 
doer  of  the  word.  He  is  then  brought 
into  an  union  with  Christ  far  more  inti- 
mate and  tender,  than  any  earthly  re- 
lationship. But  this  is  not  the  result 
of  an  empty  formal  profession  of  his 
name,  a  mere  outward  observance  of 
the  claims  of  religion.  The  same.  The 
original  Greek  has  the  force,  he  (and  no 
other)  is  my  brother,  &c.  In  this 
enumeration  of  relationships,  it  has  been 
noticed  by  commentators,  that  our 
Lord  makes  no  reference  to  the  pater- 
nal relation,  as  he  had  in  reality  no 
earthly  father. 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

1-23.  Parable  of  the  Sower.  Lake 
of  Galilee,  near  Capernaum.  Mark  4  : 
1-25  ;  Luke  8  :  4-18.  There  is  a  close 
verbal  resemblance  here  between  the 
evangelists,  yet  a  divergency  sufficient 
to  show  that  they  were  not  copyists 
one  from  another.  In  the  parable  it- 
self, Mark  is  the  fullest,  but  in  its  inter- 
pretation by  our  Lord,  Matthew  intro- 
duces V.  12,  and  also  the  citation  from 
Esaias  (vs.  14-17)  which  are  not  found 
in  Mark  or  Luke. 

1.  The  same  day.  Although  this  ex- 
pression is  sometimes  used  indefinitely 
(see  Acts  8  :  1),  it  is  here  to  be  taken 
litei-ally  for  the  same  day,  on  which 
he  had  denounced  the  blasphemy 
of  the  Pharisees.  It  was  a  memorable 
day,  and  it  appears  from  8  :  24  (on 
which  see  N.),  that  he  became  so  ex- 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

THE  same  day  went  Jesus  out 
of  the  house,  "  and  sat  by  the 
sea-side. 

2  '  And  great  multitudes  were 
gathered   together  unto    him,    so 

a  Ma,  4:1.        6  Lu.  8  :  4. 


hausted  by  its  labors,  that  while  cross- 
ing the  lake,  he  fell  into  so  deep  a 
sleep,  that  the  noise  of  the  tempest  and 
the  confusion  on  board  the  ship,  failed 
to  awaken  him.  Luke  supplies  some 
intervening  events,  in  11  :  37-54  ;  12  : 
1-59  ;  13  :  1-9.  Out  of  the  hou.fe  in 
which  he  had  healed  the  demoniac  and 
denounced  the  Pharisees  (see  Mark  3  : 
19).  A7id  sat  by  the  sea-side.  This 
place  was  selected,  because  it  furnished 
a  better  position,  from  which  to  address 
the  vast  multitude  which  thronged 
around  him.  As  it  respects  his  sitting 
posture,  see  N.  on  5  :  1. 

2.  So  that  he  went,  &c.  In  the  pro- 
cess of  his  discourse,  he  was  probably 
obliged  to  do  this,  in  order  to  avoid  in- 
terruption from  the  pressure  of  the  eager 
multitude.  See  N.  on  12  :  15.  It  was 
probably  very  near  Capernaum,  where 
he  addressed  this  great  multitude.  A 
ship  ;  literally,  the  ship,  referring  to 
one  which  belonged  to  Jesus'  disciples, 
or  which  had  been  placed  at  his  service 
by  some  of  his  friends,  at  Capernaum. 
Alford  thinks  that  the  form  of  expres- 
sion, the  house,  the  ship,  means  nothing 
more  definite  than  a  hoitse,  as  opposed 
to  the  open  air  ;  a  ship,  as  opposed  to  a 
position  on  shore.  But  the  well-known 
laws  of  the  Greek  article  are  better  ob- 
served here,  in  giving  it  the  above- 
mentioned  definite  sense.  On  the  shore; 
literally,  the  fat  beach  over  which  the 
sea  breaks.  This  shows  that  in  their 
great  desire  to  hear  Jesus,  they  stood 
on  the  very  margin  of  the  lake.  The 
scene  must  have  been  sublime  and  im- 
pressive. We  love  to  linger  on  such 
incidents  in  our  Savior's  ministry. 
Seated  in  the  ship,  at  a  suitable  distance 
from  the  shore,  his  chosen  disciples 
around  him,  the  hills  in  the  rear  form- 
ing the  triangular  plain,  in  the  midst  of 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


155 


that  'he  went  Into  a  ship,  and 
sat ;  and  the  whole  multitude 
stood  on  the  shore. 


which  stood  Capernaum,  he  addressed 
in  words,  such  as  man  never  spake,  the 
great  multitude,  who  pressed  to  the 
very  brink  of  the  water  iu  order  the 
better  to  hear  him. 

3.  He  spake  many  things  to  them  in 
parables,  i.  e.  he  illustrated  and  en- 
forced many  points  of  his  discourse  by 
parables.  The  word  parable,  literally 
sifrnifies,  a  placing  of  things  side  by 
side,  and  hence  a  comparison  or  simili- 
tude. In  the  New  Testament  usage,  it 
is  a  short  narration,  serving  by  points 
of  resemblance,  to  render  the  subject 
in  hand  more  clear  and  striking,  and  to 
fix  it  more  permanently  in  the  mind  of 
the  hearer.  A  parable  differs  from  a 
fable,  in  that  it  introduces  acts  which 
are  possible  and  probable,  while  a  fable 
introduces  those  that  are  impossible,  as 
conversation  between  animals  and  even 
inanimate  objects.  A  parable  may  be 
true  or  fictitious.  We  have  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  our  Savior's  parables  were 
all  founded  on  facts,  although  if  such 
were  not  the  case,  used  as  illustrations 
well  understood  by  the  people,  they 
would  be  not  in  the  least  wrong  or  ob- 
jectionable. In  interpreting  a  parable, 
the  exact  sense  of  the  words  is  to  be 
first  reached,  as  in  any  other  form  of 
narrative.  The  great  point  of  the  re- 
semblance or  similitude  to  the  subject 
which  it  is  designed  to  illustrate,  should 
then  be  carefully  sought  for.  The 
other  incidents  of  the  parable  are  to  be 
regarded  as  the  tilling  up,  or  the  back- 
ground of  the  moral  picture,  giving  life, 
beauty,  vivacity,  naturalness  to  the 
narration.  The  losing  sight  of  this  has 
been  a  prolific  source  of  error.  Para- 
bles have  been  forced  to  teach  almost 
every  thing  by  attributing  to  their  minor 
parts  some  profound  allegorical  signifi- 
cation. This  is  erroneous  and  attended 
with  the  most  mischievous  results.  The 
parable  teaches  one  great  truth,  which 
can  be  ascertained  from  the  circumstan- 
ces or  occasion  of  its  utterance,  but  the 
parts  of  which  it  is  composed,  must  not 
be  pressed  to   teach  of  necessity  some 


3  And  he  spake   many  things 
unto    them    in    parables,    saying, 

c  Lu.  5 :  3. 

additional  spiritual  truth.  But  while  a 
rigid  adherence  to  this  principle  of 
parabolic  interpretation  is  to  be  main- 
tained, we  are  not  forbidden  to  use 
these  minor  portions,  as  suggestive  and 
illustrative  of  many  points  of  duty  and 
practice.  In  the  parable  of  the  pro- 
digal son,  the  main  point  of  illustration 
is  the  readiness  of  God  to  receive  the 
repenting  sinner,  as  he  returns  from  his 
wanderings  in  the  paths  of  sin,  but  the 
whole  parable  is  full  of  profitable  sug- 
gestions and  tender  appeals  to  the  out- 
casts of  sin  and  wretchedness. 

There  were  many  advantages  attend- 
ing this  mode  of  instruction.  Unwel- 
come truths  could  be  advanced  without 
exciting  the  prejudices  of  those  to  whom 
they  were  addressed.  Men  would  be 
led  to  an  admission  of  some  offensive 
doctrine  or  tenet,  and  to  its  personal 
application  to  themselves,  before  they 
had  time  to  array  themselves  against 
it.  Reproof  and  warning  found  in  it 
an  appropriate  vehicle  to  men's  hearts. 
It  brought  great  truths  down  to  a  level 
with  the  intellectual  capacities  of  all. 
It  addressed  didactic  instruction  to  the 
imagination,  as  well  as  to  the  reasoning 
faculties.  It  was  a  formula  of  moral 
truth,  which  the  least  retentive  memory 
could  carry  away,  to  be  pondered  upon, 
in  the  daily  walks  of  business,  and  in 
the  hour  of  retirement. 

The  parables  of  our  Savior  are  all 
pertinent  and  impressive.  Some  of  the 
grandest  truths  of  the  gospel  are  taught 
in  them.  They  have  afforded  instruc- 
tion, warning,  encouragement,  consola- 
tion to  God's  children  in  every  age  of 
the  Christian  church,  and  thousands 
will  attribute  their  conviction  of  sin, 
and  their  experience  of  Christ's  pardon- 
ing love,  to  the  arousing,  convincing, 
and  quickening  power  of  truth,  as  illus- 
trated and  enforced  in  the  parables  of 
the  lost  sheep,  the  piece  of  silver,  the 
prodigal  son,  the  barren  fig  tree,  and 
others  of  like  nature. 

A  sower  ;  literally,  the  one  who  sows, 
the  sower,  generically  spoken  (see  N.  on 


156 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


■^  Behold,  a  sower  went  forth  to 
sow ; 

4  And  when  he  sowed,  some 
seeds  fell  by  the  way  side,  and  the 
fowls  came  and  devoured  them 
up: 

5  Some  fell  upon  stony  places, 
where  they  had  not  much  earth  : 
and    forthwith  they   sprung   up, 

dL,u.  8:  5. 

10  :  16),  as  we  sny  the  farmer,  referring 
to  any  one  of  the  class.  We7if  forth  (into 
his  field)  to  sow.  As  our  Savior  himself 
has  interpreted  this  parable  (vs.  18-23), 
little  else  than  a  verbal  explanation  is 
needed.  It  may  be  remarked  in  gene- 
ral, that  the  parable  teaches  the  vari- 
ous states  of  mind  with  which  gospel 
truth  is  received,  and  also  the  different 
degrees  of  apparent  reformation  to 
which  many  attain,  and  then  fall  away 
and  perish.  These  three  degrees  are 
progressive,  each  higher  and  more  per- 
manent than  the  preceding,  and  yet  all 
fall  short  of  that  radical  change,  de- 
noted by  the  good  seed  falling  on  good 
ground. 

4.  B>/  the  way  side ;  literally,  along 
or  by  the  way.  The  field  either  border- 
ed upon  a  path  or  high-way  ;  or  such  a 
path  ran  through  it.  Upon  this  path 
some  of  the  seeds,  as  they  fell  from  the 
hand  of  the  sower,  would  of  necessity 
fall,  and  not  being  harrowed  or  plough- 
ed in,  were  at  once  picked  up  by  the 
birds,  which  frequent  such  fields.  Foids. 
See  N.  on  6  :  15.  Devoured  them  up. 
The  expression  in  the  original  is  inten- 
sive. They  completely  swallowed  them 
down.  There  was  no  chance  whatever 
of  their  taking  root  and  bringing  forth 
fruit. 

5,  6.  Stony  places ;  literally,  the 
stony  places.  So  below  the  thorns,  the 
good  qround,  these  being  regarded  as 
parts  of  the  field,  which  embraced  these 
different  kinds  of  ground.  By  the  ex- 
pression stony  places  (literally,  rocky 
places,  the  word  being  derived  from 
petra,  a  rock,  and  not  from  petros,  a 
piece  of  rock,  a  stone),  reference  is  had, 
not  so  much  to  ground  abounding  in 
small  stones,   as  to  large,   flat    rocks 


because  they  had  no  deepness  of 
earth : 

6  And  when  the  sun  was  up, 
they  were  scorched ;  and  because 
they  had  no  root,  they  withered 
away. 

7  And  some  fell  among  thorns  ; 
and  the  thorns  sprung  up,  and 
choked  them : 


(Luke  8  ;  6),  overlaid  with  a  thin  sur- 
face of  earth,  upon  which  the  seed  falls 
and  is  slightly  covered  up.  In  conse- 
quence of  its  having  to  -make  its  way 
through  so  trifling  a  depth  of  earth, 
and  the  soil  being  kept  warm  by  the 
radiation  of  heat  from  the  rock,  such 
seed  springs  up  speedily,  and  for  a 
short  time  gives  promise  of  a  vigorous 
growth.  But  having  no  depth  of  root, 
the  heat  of  the  sun  scorches  it,  and 
causes  it  to  become  sickly  and  to  wither 
away.  WJieyi  the  sun  was  up,  i.  e. 
poured  down  its  noon-tide  heats.  Ro- 
senmuUer  refers  it  to  the  sun's  dissipa- 
tion of  the  clouds,  which  in  November 
in  seed  time,  overspread  the  sky. 
Were  scorched,  i.  e.  withered  away 
through  heat  of  the  sun.  Withered 
away.  A  better  translation  would  be 
dried  or  shrivelled  up,  the  result  of  too 
much  heat  with  no  depth  of  root.  The 
plants  having  a  forced  and  premature 
growth,  first  began  to  droop  and  wither 
under  the  intense  solar  rays,  and  soon 
became  dry  and  without  vegetable  life. 
The  words  finely  denote  the  process  of 
decay  and  death. 

7.  Some  fell  among  thorns.  In  al- 
most every  field  are  rough  places,  where 
the  tillage  is  less  thorough,  and  thorn- 
bushes  spring  up.  The  plough  passes 
through  them,  and  the  ground  being 
thus  partially  prepared,  receives  the 
seed,  which  in  due  time  springs  up. 
But  the  thorns  also  spring  up,  and 
having  a  more  rapid  growth,  over- 
shadow the  tender  blades,  draw  away 
their  nourishment,  give  them  no  room 
to  grow,  and  thus  choke  them.  Every 
tiller  of  the  ground  will  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  truth  to  nature  of  this  par- 
able. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


157 


8  But  other  fell  into  good  I  10  ^  And  the  disciples  came, 
ground,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  '  and  said  unto  him,  Why  speakest 
some  'an  hundredfold,  some  sixty    thou  unto  them  in  parables  ? 


fold,  some  thirtyfold 

9  •'Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear. 

eGe.  26:12.     /Ch.  11 :  15 ;  Ma.  4 : 9. 


8.  Good  ground,  i.  e.  good  soil,  free 
from  rocks  and  thorn-bushes.  Some ; 
literally,  one,  i.  e.  one  seed,  represent- 
ing the  class  of  seeds  which  yielded  so 
abundantly.  So  the  word  some  in  the 
next  clause  is  literally,  another,  in  the 
same  collective  sense.  An  hvndred- 
fold,  i.  e.  each  seed  yielded  one  hundred 
grains.  This  was  a  great,  but  not  an 
unexampled  increase  (see  Gen.  26  :  12). 
The  terms  hundred,  sixty,  thirty  fold  are 
used  as  round  numbers  to  express  the 
varieties  of  increase  from  a  moderate 
to  a  most  abundant  harvest.  In  sow- 
ing a  field  of  even  ordinary  cultivation, 
by  far  the  greater  number  of  seeds  will 
fall  upon  good  and  productive  soil.  We 
are  not  to  infer  from  this,  that  they  who 
receive  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  pre- 
ponderate in  numbers  over  those  upon 
whom  the  word  produces  no  lasting 
effect.  Would  that  it  were  so,  but 
thus  far  in  the  history  of  the  gospel, 
the  very  opposite  is  true. 

9.  Who  hath  ears,  &c.  See  N.  on 
11  :  15. 

10.  And  the  disciples  came.  This 
took  place  at  the  close  of  the  discourse. 
But  the  explanation  and  the  reason  for 
teaching  in  parables  are  here  intro- 
duced, as  though  they  preceded  the 
parable  of  the  tares,  mustard  seed,  and 
others,  which  were  pronounced  on  this 
occasion,  while  he  sat  in  the  ship. 
There  was  no  interruption  of  the  dis- 
course, but  when  it  was  ended,  and  they 
were  alone  (Mark  4  :  10),  the  disciples 
proposed  this  inquiry.  Why  speakest 
thou,  &c.  If  we  except  the  barren 
fig  tree  (Luke  13  :  6-9),  these  are  the 
first  recorded  parables  of  our  Lord. 
On  this  occasion  he  pronounced  seven. 
So  new  and  unusual  a  style  of  address 
gave  rise  to  the  question  here  proposed. 

11.  Because  it  is  given  unto  you,  &c. 


11  He  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  Because  ^it  is  given  unto 
you  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the 

g  Ch.  11 :  25,  &  16 :  17 ;  Ma.  4  :  11 ;  1  Co.  2:10: 
1  Jo.  2 :  27. 


The  general  sense  of  this  reply  is  this : 
Such  is  the  bUndness  and  hardness  of 
heart  of  these  Jews,  that  unless  the 
truths  of  the  gospel  are  illustrated  and 
enforced  by  these  plain  and  familiar 
similitudes,  they  will  remain  blind  and 
unaffected  by  what  they  hear.  But  to 
you,  my  disciples,  whose  minds  are  be- 
ginning to  be  enlightened  to  perceive 
the  mysterious  things  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  there  is  no  necessity  of  em- 
ploying other  than  plain  language. 
Nothing  is  more  erroneous  than  to  sup- 
pose  that  Jesus  used  an  obscure  mode 
of  speech,  as  a  sort  of  judicial  punish- 
ment of  those  whom  he  addressed.  It 
is  repugnant  to  the  whole  tenor  of  our 
Savior's  ministry.  His  instructions  were 
always  given  in  the  plainest  manner,  so 
that  men  of  the  most  ordinary  capacity 
could  understand  him.  The  very  na- 
ture and  design  of  parables  forbid  also 
this  supposition,  that  they  were  in- 
tended as  a  means  of  judicial  blindness. 
They  are  employed  to  illustrate,  not  to 
darken,  a  subject.  They  serve  to  bring 
abstruse  truths  down  to  the  compre- 
hension of  the  unlearned  and  feeble  of 
intellect.  They  secure  for  unwelcome 
truths  a  lodgment  in  the  mind.  This 
was  the  ground  and  reason  of  their  use 
on  the  present  occasion.  The  people 
were  so  blinded  and  warped  by  preju- 
dices, and  a  false  religious  education, 
that  they  were  in  a  condition,  in  which 
the  truth  would  have  a  blinding,  hard- 
ening influence,  unless  commended  to 
them,  in  the  attractive  garb  of  parables 
and  similitudes.  This  view  clothes  the 
instructions  of  our  Lord  on  this  occa- 
sion, with  their  usual  directness,  and 
adaptation  to  the  capacities  of  his 
hearers.  The  effect  of  his  preaching, 
even  with  all  its  tenderness,  plainness, 
and  simplicity,  was,  doubtless,  the  hard- 


158 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them 
it  is  not  given. 

12  *  For  whosoever  hath,  to  him 
shall  be  given,  and  he  shall   have 

ACh.  25:29;  Ma.4:25;  Lu.8:18,  &19:26. 


ening  of  many  hearts,  but  this  was  not 
the  intended  effect,  which  was  their 
conversion  from  impenitence  and  un- 
belief. It  may  be  tliought  that  Mark 
(4  :  12)  conflicts  with  this  view,  but  the 
word  tliere  rendered  that,  has  not  the 
sense  of  the  final  cause  in  order  that, 
but  of  the  event  or  result,  so  that,  so  as 
that  (see  N.  on  1  :  22).  So  also  the 
word  rendered  lest  in  Mark  4  :  12,  is  to 
be  translated  in  consonance  with  the 
same  idea,  so  as  not,  a  meaning,  which 
Olshausen,  although  stoutly  contending 
for  the  sense  i?i  order  that,  admits  that 
it  has  in  the  New  Testament.  The  re- 
sult of  the  preaching  of  both  Esalas  and 
Christ,  and  not  the  designed  effect,  is 
most  unquestionably  taught  in  Mark,  as 
well  as  here  in  Matthew. 

Is  given;  literally,  has  been  given. 
Reference  is  had  to  the  previous  plan 
and  purpose  of  God  in  the  dispensation 
of  grace.  The  mi/steries,  i.  e.  the  truths 
and  principles  of  the  gospel,  shut  up 
from  the  Jews,  through  their  mistaken 
notions  of  the  Messianic  kingdom.  This 
concealment  was  not  effected  by  the 
direct  agency  of  God,  but  by  their 
own  depraved  and  worldly  views  of  the 
glory  of  the  promised  Messiah.  Alford 
pertinently  remarks,  "  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven,  like  other  kingdoms,  has  its 
secrets  (Rom.  16  :  2.5),  and  inner  coun- 
sels, which  strangers  must  not  know, 
but  are  only  revealed  to  the  humble, 
diligent  hearers."  0/  the  kingdom,  i.  e. 
pertaining  or  relating  to  the  kingdom. 

12.  For  whosoever  hath,  &c.  Those 
who  receive  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
shall  from  time  to  time  receive  new 
light  in  regard  to  its  mysteries,  and 
clearer  views  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom. 
Those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  have 
little  spiritual  knowledge,  and  who  take 
no  pains  to  increase  it,  but  close  their 
eyes  and  ears  to  the  truth,  shall  be- 
come more  and  more  darkened  by  sin 
and  unbelief,   until  the  little   spiritual  | 


more  abundance  :  but  whosoever 
hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  he  hath. 

13  Therefore  speak  I  to  them 


discernment  they  had,  is  totally  lost. 
The  language  is  proverbial,  and  is  bor- 
rowed from  worldly  riches,  which,  in 
the  hands  of  the  prudent  and  indus- 
trious, increase,  but  when  committed 
to  the  slothful  and  improvident,  soon 
waste  away.  This  verse  contains  the 
reason  why  plain  language  of  instruction 
was  addressed  to  his  disciples,  while  to 
the  ignorant  and  benighted  masses,  par- 
ables were  spoken.  The  design  was  to 
arrest  their  attention,  and  bring  them 
to  the  possession  of  the  spiritual  riches, 
which  they  were  in  danger  of  losing 
through  the  hardness  and  impiety  of 
their  hearts.  It  was  not  our  Lord's 
design  to  take  away  the  faint  rehgious 
knowledge  which  they  had,  but  to  in- 
crease it.  But  so  imminent  was  their 
danger  of  losing  every  rehgious  im- 
pression, and  relapsing  into  moral 
stupidity  and  blindness,  that  he  deemed 
it  necessary  to  administer  truth  to  them 
in  its  most  captivating  and  unobjection- 
able form,  and  therefore  addressed 
them  in  parables.  TTiat  hath,  i.  e.  has 
made  a  proper  use  of  the  knowledge 
and  privileges  which  he  possesses.  Shall 
have  abu7idance  ;  literally,  shall  have  in 
greater  abundance,  or  7nore  abuiulantly. 
His  former  knowledge  and  power  of 
spiritual  discernment  shall  be  greatly 
increased.  Hath  not,  i.  e.  has  made  no 
use  of  his  spiritual  gifts  and  blessings, 
and  is  satisfied  to  grope  in  darkness. 
Even  that  he  hath.  He  shall  lose  even 
the  privileges  which  he  possesses,  and 
become  utterly  destitute  of  every  means 
of  religious  light  and  attainment. 

13.  Therefore,  because  of  their  in- 
sensibilty  and  blindness,  which  would 
lead  them  to  reject  truth  plainly  spoken. 
Speak  1  to  them  in  parables,  in  a  way 
which  arrests  their  attention  and  ob- 
tains their  assent,  before  their  preju- 
dice and  impiety  are  fully  aroused  to 
opposition.  Because  they  seeing,  see  not, 
i.  e.  while  they   have   the  highest  ad- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


159 


in  parables  :  because  they  seeing, 
see  not ;  and  hearing,  they  heai* 
not,  neither  do  they  understand. 
14  And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the 
prophecy  of  Esaias,  which  saith, 
'  By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and 
shall  not  understand ;  and  seeing 

ils  6:9;  Ez.  12  :  2  ;  Ma.4:12;  Lu.8:10; 
Jn.  12  :  40 ;  Ac.  28  :  26,  2T ;  Eo.  11 :  8 ;  2  Co. 
8 :  14, 15. 

vantages  for  seeing,  they  are  dull, 
stupid,  and  have  no  spiritual  discern- 
ment of  the  truth.  No  method  of  in- 
struction is  so"  well  adapted  to  such  per- 
sons, as  that  conveyed  in  the  way  of 
parables.  Hearing^  they  hear  not.  The 
preceding  sentiment  expressed  in  varied 
form.  While  such  persons  hear  with 
the  outward  ear  the  gospel  message, 
they  are  so  dull  of  spiritual  understand- 
ing, that  it  is  to  them  as  though  they 
heard  it  not.  All  this  shows  their  blind 
obstinacy  and  hardened  wickedness, 
and  furnishes  the  reason,  why  Jesus 
tried  to  reach  their  heart  through  the 
medium  of  parables. 

14.  In  tliem  is  fulfilled^  i.  e.  has,  as 
it  were,  a  second  fulfillment.  They 
were  so  like  the  people  to  whom  Isaiah 
ministered,  that  there  was  another,  and 
by  as  much  as  our  Savior's  ministration 
was  of  a  higher  order  than  that  of  this 
prophet,  a  higher  fulfillment.  T}ie  pro- 
pheci/  of  Esaias.  The  quotation  is  from 
Isa.  6  ;  9,  10,  and  conforms  in  sense, 
although  not  in  verbal  exactness  to  the 
original.  By  hearing  ye  shall  hear. 
Tiiis  is  a  Hebraism  intending  to  give 
emphasis,  and  therefore  is  the  very 
sense  of  the  origiiud,  "  hear  ye  indeed  ;" 
literally,  "hear  ye  ever  so  often."  And 
shall  not  understand.  This  is  the  result. 
So  in  the  original,  "  but  understand 
not ;"  literally,  "  ye  will  not  under- 
stand." Seeing,  ye  shall  see.  In  the 
original:  "See  ye  ever  so  frequently." 
Shall 7iot perceive.  Original:  "Perceive 
not ;"  literally,  "  ye  will  not  discern." 
Here  the  result  is  again  given.  It  is 
not  the  aim  or  purpose  of  God,  in  send- 
ing forth  his  ministers,  to  harden  men's 
hearts  and  darken  their  understanding, 


ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not  per- 


ceive 


15  For  this  people's  heart  is 
waxed  gross,  and  iheir  ears  *are 
dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes 
they  have  closed;  lest  at  any  time 
they  should  see  with  their  eyes, 

*  He.  5: 11. 


although   it    has   oftentimes    this  sad 
effect. 

15.  Is  waxed  gross,  i.  e.  has  become 
dull  and  heavy.  Physical  obesity  is 
here  put  for  mental  dulness,  from  the 
notion  quite  prevalent  in  all  ages,  that 
excess  of  fat  tends  to  mental  stupidity. 
There  is  here  a  sUght  departure  from 
the  original,  which  is,  "  make  the  heart 
of  this  people  fat,"  i.  e.  declare  God's 
message,  the  effect  of  which,  in  their 
present  condition,  will  be  to  render 
them  still  more  dull  and  insensible.  In 
our  Lord's  quotation,  this  effect  is 
brought  out,  it  answering  best  the  de- 
sign of  his  citation,  which  was  to  show 
the  exceeding  wickedness  and  spiritual 
insensibility  of  the  Jews.  This  verse 
thus  becomes,  as  it  was  intended,  ex- 
planatory and  confirmatory  of  v.  14, 
viz.  that  the  result  of  attempting  to  im- 
part to  them  divine  truth,  had  only 
been  to  render  them  more  and  more  in- 
sensible to  its  saving  influence.  And 
their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing ;  literally, 
they  hear  heavily  with  their  ears  (i.  e. 
indistinctly,  as  when  dull  and  confused 
sounds  strike  upon  the  ear).  Accord- 
ing to  the  well  known  laws  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  the  preceding  sentiment  is  here 
expressed  in  varied  form.  Their  eyes 
they  have  closed  in  order  not  to  see. 
In  this  third  parallelism,  the  same  idea 
is  continued  under  varied  imagery. 
The  general  sentiment  is  that  they 
have  become  utterly  insensible  to  di- 
vine truth,  and  hence  the  effect  of  any 
presentation  of  it,  is  to  harden  their 
heart,  and  fit  them  more  certainly  for 
destruction.  This  was  the  sad  result  of 
Isaiah's  preaching,  and  also  of  our  Sa- 
vior's, in  many  instances,  even  though 


160 


MATTHEW. 


and  hear  with  iheir  ears,  and 
should  understand  with  their 
heart,  and  should  be  converted, 
and  I  should  heal  them. 

16  But  'blessed  are  your  eyes, 

i  Ch.  16  :  17 ;  Lu.  10  :  23,  24  ;  Jn.  20  :  29. 

he  spoke  to  them  in  parables  and 
siniihtudes.  The  words,  their  eyes 
they  have  closed,  show  that  the  act 
was  their  own,  and  for  it  they  were, 
therefore,  Wameworthy.  By  a  course 
of  wrong  doing,  men  very  often  render 
themselves  incapable  of  understanding 
and  appreciating  the  spiritual  truths  of 
the  gospel.  This  blindness  may  be 
fatal,  but  resulting  as  it  does,  from 
their  own  perverseness,  furnishes  no 
excuse  for  their  not  coming  to  the  light. 
Lest.  See  N.  on  v.  11.  This  word 
does  not  here  denote  design,  but  the 
result  of  the  dulness  just  spoken  of. 
The  sense  is,  so  that  they  will  not  see, 
&c.  In  the  quotation  of  this  passage 
by  John  (12  :  40),  the  Greek  word  for  so 
that,  is  employed  in  the  place  of  the 
one  here  rendered  lest,  which  shows 
that  the  eventual  signification  is  the 
correct  one.  The  original  in  Isaiah  has 
the  same  sense,  according  to  the  best 
interpreters.  Should  understand,  &c. 
This  is  placed  in  opposition  to  the 
fatness  or  dulness  of  heart,  charged 
upon  them  in  the  former  part  of  the 
verse.  Should  be  converted;  literally, 
should  turn  unto  God.  This  is  the  in- 
variable result  of  the  clearing  or  purify- 
ing of  the  spiritual  senses,  as  denoted 
in  the  preceding  clauses.  As  soon  as 
light  begins  to  break  in  upon  the  soul, 
it  turns  to  God,  that  "  in  His  light  it 
may  see  light." 

Such  appears  to  be  the  sense  of  this 
very  difficult  portion  of  Swipture.  It 
will  be  seen  that  a  different  view  of  the 
design  of  our  Savior's  parables,  will,  of 
necessity,  lead  to  a  different  interpreta- 
tion of  the  quotation  from  Isaiah. 
They  who  think  that  our  Lord,  in  the 
words  of  Doddridge,  "  in  just  displea- 
sure preached  to  them  in  this  ob.scure 
lang\iage,  that  what  was  their  crime 
might  be  their  punishment ;"  or  with  01- 


[A.  D.  31. 
and  your  ears,  for 


for  they  see 
they  hear. 

17  For  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
"■  That  many  prophets  and  right- 
eous  men   have    desired    to    see 

m  He.  11 :  13 ;  1  Pe.  1 :  10, 11. 


shausen,  suppose  that  "  their  failing  to 
understand  him,  was  the  object  design- 
ed by  our  Lord  in  using  the  language 
of  parables ;"  or  with  Alford,  that  his 
purpose  in  thus  speaking  was  the  qual- 
ity possessed  by  them  (i.  e.  the  par- 
ables) "  of  hiding  their  meaning  from 
the  hard-hearted  and  sensual,"  will  view 
the  whole  narration  and  the  citation 
from  Isaiah  in  a  quite  different  light 
from  those,  who  think  that  Jesus  adopt- 
ed this  mode  of  instruction,  in  conde- 
scension to  their  spiritual  bhndness  and 
deep-rooted  prejudices,  which  rendered 
them  insensible  and  averse  to  truths 
plainly  spoken.  But  this  latter  view 
has  certainly  this  advantage,  that  it  as- 
signs to  these  parables  an  enlightening 
service,  the  true  end  of  parabolic  in- 
struction, and  magnifies  the  compas- 
sionate mercy  of  Jesus  in  resorting  to 
this  means  to  bring  the  multitude,  sunk 
in  the  depths  of  sin  and  moral  insensi- 
bility, to  open  their  hearts  to  the  recep- 
tion of  truth. 

16.  Blessed  are  your  eyes,  &c.  In 
contrast  with  the  deplorable  condition 
of  the  Jews  through  spiritual  blindness, 
Christ  pronounces  his  disciples  happy, 
in  that  they  were  permitted  to  see  and 
understand  the  great  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel, which  he  was  then  unfolding  to 
them. 

17.  The  age  too  in  which  they  lived, 
in  the  very  time  of  the  Messiah's  ad- 
vent, so  long  and  anxiously  expected 
by  the  greatest  and  most  pious  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  rendered  them  fit  sub- 
jects of  congratulation.  Many  prophets 
and  righteous  men,  &c.  A  general 
expectation  of  the  Messiah  pervaded 
the  Jewish  nation,  attended  with  the 
strongest  desire  for  his  speedy  appear- 
ance. Especially  was  this  true  of  the 
prophets  (1  Pet.  10-12)  and  eminent 
saints.     They  looked  to  his  advent,  as 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


161 


those  ihin^s'vAiich.  ye  see,  and 
have  not  seeu  them  ;  and  to  hear 
those  things  which  ye  hear,  and 
have  not  heard  them. 

18  IT  "  Hear  ye  therefore  the 
parable  of  the  sower. 

19  When  any  one  heareth  the 

«.  Ma.  4:14;  Lu.  8  :  11. 


the  consummation  of  all  their  hopes  for 
the  renovation  and  elevation  of.  the 
Jewish  commonwealth.  Many  of  them, 
Hke  Simeon  (Luke  2  :  29)  would  have 
declared  their  readiness  to  leave  this 
world  for  another,  could  their  eyes 
have  once  beheld  Him,  who  was  their 
hope  and  expectation  as  the  King  and 
Deliverer  of  Israel.  See  John  8  :  56  ; 
Heb.  11  :  13.  Righteous  men  but  not 
endowed  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 
Luke  has  "  kings,"  i.  e.  such  righteous 
kings  as  David,  Hezekiah,  Josiah,  &c. 

18.  Hear  ye  therefore  the  parable,  i.  e. 
attend  to  its  explanation.  Olshausen, 
however,  denies  that  this  should  be  trans- 
lated hear  the  exposition  of  tlie  parable  ; 
and  yet  but  a  few  lines  previous  he  re- 
marks, that  this  is  one  of  the  few  para- 
bles, of  which  we  possess  an  authori- 
tative explanation  by  the  Lord. 

19.  Heareth  the  word,  as  preached  by 
Christ  and  his  apostles  and  ministers. 
This  was  the  seed  sown  (Luke  8  :  11). 
The  kingdom  of  grace  established  by 
the  Messiah.  Understandeth  it  not, 
througi  carelessness  and  inattention. 
The  effect  is  here  put  for  the  cause. 
The  hardness  and  insensibility  of  the 
heart  is  well  represented  by  a  hard- 
trodden  way  side,  on  which  the  seed 
falls  with  no  impression.  These  care- 
less, insensible  hearers  of  God's  word 
constitute  the  great  majority  of  those 
who  sit  under  the  gospel.  The  faint 
impressions  made  upon  them  by  the 
word,  pass  away  and  are  lost  through 
the  agency  of  Satan,  who  is  ever  at  hand 
to  catch  away  that  which  is  sown  in  the 
heart.  Compare  22  :  5  ;  2  Cor.  4  :  4.  Then 
Cometh.  The  devil,  although  always  at 
hand  to  frustrate  the  designs  of  grace,  is 
said  to  come,  in  order  to  keep  up  the  simil- 
itude between  him  and  the  birds  of  the 


word  "  of  the  kingdom,  and  un- 
derstandeth it  not,  then  cometh 
the  wicked  one,  and  catcheth  away 
that  which  was  sown  in  his  heart. 
This  is  he  which  received  seed 
by  the  way  side. 

20   But  he  that  received  the 

o  Ch.  4 :  23. 

parable,  which  were  said  to  come,  as  soon 
as  the  sower  had  passed  along,  and 
snatch  up  the  seeds  which  fell  from  his 
hand.  The  wicked  one ;  literally,  the 
wicked,  put  by  way  of  emphasis  for 
Satan  (Mark  4  :  15),  who  acts  not  only 
himself,  but  through  the  agency  of  in- 
ferior demons.  Had  we  not  received 
this  explanation  from  our  Lord  himself, 
it  is  doubtful,  as  Olshausen  remarks, 
whether  we  should  not  have  interpreted 
these  birds,  as  designating  injurious  in- 
fluences of  one  kind  and  another,  in- 
stead of  the  adversary  himself.  But 
Satan  works  by  a  great  variety  of  in- 
strumentalities, and  adverse  influences  to 
the  reception  of  the  truth,  are  all  parts 
of  his  great  machinery  to  ruin  souls. 
In  his  heart,  as  the  seat  of  the  affec- 
tions, emotions,  passions.  Some,  how- 
ever, refer  it  here  to  the  mind,  the  seat 
of  the  intellect.  This  is  he  which  re- 
ceived seed  by  the  way  side ;  literally,  was 
sown  on  the  way  side.  A  strongly  ex- 
pressed metaphor,  by  which  the  man  is 
said  to  be  sown  along  the  way  side,  in 
the  sense  of  having  received  the  word 
in  his  heart,  like  seed  cast  upon  the 
hard-beaten  path.  In  the  same  way, 
we  speak  of  a  field  as  having  been 
sown,  after  it  has  received  the  seed. 

20.  But  he  that  received  the  seed.  Here 
also,  he  that  was  sown.  See  preceding 
Note.  In  stony  places.  See  Note  on 
v.  5.  The  same  is  he  that  heareth ;  liter- 
ally, this  is  one  who  heareth.  Anon, 
i.  e.  immediately,  "  forthwith.  With 
joy  receiveth  it.  This  is  an  advance 
upon  the  way  side  hearers,  who  heard 
the  word,  but  understood  it  not.  These 
receive  it  with  joy.  It  proffers  to  them 
salvation.  It  speaks  of  peace,  happi- 
ness, and  endless  life.  Religion  as- 
sumes for  the  time  alovely  aspect.     In 


162 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


seed  into  stony  places,  the  same  is    ariseth  because  of  the  word,  by 
he   that    heareth   the   word,    and    and  by  '  he  is  ofiFended. 


anon  ^with  joy  receiveth  it ; 

21  Yet  hath  he  not  root  in 
himself,  but  dureth  for  a  while : 
for  when  tribulation  or  persecution 

p  Is.  58  :  2;  Ez.  33  :  31, 32 ;  Jn.  5  :  85. 
g'Cb.ll:  6;  2  Ti.  1 :  15. 

a  kind  of  joyous  transport,  but  with 
little  thought  or  reflection,  they  be- 
came her  followers.  Like  tlie  seed  fall- 
ing upon  the  shallow  soil  overspreading 
the  rock,  they  start  forth  upon  their 
religious  career,  far  in  advance  of  their 
more  reflecting  companions,  and  for  a 
time  manifest  a  zeal,  which  to  those  in- 
experienced in  such  cases,  appears  to 
be  genuine  and  abiding. 

21.  Yet  hath  he  not  root  in  hhnself, 
i.  e.  in  his  own  nature  or  spiritual 
being.  The  word  is  not  deeply  rooted 
in  his  heart.  Its  effect  is  emotional, 
transient,  evanescent.  But  dureth  for 
a  while  ;  literally,  is  a  temporary  (disci- 
ple), "  the  creature  of  circumstances." 
Alford.  For  when  tribulation,  &c.  In 
the  early  ages  of  the  church  and  in  sub- 
sequent times  of  persecution,  the  trials 
here  mentioned  constituted  the  touch- 
stone of  true  faith  in  Christ.  Every 
age  however  has  its  peculiar  tests,  by 
which  the  true  character  of  stony- 
ground  hearers  is  soon  ascertained. 
Tribulation ;  literally,  pressure  or  com- 
pression, and  referring  in  this  place  to 
the  evils,  by  which  men  are  pressed  and 
straitened,  and  which  test  their  faith, 
patience,  and  perseverance.  Reference 
is  had  to  private  calamities  and  misfor- 
tunes, just  as  persecution  refers  to  those 
of  a  more  public  nature.  Because  of 
the  word,  i.  e.  the  gospel  in  which  they 
have  professed  a  belief.  By  and  by. 
The  same  word,  translated  anon  or  im- 
mediately, in  the  preceding  verse.  The 
apostacy  of  these  stony-ground  hearers, 
was  as  sudden  as  their  professed  con- 
version. He  is  offended  ;  literally, 
caused  (by  these  trials  and  persecu- 
tions) to  stumble,  i.  e.  to  fall  away  from 
the  truth.     See  Luke  8:13. 

2 '2.  He  also  that  received  seed.  See  N. 
on  V.  19.     Among  the  thorns.    See  N. 


22  "■  He  also  that  received  seed 
'  among  the  thorns  is  he  that  hear- 
eth  the  word;    and  the   care  of 


rCh.  1928;Ma.lO:23;Lu.  18:24;lTi.  6: 
2  Ti.  4  :  10.        «  Je.  4 :  3. 


on  V.  7.  Is  he  that  heareth  the  word; 
literally,  this  is  one  who  heareth,  &c.  The 
cla^  here  represented,  embrace  the 
gospel,  with  more  thought  and  reflec- 
tion than  the  stony-ground  hearers, 
and  endure  for  a  longer  season.  Many 
of  them  maintain  a  fair  outward  profes- 
sion during  their  whole  hfe.  The  soil 
is  good,  the  seed  is  well  received,  but 
the  plants  are  choked  and  rendered  un- 
fruitful, by  the  rank  growth  of  thorns 
which  springs  up  with  them.  The  per- 
sons here  referred  to  are  immersed  in 
worldly  pursuits.  Mammon  is  their 
god.  The  claims  of  business  exhaust 
their  time  and  energies.  The  pleasures  of 
life  also  exert  a  powerful  and  pernicious 
influence.  They  become  worldly-mind- 
ed and  unfruitful.  The  cause  of  Christ 
gains  nothing  by  their  professed  dis- 
cipleship,  and  they  are  found  at  last  to 
have  been  wholly  destitute  of  genuine 
piety.  The  care  of  this  world,  i.  e. 
worldly  cares  and  anxieties  which  dis- 
tract the  mind.  Deceitfidness  of  riches. 
Riches  deceive  the  soul  by  the  fictitious 
happiness  which  they  afford,  and  by 
causing  the  duties  of  religion  to  be  de- 
ferred, until  a  sufficiency  of  wealth 
gives  ample  time  to  attend  to  them. 
Mark  (4  :  19)  adds  to  the  delusion  of 
riches,  "  the  lust  of  other  things," 
which  is  what  Luke  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage (8  :  14)  denotes  "  pleasures  of 
this  life."  The  pursuit  of  wealth  or 
pleasure  is  alike  baneful  to  the  interest 
of  the  soul.  In  respect  to  these  classes 
of  hearers,  it  should  be  noticed,  that 
while  there  is  an  apparent  gradation  for 
the  better,  from  the  careless,  insensible 
way-side  hearers,  to  the  stony-ground 
hearers  who  joyfuUy  received  the  word, 
and  gave  promise  in  the  outset  of  much 
fruit,  and  then  to  those  in  whose  heart 
the  seed  took  deep  root,  but  unhappily 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


163 


this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness 
of  riches  choke  the  word,  aud  he 
becometh  unfruitful. 

23  But  he  that  received  seed  in- 
to the  good  ground  is  he  that  hear- 
eth  the  word,  and  understandeth 


among  thorns  which  choked  the  word 
and  rendered  it  unfruitful.  Yet  the 
real  progress  is  downward,  the  condi- 
tion of  each  class  being  worse  than  the 
preceding. 

23.  Into  good  ground,  i.  e.  good  soil, 
free  from  weeds  and  thorns,  and  not 
underlaid  by  rocks.  The  class  here  re- 
presented are  true  and  genuine  con- 
verts. It  is  not  implied  that  the  soil  of 
their  hearts  was  good  by  nature,  but 
only  as  it  was  made  so  by  the  grace  of 
God.  The  parable  does  not  turn  aside, 
to  guard  against  misconstructions  and 
perversions  of  truth.  The  word  of  God 
abundantly  shows  that  the  heart  is  des- 
perately wicked,  and  not  at  all  incHned 
of  itself  to  receive  divine  truth  in  the 
spirit  of  love  and  obedience.  Nor  is  it 
here  taught  that  this  was  the  first 
sowing  of  their  heart.  They  may  have 
belonged  previously  to  the  way-side, 
stony-ground,  or  thorn-bearing  hearers, 
one  or  all  of  them  at  different  times, 
but  now  their  heart  is  inclined,  by  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  to  receive  the 
gospel  message  in  penitence,  faith,  and 
love.  Nor  is  their  own  active  agency 
in  this  to  be  overlooked.  They  reason, 
choose,  determine,  obey.  All  the  ac- 
tivities of  their  mind  are  in  motion. 
But  the  parable  brings  simply  and  sole- 
ly to  view,  the  fit  condition  of  their 
heart,  at  the  time  of  the  sowing,  to 
receive  the  truth,  and  the  good  re- 
sults of  this  reception  of  it.  Under- 
atandeth  it,  i.  e.  comprehends  the  truth 
in  all  its  bearings  and  realities.  Which 
also  beareth  fruit.  The  true  and  only 
criterion  of  Christian  character  is 
found  in  the  fruits  of  piety  (see  7  :  16, 
20).  In  Luke  (8  :  15)  it  Is  thus  ex- 
pressed, "  bringeth  forth  fruit  with  pa- 
tience," i.  e.  with  a  patient  endurance  and 
perseverance  under  those  trials,  which 
caused  the  stony-ground  hearers  to  fall 
away.     Some  an  hundredfold,  &c.  This  , 


U  ;  which  also  beareth  fruit,  and 
bringeth  forth,  some  an  hundred- 
fold, some  sixty,  some  thirty. 

24  if  Another  parable  put  he 
forth  unto  them,  saying,  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  unto 

denotes  the  different  degrees  of  fidehty 
and  activity  in  the  Christian  life.  No 
reference  is  made  to  the  different  talents 
and  capacities  which  man  have,  as  in 
the  parable  of  the  talents  (25  :  14-30), 
for  there  the  improvement  or  increase 
was  the  same.  But  here  the  soil  (i.  e. 
the  capacities  and  privileges)  were  the 
same,  but  the  yield  or  increase  varied. 
All  these  points  are  to  be  carefully 
noted,  in  studying  and  comparing  the 
parables.  Truth  is  presented  by  our 
Lord  in  a  great  variety  of  forms,  and 
each  parable  has  some  new  phase  of 
doctrine  or  duty  to  illustrate  and  en- 
force. 

24-53.  Parable  of  the  Tares,  &c. 
Near  Capernawn.     Mark  4  :  26-34. 

24.  Another  parable,  &c.  As  a  sort 
of  application  to  his  explanation  of  the 
parable  of  the  sower,  our  Lord  urges 
upon  his  disciples  (see  Mark  4:  21-25; 
Luke  8  :  16-18)  the  duty  of  communi- 
cating faithfully  to  others,  the  truths 
which  they  are  receiving  from  him. 
Then  follows  this  parable  of  the  tares, 
which  is  found  only  in  Matthew's  gos- 
pel. Ptit  he  forth,  i.  e.  propounded, 
delivered.  Kingdom  of  heaven  refers 
here  to  the  visible  church  on  earth. 
This  parable  illustrates  the  variety  of 
characters  good  and  bad,  which  through 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  are  intro- 
duced into  the  church,  and  the  final 
separation  which  will  take  place  at  the 
day  of  judgment.  Is  likened  iinto  a 
man,  i.  e.  to  the  circumstances  detailed 
of  a  man.  The  comparison,  a  similar 
form  of  which  is  found  in  18:  23,  is 
compendious  and  elliptical.  Good  seed, 
i.  e.  of  good  quality.  In  his  field,  i.  e. 
a  field  for  tillage,  as  lands  in  Palestine 
were  not  divided  into  enclosed  fields,  as 
in  our  country.  Olshausen  interprets 
this  :  which  in  his  field  (as  the  place  of 
his  labor)  sowed  good  seed.  But  an  ac- 
curate translation  of  the  original,   as 


164 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


a  man  "which  sowed  good  seed  in 
his  field : 

25  But  while  men  slept,  his 
enemy  came  and  sowed  tares 
among  the  wheat,  and  went  his 
way. 

26  But  when  the  blade  was 
sprung  up,  and  brought  forth 
fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares 
also. 

well  as  a  reference  to  vs.  2Y,  31,  gives 
the  sense :  which  sowed  his  field  with 
good  seed,  the  preposition  ofrest  follow- 
ing the  verb  of  motion,  according  to 
the  grammatical  principle  laid  down  in 
N.  on  3  :  6. 

25.  But  while  men  slept.  This  seems 
to  refer  to  the  nap  at  noon,  which  the 
orientals  were  fond  of  taking,  on  ac- 
count of  the  oppressive  heat  of  their 
cUmate.  See  2  Sam.  4  :  5  ;  11  :  2.  We 
are  not  from  this  to  charge  necessarily 
upon  those,  under  whose  ministry 
spiritual  tares  are  sown,  negligence  or 
sloth.  Oftentimes  the  devil  performs 
this  work  in  the  midst  of  the  most  in- 
cessant and  watchful  labors  of  Christ's 
ministers.  This  circumstance  is  added 
to  render  the  parable  natural  and  com- 
plete, inasmuch  as  the  hour  of  sleep, 
would  be  the  time,  when  a  wicked  and 
revengeful  man  would  do  the  mischief 
here  spoken  of  Olshausen,  Alford,  and 
others  consider  the  night  time  as  simply 
designated.  But  whether  it  refers  to 
sleep  at  night,  or  the  usual  nap  at  noon, 
no  negligence  is  charged  upon  the  ser- 
vants, as  they  were  only  taking  their 
accustomed  rest.  Men;  literally,  the 
men  generically  spoken.  See  N.  on  10 : 
16.  His  enemy,  i.  e.  the  enemy  of  the  man 
to  whom  the  field  belonged.  Came 
into  the  field.  Tares,  i.  e.  darnel, 
which  at  first  closely  resembles  the 
blades  of  wheat.  It  was  called  by  the 
Rabbins,  bastard  ivheat.  So  deleterious 
was  it  to  the  wheat,  that  Virgil  calls  it, 
infelix  lolium,  the  %i,nhappy  darnel. 
Among  the  wheat ;  literally  in  the  midst 
of  the  wheat,  not  on  the  borders  of  the 
field,  but  in  the  very  central  and  most 
highly  cultivated  portions.      Went  his 


27  So  the  servants  of  the  house- 
holder came  and  said  unto  him, 
Sir,  didst  not  thou  sow  good  seed 
in  thy  field  ?  from  whence  then 
hath  it  tares  ? 

28  He  said  unto  them,  An  ene- 
my hath  done  this.  The  servants 
said  unto  him,  Wilt  thou  then 
that  we  go  and  gather  them  up  ? 

29  But  he  said.  Nay ;  lest  while 


way,  i.  e.  departed  from  the  field  with- 
out detection. 

26.  But  when  the  blade,  &c.  It  was 
not  until  the  ears  of  grain  began  to  ap- 
pear, that  the  tares  were  distinguished. 
Our  Savior  here  again  illustrates  the 
principle,  that  his  followers  are  to  be 
known  by  their  fruits. 

27.  Servants ;  literally  slaves,  but  here 
used  in  a  secondary  sense  to  denote  per- 
sons in  voluntary  service.  Householder  ; 
translated  in  10  :  25,  master  of  the  house. 
Sir;  literally  lord,  master,  an  honorary 
title  of  address.  Didst  thou  not  sow, 
&c.  Their  surprise  at  the  appearance  of 
the  tares,  is  denoted  by  this  question. 
Whence  then  hath  it  tares  ?  It  was  in- 
explicable to  them.  They  knew  that 
they  had  sown  pure  seed-grain,  and 
the  cause  of  this  growth  of  tares 
was  beyond  their  comprehension.  So 
the  ministers  of  Christ  are  oftentimes 
amazed  at  the  springing  up  of  error  in 
the  midst  of  a  faithful  inculcation  of  the 
pure  word  of  life. 

28.  An  enemy  hath  done  this.  Such 
acts  of  malice  are  spoken  of  by  writers, 
as  not  unknown  in  Oriental  countries  ; 
and  Alford  cites  an  example  in  his  own 
case,  a  field  of  his  in  Leicestershire, 
being  maliciously  sown  with  charlock 
over  the  wheat.  Jlie  servants  said,  &c. 
The  interest  which  these  servants  took 
in  their  master's  property,  is  worthy 
of  imitation  by  all  from  whom  service 
to  their  superiors  is  due.  And  gather 
them  up,  i.  e.  pull  them  up,  as  appears 
from  the  injury  to  which  this  process 
of  extirpation  would  expose  the  wheat. 

29.  Lest  while  ye  'gather,  &c.  The 
tares  were  injurious  to  the  wheat,  but 
not  so  much  so,  as  the  loosening  of  the 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


165 


ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up 
also  the  wheat  with  them. 

30  Let  both  grow  together  un- 
til the  harvest :  and  in  the  time 
of  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reap- 
ers, Gather  ye  together  first  the 

<  Ch.  3 :  12. 


roots  occasioned  by  pulling  up  the 
tares.  Here  were  two  evils,  one  of 
which  was  to  be  endured  for  a  season, 
lest  the  other  and  greater  should  take 
place.  This  was  the  decision  of  the 
householder,  who  in  this  similitude  rep- 
resents Jesus  Christ.  This  principle 
that  the  least  of  two  evils  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred (not  for  its  own  sake,  but  relative- 
ly), is  in  accordance  with  the  teachings 
of  Christ,  as  well  as  with  common  sense, 
and  is  of  frequent  apphcation  in  reform- 
ing the  abuses  of  society.  The  hot- 
headed and  intemperate  zeal  of  some, 
would  lead  them  to  the  immediate 
eradication  of  social  evils,  without  any 
thought  as  to  the  consequences.  But 
a  wise  reformer  will  always  consider 
well  the  effect  of  every  measure  upon 
the  prosperity  and  perpetuity  of  organ- 
izations, that  are  to  be  left  untouched, 
as  essential  to  the  well  being  of  the 
community. 

30.  Let  both  grow  together^  &c.  The 
tares  were  to  remain  undisturbed. 
They  were  suffered  to  grow  side  by 
side  with  the  precious  wheat.  They 
drank  the  same  moisture  from  the 
earth,  were  ripened  by  the  same  rays 
of  the  sun,  but  only  to  be  prepared  for 
burning  at  the  time  of  harvest.  So 
graceless  professors  enjoy  the  same 
ordinances  of  the  gospel,  receive  the 
same  religious  instruction  from  a  faith- 
ful ministry,  have  the  same  Bible,  sit 
around  the  same  table  of  communion, 
and  yet  are  only  fitted  thereby  for  a 
more  terrible  condemnation.  Until 
the  harvest.  On  the  16th  day  from  the 
first  new  moon  in  April,  the  first  hand- 
ful of  ripe  barley  was  carried  to  the 
altar,  and  then  commenced  the  harvest. 
The  barley  was  firsft  gathered,  and  then 
the  wheat  and  other  grains.  The  time 
of  the  harvest,  which  continued  from 


tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles 
to  burn  them  :  but  '  gather  the 
wheat  into  my  barn. 

31  II  Another  parable  put  he 
forth  unto  them,  saying,  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  a 

wis.  2:2,3;  Mi.  4: 1 ;  Ma.  4  :  30;  Lu.  13:18, 19. 


the  passover  until  Pentecost,sevfin  weeks, 
was  almost  one  continual  festival.  The 
rich  harvest  was  gathered  with  songs 
and  other  rejoicings,  and  all  were 
cheerful  and  happy.  Reapers.  The 
sickle  was  commonly  used  in  gathering 
in  the  Hebrew  harvest.  Gather  ye 
together,  &c.  As  the  reapers  passed 
through  the  fields,  the  tares  were  first 
to  be  gathered  out  and  bound  in 
bundles,  in  order  to  be  carried  off  to 
be  burned.  Then  the  wheat  was  to  be 
gathered  into  the  barn.  The  explana- 
tion of  this  parable  by  our  Lord  (vs.  o1— 
43),  renders  it  unnecessary  here  to  re- 
vert to  the  spiritual  lesson  which  it 
teaches.  Augustine  explains  the  gather- 
ing of  the  tares  into  bundles,  that  the 
wicked  will  be  separated  into  classes 
and  punished,  "  rapacious  with  ra- 
pacious, adulterers  with  adulterers, 
murderers  with  murderers,  thieves  with 
thieves,"  &c.  But  this  presses  the 
figurative  language  too  far,  which  is 
based  simply  on  the  manner  in  which 
the  products  of  a  field  are  removed, 
and  is  not  intended  to  teach  any  thing 
farther,  than  the  simple  separation  of 
the  tares  from  the  wheat. 

31.  Another  parable,  &c.  Mark  (4: 
30)  introduces  this  parable  by  a  ques- 
tion on  the  part  of  Christ,  as  to  what  he 
should  hken  the  kingdom  of  God,  a 
somewhat  common  method,  by  which 
he  drew  attention  to  what  he  was  about 
to  say.  See  N.  on  11 :  16.  The  king- 
do7ii  of  heaven,  i.  e.  the  growth  and 
progress  of  the  visible  church  on  earth, 
including  perhaps  the  idea  of  the 
growth  and  enlargement  of  piety  in  the 
soul  of  the  believer.  A  grain  of  mus- 
tard seed,  a  proverbial  expression  for 
any  thing  very  small.  The  smallness 
and  comparative  insignificancy  is  ren- 
dered still  more  prominent,  from  the 


166 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


grain  of  mustard-seed,  wliicli  a 
man  took,  and  sowed  in  his  field : 
32  Which  indeed  is  the  least  of 
all  seeds :  but  when  it  is  grown, 
it  is  the  greatest  among  herbs,  and 
becometh  a  tree,  so  that  the  birds 
of  the  air  come  and  lodge  in  the 
branches  thereof. 

X  Lu.  13 :  20. 

fact,  that  it  was  a  single  grain  of  this 
seed,  that  is  here  spoken  of.  Sowed. 
Here  used  of  a  single  seed  in  the  sense 
of  planted. 

32.  Least  of  all  (literally,  less  than 
all)  seeds  is  here  opposed  to  greatest 
of  all  (literally  greater  than  all)  herbs  in 
the  next  clause.  Here  lies  the  point 
of  the  parable,  by  which  is  represented 
the  wide  propagation  and  spread  of  the 
gospel  from  a  very  small  beginning. 
Herbs,  garden  plants,  vegetables.  Be- 
coineth  (as  it  were)  a  tree.,  &c.  This 
plant  grew  in  Palestine  to  a  much 
larger  size  than  with  us.  Irby  and 
Mangles  found  it  "  growing  wild,  as  high 
as  the  horse's  head.  Some  think  that 
a  shrub  or  small  tree  is  meant,  whose 
fruit  hanging  in  clusters  resembles  a  cur- 
rant, and  has  the  taste  of  mustard. 
The  above  named  travellers  found  this 
fruit  near  the  Dead  Sea.  So  that 
denotes  the  result  of  the  size,  to  which 
the  plant  grows.  Lodge  in  tJie  branches 
thereof,  i.  e.  make  it  a  resting  place  and 
shelter  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  All 
this  is  the  drapery,  so  to  speak,  of  the 
parable,  and  should  not  be  pressed  to 
any  service,  except  that  for  which  it 
was  designed,  to  make  more  natural 
and  prominent  the  simiUtude.  It  were 
almost  needless  to  say,  how  the  truth 
taught  in  this  parable  was  verified  in 
the  history  of  the  infant  church,  which 
from  the  smallest  and  most  humble  be- 
ginning, increased  and  spread  to  such 
an  extent,  that  even  in  the  apostolic 
age,  the  whole  civilized  world  felt  and 
owned  its  power. 

33.  The  kingdom  of  heaven,  here 
refers  to  the  changing,  renewing,  per- 
vading influence,  which  the  gospel 
exerts  upon  the  whole  spiritual  man,  or 


33  %  "'Another  parable  spake 
he  unto  them;  The  kingdom  of; 
heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which 
a  woman  took,  and  hid  in  three 
measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole 
was  leavened. 

34  "AH  these  things  spake  Jesus 
unto  the  multitude  in  parables  j 

2/  Ma.  4 :  33, 34. 

the  nature  and  transforming  power  of 
religion  in  the  soul.  Like  the  preced- 
ing parable,  a  general  reference  is 
doubtless  had  also,  to  the  external  en- 
largment  and  spread  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  It  is  well  said  by  Alford,  that 
the  parable  of  the  grain  of  mustard 
seed  had  reference  to  the  developing 
power  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  this 
parable,  to  the  power  which  it  possesses 
of  penetrating  and  assimilating  a  foreign 
mass,  till  all  be  taken  up  into  it. 
Leaven.  The  assimilating  influence 
which  leaven  or  sour  dough,  exerts 
upon  every  particle  of  the  mass  with 
which  it  is  mixed,  is  too  well  known  to 
need  description.  Here  lies  the  {)oint 
of  the  parable.  Grace  in  the  heart 
transforms  to  its  own  likeness  the  whole 
spiritual  man.  So  will  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  by  the  pervading  and 
transforming  spirit  of  the  gospel,  be- 
come the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  have  no  other  God  but  Je- 
hovah. Hid.  When  mixed  with  the 
meal  in  the  form  of  dough,  it  was  con- 
cealed from  the  eye,  but  yet  its  all-per- 
vading, transmuting  influence  was 
actively  at  work.  Three  measures.  A 
measure  contained  about  a  peck  and  a 
half.  Hence  three  measures  would  be 
something  more  than  a  bushel.  Neither 
the  capacity  or  number  of  the  meas- 
ures is  essential  to  the  parable.  All 
such  definiteuess  of  description  is 
simply  intended  to  render  the  simili- 
tude more  natural  and  striking. 

34.  All  these  things,  i.  e.  aU  these 
truths  of  the  gospel.  Witho^d  a  par- 
able, &c.  This  does  not  mean  that  in 
preaching  to  the  multitude  on  this  oc- 
casion, he  absolutely  uttered  nothing 
but   parables.     It   rather  denotes    his 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


167 


and  without  a  parable  spake  he 
not  unto  them  : 

35  That  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet, 
saying,  '  I  will  open  my  mouth  in 
parables ;  "  I  will  utter  things 
which  have  been  kept  secret  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world. 

35  Then  Jesus  sent  the  multi- 

6  Ps.  78  :  2.         a  Eo.  16  :  25,  26 ;   1  Co.  2 :  7  ; 
Ep.  3:9;   Col.  1 :  26. 

frequent  use  of  these  similitudes  to  en- 
force and  illustrate  truths,  which,  in 
plain  language  would  have  been  un- 
welcome and  obscure  to  them.  This 
view  is  confirmed  by  the  use  of  the 
imperfect  in  the  original  Greek,  which 
would  be  more  correctly  translated 
was  accustomed  to  speak. 

35.  TTiat  it  might  be,  &c.  See  N.  on 
1  :  22.  Spoken  by  the  prophet  (Ps.  78  : 
2).  The  Psalms  are  classed  with  the 
prophetical  writings  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  Psalm  here  referred  to  is 
ascribed  to  Asaph.  It  had  a  fulfillment, 
in  the  similarity  of  Asaph's  teaching 
by  parables  and  dark  sayings,  to  the 
mode  of  instruction  adopted  by  Christ. 
/  will  open  my  mouth.  See  N.  on  5  :  2. 
In  parables.  Both  here  and  in  15  :  15, 
this  word  is  to  be  taken  in  the  more 
general  sense  of  dark  sayings,  or  apo- 
thegms of  obscure  and  deep  meaning. 
/  will  utter ;  literally,  viill  pour  forth, 
referring  to  a  full,  flowing,  and  earnest 
mode  of  address.  Things  which  have 
been  kept  secret ;  literally,  thhigs  hidden 
or  concealed,  spoken  of  truths  previous- 
ly unknown.  From  the  foundation  of 
tlie  world,  i.  e.  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  from  the  first  creation  of 
man.  The  expression  refers  to  the 
common  notion  in  ancient  times,  that 
the  world  was  an  irnmense  plane  sur- 
face, resting  on  a  solid  foundation.  An 
objection  has  been  made  that  the  psalm 
of  Asaph  here  referred  to,  contains  no 
parat)le.  But  the  whole  psahn  is  a 
parable  or  similitude,  in  which  the 
story  of  God's  mercy  and  judgment,  dis- 
played in  leading  Israel  from  Egypt 
into  the  promised  land,  and  in  rejecting 


tude  away,  and  went  into  the 
house  :  and  his  disciples  came  un- 
to him,  saying,  Declare  unto  us 
the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the 
field. 

37  He  answered,  and  said  unto 
them,  He  that  soweth  the  good 
seed  is  the  Son  of  man ; 

38  *  The  field  is  the  world ;  the 

6  Ch.  24  :  14,   &  28  :  19 ;    Ma.  16  :  15,  20  ;   Lu. 
24 :  47 ;  Eo.  10  :  18 ;  Col.  1 :  6. 


Ephraim  for  Judah  and  Mount  Zion, 
and  choosing  David  "  to  feed  Jacob 
his  people  and  Israel  his  inheritance," 
is  a  prophetic  type  of  the  rejection  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  gathering  in  of  the 
Gentiles  under  the  Son  of  David,  the 
Messiah.     Compare  1  Cor.  1  :  6,  11. 

36.  Sent  the  tnultitude  away  to  their 
respective  homes.  Went  into  the  house 
referred  to  in  v.  1,  on  which  see  Note. 
His  disciples  caine,  &c.  See  N.  on  v. 
10.  Declare  (i.  e.  explain)  unto  ms. 
Mark  (4  :  34)  says  that  when  they  were 
alone,  he  expounded  all  things  to  his 
disciples. 

37-42.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  parable 
of  the  New  Testament  in  which  the 
circumstances  are  all  so  full  of  mean- 
ing, and  so  clearly  explained,  as  the 
parable  of  the  tares,  and  our  Lord's 
exposition  of  it  may  be  taken  as  a 
model  key,  by  which  we  may  unlock 
the  meaning  of  those  which  he  has  left 
unexplained.  With  such  an  expo-sition 
as  we  have  before  us,  comment  upon 
the  parable  hardly  seems  necessary. 
Yet  a  few  verbal  explanations  may  be 
of  some  use. 

37,  38.  He  that  soweth,  &c.  Christ 
was  himself  a  preacher  of  the  truth, 
and,  as  the  householder  sowed  his  field 
through  the  agency  of  his  servants,  so 
our  Lord  also  preaches  through  his 
ministers,  who  in  every  age  have  faith- 
fully dispensed  the  word  of  life.  Tlie 
field  is  the  world.  The  gospel  has  been 
provided  for  man.  Wherever  human 
beings  are  to  be  found  on  the  face  of 
the  earth,  there  the  glad  news  of  sal- 
vation is  to  be  proclaimed.  No  nation 
or  people  are  to  be  passed  by.     lu  the 


168 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


good  seed  are  the  children  of  the 
kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are  '  the 
children  of  the  wicked  one  ; 
c  Ge.  3 :  13  ;  Jn.  8 :  44;  Ac.  13 :  10 ;  IJo.  3 :  8. 

hearing  of  all  it  is  to  be  proclaimed  : 
"  Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready." 
How  slow  have  been  God's  people  to 
acknowledge  and  act  upon  the  great 
truth,  that  the  whole  world  is  the  field, 
committed  to  them  for  tillage  by  their 
Lord  and  Savior.  In  some  of  its  as- 
pects, th^  yield  seems  here  to  be  put 
for  the  church,  co-existent  and,  in  its 
future  triumph,  co-extensive  with  the 
world,  and  hence  represented  by 
the  world.  The  tares,  while  there  is 
nothing  to  forbid  their  application  to 
sinners  in  general,  yet  seem  to  find  their 
true  and  most  appropriate  archetype  in 
false  professors,  who  enjoy  the  same 
spiritual  nurture  and  genial  influence, 
which  mature  and  ripen  the  plants  of 
grace,  and  yet  have  no  spiritual  life, 
and  bring  forth  no  fruit  of  holiness. 
The  parable  is  evidently  intended  to 
take  a  wide  scope,  and  may  refer  to  the 
world  into  which  sin  came  through 
Satanic  agency,  and  was  thus  super- 
sown  upon  the  work,  which  God  him- 
self pronounced  to  be  very  good,  and 
in  which  is  the  church,  as  Augustine 
calls  it,  triticum  inter  zizania,  the  wheat 
amonff  tares ;  or  to  the  church  itself  em- 
bosoming hypocrites  and  deceived  souls, 
rendered  such  by  the  agency  of  the 
devil.  TTie  good  seed  are  the  children, 
&c.  Literally,  as  to  the  good  seed,  these 
are  the  children,  &c.  The  seed  is  here 
put  for  those  in  whose  hearts  it  was 
sown,  and  the  phrase,  children  of  the 
kingdom,  refers  to  the  true  subjects  or 
citizens  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  Op- 
posed to  these  are  the  tares,  represent- 
ing the  children  of  the  wicked  one,  the 
subjects  and  vassals  of  Satan.  These 
two  classes  are  found  in  the  world,  and 
even  in  the  church  itself,  enjoying  the 
same  privileges,  and  walking  apparently 
in  the  same  path,  but  reserved  for  ends, 
as  diverse  as  are  their  character  and 
parentage. 

39.   Tlie  enemy.     "  An   enemy   hath 
done  this,"  v.  28.     Such  injury   could 


39  The  enemy  that  sowed  them 
is  the  devil ;  ''  the  harvest  is  the 

d  Joel  3: 13:  Ee.l4:15. 


only  proceed  from  enmity  of  the  worst 
kind.     Satan  is  the  enemy  of  all  good. 
Every  influence  which  he  exerts  upon 
man,  emanates  from  malignant  hostility 
to  God  and  his  creatures.     T!ie  harvest 
is  the  end,  &c.     The  similitude  between 
gathering  in  a  harvest,  which  for  months 
has  been  growing  and  ripening  for  the 
sickle,  and  assembling  mankind  at  the 
day  of  judgment,    is  obvious  and   ap- 
propriate. The  end  of  the  wo7-ld  here  de- 
notes  the  second  coming  of  Christ  to 
judgment,    although    sometimes    it   is 
used  to  denote  the  end  of  the  Jewish 
dispensation  (see  Heb.  9  :   26  :  1  Cor. 
10  :    11),    or    the    consummation    and 
change  of  things  attendant  upon   the 
coming   of    the   Messiah.      The   word 
translated  world,  literally  signifies,  dura- 
tion of  time,  a  great  cycle  of  time,  an  age 
or  period  of  the  world,  a  present  age  or 
dispensation.     Hence  the  phrase  end  of 
the  world  comes  to  signify  the  end  of  the 
present  system  of  things  (i.  e.  the  world), 
or  the  end  of  fheprescnt  economy,  as  the 
Mosaic  institutions,  the  Jewish  econo- 
my.    So  the  phrase  world  to  come,  may 
refer  specially  to  the  Messianic  reign  as 
succeeding  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  or 
generally  to  the  endless  duration,  which 
is  to  follow  the  closing  up  of  this  world's 
history   at   the  day  of  judgment.     Al- 
though this  parable  in  its  general  appli- 
cation, looks  forward  to  the  end  of  the 
world  at  the   day  of  judgment,  yet  it 
properly  has  reference  only  to  the  end  of 
the  present  terrestrial  life  of  man.  But 
the  phrase,  end  of  the  ivorld,  is  select- 
ed for  the  obvious  reason,    that  public 
judgment  will  then  be  pronounced,  ac- 
cording to   the   characters   formed  in 
life.     The  life-time  of  the  world,  so  to 
speak,  will  then  come  to  an  end.     Its 
great  harvest  will  be  gathered  in,  con- 
sisting of  the  good  and  bad  in  every 
age  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
time.     In  like  manner  our  Lord  speaks 
of  his  sudden  coming  to  judgment,  in 
reference  to  which  all  are  to  be  ready 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


169 


end  of  the  world  ;  and  the  reapers 
are  the  angels. 

40  As  therefore  the  tares  are 
gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire ; 
so  shall  it  be  iu  the  end  of  this 
world. 

41  The  Son  of  man  shall  send 
forth  his  angels,  '  and  they  shall 

eCh.  18:7:  2Pe.  2:1,  2.        /Ch.3:12;Ee. 
19  :  20,  &  20  :  10. 


(24  :  44),  and  yet  this  in  its  special  per- 
sonal application  to  man,  can  only  be 
referred  to  his  summons  at  the  hour  of 
death.  This  twofold  reference  is  contin- 
ually kept  up  in  those  great  predictions, 
in  which,  besides,  the  great  and  final 
coming  of  our  Lord,  a  subordinate  com- 
ing at  the  hour  of  death,  or  to  execute 
sudden  and  dreadful  judgments  at  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  is  also  referred 
to.  The  reapers  are  the  angels.  See 
vs.  41,  49,  where  the  ministry  of  angels 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  is  more  particu- 
larly referred  to.  See  also  25  :  31  ; 
Mark  8  :  38  ;  2  Thess.  1:7,  also  Rev. 
14  :  19,  where  a  reference  is  had  to  the 
angelic  agency  in  the  events  of  that 
great  day. 

40.  This  verse  declares  the  similitude 
between  the  gathering  together  and 
burning  of  the  tares,  and  the  doom  of 
the  wicked  at  the  day  of  final  account. 
In  the  end  of  this  world.  The  presence 
of  the  word  this,  has  led  some  to  think 
that  reference  is  principally  had  to  the 
end  of  the  Jewish  age  or  economy. 
But  it  applies  equally  well  to  the  more 
extended  age  or  constitution  of  things, 
to  be  closed  up  at  the  day  of  final  judg- 
ment, and  this  sense  is  obviously  de- 
manded here. 

41.  This  and  the  following  verse  are 
illustrative  of  the  simihtude  spoken  of 
in  V.  40.  His  angels.  Although  of 
so  humble  a  condition,  Jesus  does  not 
hesitate  to  speak  of  himself  as  the  Lord 
of  angels,  thus  referring  to  his  higher 
divine  nature,  which  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment will  be  fully  manifested.  All 
thinris  that  offend ;  literally,  all  the 
slnndding-blocks,  which  are  causes  of 
offence  and  falling  away  from  the  truth. 

Vol.  I.— 8. 


gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all 
things  that  ofi^end,  and  them  which 
do  iniquity ; 

42  ■'  And  shall  cast  them  into  a 
furnace  of  fire  :  ^  there  shall  be 
wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

43  ''  Then  shall  the  righteous 
shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kiug- 

{/Ch.8:12;  ver.50.        ;iDa.l2:3;  lCo.15: 
42,  43,  58. 

The  word  is  manifestly  used  here  of 
persons,  who  are  the  stumbling-blocks 
of  God's  kingdom,  although  Steir  un- 
derstands it  also  of  things,  such  as  doc- 
trines, opinions,  practices,  organiza- 
tions, and  the  like.  In  the  next  clause, 
andm  not  connective  but  explanatory  ; 
even  them  which  do  iniquity.  False 
teachers  are  eminently  to  be  regarded 
as  stumbling-blocks,  and  indeed  all  are 
to  be  included  in  the  terra,  who  by 
word  or  example  cause  others  to  go 
astray. 

42.  And  shall  cast  them,  &c.  This 
shows  that  persons  are  referred  to  in 
the  preceding  verse.  There  is  evident 
allusion  here  to  the  punishment  of 
burning  alive.  See  Dan.  3  :  10.  We 
are  not  to  suppose  that  the  place  of 
punishment  in  the  eternal  world,  is  a 
\iiQ\-ji\  furnace  of  fire.  But  what  must 
the  reality  be,  when  such  terrific  imagery 
is  employed  by  our  Savior  to  express 
its  dreadful  nature.  A  furnace  ;  (liter- 
ally, the  furnace.  See  N.  on  8  :  12). 
The  word  properly  refers  to  ovens  or 
furnaces,  used  for  smelting  metals,  burn- 
ing pottery,  baking,  and  the  like,  where 
intense  heat  was  required.  There  shall 
be  wailing,  &c.  See  N.  on  8  :  12,  espe- 
cially on  the  use  of  the  article,  which 
is  found  also  here.  These  words  denote 
the  effect  of  their  dreadful  punishment. 
Wailings  of  anguish,  and  gnashing  of 
teeth  through  pain  and  despair,  will 
ever  attest  their  unutterable  woe.  No 
words  could  more  forcibly  depict  the 
unfathomable  depths  of  their  suffering, 
than  those  in  this  verse. 

43.  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine 
forth,  &c.  How  peaceful  and  beautiful 
is  this  picture  of  the  ineffable   bliss  of 


170 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


dom  of  their  Father.  '  Who  hath 
ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

4J:  1"  Again,  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  unto  treasure  hid  in 
a  field ;  the  which  when  a  man 
hath  found,  he  hideth,  and  for  joj 

i  Ver.  9. 

the  righteous,  thus  placed  in  contrast 
with  the  agony  and  despair  of  lost  souls, 
^s  the  sun.  The  comparison  is  exceed- 
ingly beautiful  and  expressive.  As  the 
sun  shines  out  from  a  cloud,  which  for 
a  time  has  concealed  its  rays,  so  the 
righteous,  humble  and  obscure  as  may 
have  been  their  previous  condition, 
shall  then  shine  forth  in  the  likeness  of 
Christ,  and  become  partakers  of  his 
glory.  In  the  Hngdo7n  of  their  Father, 
i.  e.  in  heaven,  the  seat  and  centre  of 
God's  kingdom.  Who  hath  ears,  &c. 
A  most  timely  caution,  at  the  close  of 
such  an  announcement,  respecting  the 
future  condition  of  the  righteous  and 
the  wicked.     See  N.  on  11  :  15. 

44.  It  is  probable  that  our  Lord 
spoke  this  and  the  following  parables 
to  the  disciples,  who  had  gathered 
around  hrm,  to  listen  to  the  explana- 
tion of  the  parable  of  the  tares.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  refers  here  to  the 
necessity  of  a  personal  possession  of 
the  blessings  of  the  Messianic  kingdom. 
It  would  seem  that  a  treasure  found 
upon  any  land  belonged  to  the  owner  of 
the  land.  Before  the  man  spoken  of 
here  as  having  found  a  treasure,  could 
legally  possess  it,  he  was  obliged  to  be- 
come the  owner  of  the  field.  His  find- 
ing the  treasure  would  have  been  of  no 
service  to  him,  unless  he  took  the  pre- 
cautionary step  to  purchase  the  soil. 
Thus  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  can  be 
obtained  only  by  taking  the  requisite 
steps  to  secure  tliem,  or  in  other  words, 
by  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ.  Hid 
in  afield.  In  troublous  times,  or  on  an 
expected  invasion  of  the  enemy,  trea- 
sures were  often  buried  for  safe  keeping 
in  the  earth.  If  the  person  thus  secret- 
ing his  wealth  should  be  slain  or  led 
into  captivity,  the  treasure  would  for 
ever  remain  concealed,  unless  accident- 
ally found  by  some  one  passing  over, 


thereof  goeth  and  *  selleth  all  that 
he  hath,  and  'buyeth  that  field. 

45  ^r  Again,  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  unto  a  merchantman 
seeking  goodly  pearls  : 

46  Who,  when  he   had   found 

k  Phi.  3  :  7,  8.     Us.  55  : 1 ;  Re.  3  :  18. 

or  at  work  upon  the  field.  He  hideth 
by  covering  it  up  again  as  it  was  be- 
fore. Some  think  that  it  only  means, 
that  he  concealed  his  good  fortune. 
Thereof  i.  e.  on  account  of  the  trea- 
sure thus  found.  Selleth  all  that  he  hath, 
if  necessary,  to  the  purchase  of  the 
field.  This  shows  his  anxious  deter- 
mination to  possess,  at  any  cost  or 
sacrifice,  the  field  with  its  treasure. 
Here  lies  the  point  of  this  beautiful 
and  instructive  parable.  It  must  not 
be  understood  that  our  Lord  in  this 
parable  approved  of  the  deception,  or 
rather  downright  dishonesty,  of  this 
man.  He  only  uses  as  an  illustration 
a  thing  of  common  occurrence,  without 
pronouncing  at  all  upon  its  character, 
which  all  must  acknowledge  to  have 
been  wrong.  Olshausen  classes  this 
with  the  parable  of  the  Unjust  Steward, 
and  refers  it  to  the  commendation  of 
prudence  in  regard  to  divine  things. 
But  this  does  not  remove  the  difficulty. 

45.  The  general  sentiment  of  this 
parable  is  like  that  of  the  preceding 
one,  with  perhaps  the  additional  idea  of 
the  inestimable  value  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  great  gain  which  results  to 
those  who  earnestly  seek  for  the 
highest  good  in  vital,  spiritual  godli- 
ness. A  merchantman.  One  who 
travels  from  place  to  place,  trafficking 
in  pearls,  jewels,  and  other  valuables. 
Such  itinerant  merchants  were  com- 
mon in  the  East,  and  from  them  wares 
were  purchased,  and  sold  at  retail. 
Seeking  goodly  pearls  in  order  to  carry 
them  to  some  city  or  country,  where 
they  would  command  a  greater  price, 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  pearls 
rank  in  value  next  to  the  diamond, 
and  like  that  stone,  are  valuable  in  pro- 
portion to  their  purity  and  size. 

46.  One  pearl  of  great  price.  The 
pearl    thus  unexpectedly   found    is   of 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


171 


*"  one  pearl  of  great  price,  went 
and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and 
bought  it. 

47  1^  Again,   the  kingdom  of 

m  Pr.  2  :  4,  &  3 ;  14: 15,  &  8 :  10, 19. 


Buch  value,  as  to  render  his  fortune 
certain,  if  he  can  only  obtain  posses- 
sion of  it.  Accordingly  he  goes  away, 
and,  like  the  man  who  had  found  the 
hidden  treasure,  sells  all  that  he  hath, 
and  purchases  the  pearl.  Thus  the 
pearl  of  salvation;  that  "pearl  of  great 
price,"  is  to  be  obtained,  though  at  the 
price  of  every  thing  else,  riches,  plea- 
sure, fame,  friends,  worldly  comforts, 
hfe  itself.  It  seems  hardly  necessary 
to  caution  any  intelligent  reader  against 
inferring  from  this  passage,  that  salva- 
tion is  to  be  obtained  by  the  sacrifice 
of  worldly  goods,  or  that  it  can  be  the 
subject  of  any  purchase  whatever  by 
good  works. 

47.  In  this  parable  of  the  draw-net, 
we  are  taught  that  very  diverse  char- 
acters are  brought  into  the  visible 
church,  by  the  proclamation  of  the 
gospel  promiscuously  to  all.  The  gen- 
eral sentiment  differs  not  much  from 
the  parable  of  the  tares,  as  appears 
from  the  application  in  vs.  49,  50,  as 
compared  with  vs.  41-43.  Some  prin- 
ciples are,  however,  evolved  from  that 
parable,  which  are  not  contained  in 
this,  as  the  malicious  and  insidious  sow- 
ing of  evil  seed  by  the  adversary,  the 
difficulty  of  determining  between  true 
and  false  professors,  except  by  their  re- 
spective fruits,  the  choosing  of  the  least 
of  two  evils.  The  gospel  net  would  seem 
to  refer  to  those  extraordinary  outpour- 
ings of  the  Spirit,  by  which  the  word  is 
rendered  so  effectual,  as  to  bring  men 
in  numbers  to  professedly  submit  to 
Christ,  some  of  whom,  acted  upon  by 
sympathy  or  motives  of  self-interest, 
are  far  from  possessing  the  grace  of 
God  in  their  hearts.  But  these,  in  due 
time,  like  the  tares,  will  be  gathered 
out,  and  for  ever  separated  from  the 
just.  Trench  says  that  the  central  truth 
of  the  parable  of  the  tares  is  the  pre- 
sent  intermixture  of  the  good  and  bad ; 


heaven  is  like  nnto  a  net,  that 
was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  "  gath- 
ered of  every  kind : 

48  Which,   when   it    was    full, 
they  drew  to  shore,  and  sat  down, 

n  Ch.  22 :  10. 


of  the  draw-net,  the  future  separation  j 
of  that,  that  men  are  not  to  effect  the 
separation  ;  of  this,  that  the  separation 
will,  one  day,  by  God  be  effected.  A 
net,  i.  e.  a  drag  or  draw-net,  which  is 
thrown  in  a  scnii-circle,  and  the  portion 
to  wliich  the  leaden  balls  are  attached, 
sinking  down,  when  drawn  to  the  shore 
or  to  the  ship  by  each  end,  it  drags 
along  the  bottom,  and  thus  encloses  in 
its  bosom  all  the  fish  in  that  portion  of 
the  water.  Trench  says  that  some  of 
these  seines  on  the  coast  of  Cornwall, 
where  they  are  now  used,  are  a  half 
mile  in  length,  and  with  the  ancients 
are  spoken  of  as  nearly  taking  in  the 
compass  of  an  entire  bay.  Of  every 
kind,  i.  e.  small  and  large,  good  and 
worthless,  for  eating.  Steir  refers  it  to 
things,  as  mud,  weeds,  stones,  &c.  But 
this  overlooks  the  antithesis  between 
good  and  bad^  in  v.  48,  which  reiiers 
both  to  fishes. 

48.  They  drew  to  shore.  This  was 
the  more  usual  mode  of  hauling  in  the 
net,  although  sometimes  it  was  drawn 
into  a  ship  or  boat.  And  sat  down  to 
sort  out  the  fish  which  had  been  taken. 
Up  to  this  point,  the  fishermen,  like  the 
servants  in  the  parable  of  the  tares,  re- 
present the  ministers  of  Christ  ;  but 
in  this  separating  process,  the  angelic 
ministry  at  the  day  of  judgment  is  re- 
ferred to.  It  is  doing  no  violence  to 
the  laws  of  parabolic  interpretation,  to 
make  the  fishermen,  in  their  twofold 
labor  of  taking  and  sorting  tlie  fish,  re- 
present the  agency,  both  of  Christ's  min- 
isters, and  of  the  angels.  The  reapers 
in  the  parable  of  the  tares,  were, 
doubtless,  the  same  persons  who  sowed 
the  wheat,  and  yet  as  sowers,  they  re- 
presented those  who  preach  the  gospel, 
as  reapers,  the  angels.  Bad;  literally, 
rotten,  corrvpt,  decayed,  and  hence, 
worthless,  useless.  It  refers  here  to  the 
dead  and  decayed  fishes,  which    were 


172 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  31. 


and  gathered  the  good  into  vessels, 
but  cast  the  bad  away. 

49  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of 
the  world  :  the  angels  shall  come 
forth,  and  "  sever  the  wicked  from 
among  the  just. 

50  ''  And  shall  cast  them  into 

oCh.25:32. 


drawn  in  with  those  alive,  and  also  to 
such  as,  from  their  sniallness,  or  some 
other  cause,  were  unsuitable  for  food. 
What  an  emblem  of  the  hopeless  con- 
dition of  sinners,  even  though  within 
the  pale  of  the  visible  church. 

49,  50.  So  shall  it  be,  &c.  See  N.  on 
V.  40.  The  angels  shall  come  forth 
from  heaven  to  the  place  of  judgment. 
See  N.  on  v.  41.  Their  agency  in  hu- 
man affairs  has  been  hitherto  kept  out 
of  sight.  Now  they  are  to  come  forth, 
as  Trench  remarks,  "  from  before  the 
throne  and  presence  of  God,  and  walk 
up  and  down  among  men,  the  visible 
ministers  of  his  judgment."  Sever  ; 
literally,  mark  off  by  bounds,  botind  off. 
It  refers  here  to  a  final  separation  by 
limits  or  bounds,  never  to  be  passed 
over.  Compare  Luke  16  :  26.  From 
among  ;  literally,  out  of  the  midst,  the 
expression  strongly  denoting  the  com- 
mingling of  the  bad  with  the  good,  until 
the  time  of  this  separating  process. 
And  shall  cast,  &c.  See  N.  on  v.  42. 
In  reference  to  this  verse,  Chrysostom 
calls  this  the  fearful  parable  ;  and  Gre- 
gory says  of  the  same,  that  "  it  is 
rather  to  be  feared  than  explained." 

51.  Unto  them,  i.  e.  his  disciples. 
Have  ye  understood,  i.  e  fully  compre- 
hende  1  the  spiritual  meaning  of  these 
parables  ?  At  their  request  our  Lord 
had  explained  the  parables  of  the  sower 
and  the  tares.  It  appears  from  Mark 
4  :  34,  that  he  also  expounded  other 
parables,  when  alone  with  his  disciples. 
But  now  he  tenderly  inquires  whether 
they  fully  understand  them,  manifesting 
thereby  his  readiness  to  enlighten  them 
still  further,  if  necessary,  in  respect  to 
the  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  gospel. 
Thus  now  he  is  equally  ready  to  grant 
the  enlightening  influence  of  his  Spirit, 


the  furnace  of  fire  :  there  shall  be 
wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

51  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Have 
ye  understood  all  these  things  ? 
They  say  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord. 

52  Then  said  he  unto  them, 
Therefore  every  scribe,  which  is 

p  Ver.  42. 

to  those  who  are  walking  in  darkness, 
or  are  troubled  and  perplexed  with 
doubts,  as  to  the  import  of  his  com- 
mands and  promises.  I  cannot  here 
find  with  Olshausen,  any  shade  of  re- 
proach at  their  dullness  of  understand- 
ing, but  on  the  contrary,  the  most  ten- 
derly expressed  willingness  to  enlight- 
en them  on  all  points,  in  respect  to 
which  the  truth  lay  hidden  from  them. 
Yea,  Lord.  The  explanation  of  the 
parables  of  the  sower  and  the  tares,  had 
furnished  them  with  the  key  to  the 
meaning  of  all.  Their  answer  does 
not  imply,  that  they  understood  these 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  (v.  11),  as 
well  then,  as  afterwards  when  they  re- 
ceived more  fully  the  Spirit  of  promise 
(John  16  :  13).  But  as  Alford  remarks, 
"  the  reply  must  be  taken  as  spoken 
from  their  then  standing-point,  from 
which  but  little  could  be  seen  of  that 
inner  and  deeper  meaning,  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  since  unfolded."  Our 
Lord  knew  that  their  knowledge  would 
be  progressive,  and  this  gave  rise  to  his 
direction  in  the  following  verse,  which 
shows  the  use  to  which  they  were  to 
put  this  knowledge,  both  what  they 
then  had  {things  old),  and  what  they 
should  afterwards  attain  to  {things 
new). 

52  Therefore,  or  on  this  account,  re- 
ferring inferentially  to  their  reply,  yea, 
Lord.  The  passage  is  elliptical,  the 
sense  being :  therefore  (you  are  now 
prepared  to  teach  others  for)  every 
scribe,  &c.  Which  is  instructed ;  liter- 
ally, enrolled  and  taught  as  a  disciple. 
The  word  scribe  refers  here  to  a  teacher 
of  the  gospel,  and  instructed  unto  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  signifies  being  trained 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  nature  of 
the  Messianic  reign,  and  the  duties  and 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


173 


instructed  unto  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is 
an  householder,  which  bringeth 
forth  out  of  his  treasure  '  things 
new  and  old. 

53  ^  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 

q  Cant.  1 :  13. 


requirements  of  the  gospel.  It  implies 
more  than  an  admission  by  disciple- 
ship  into  the  Christian  church.  It  re- 
fers to  the  linowledge  of  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation, which  is  imparted  by  the  illu- 
minating influence  of  the  Spirit,  acting 
through  the  truth.  No  one  can  be  a 
well-instructed  scribe,  however  richly 
possessed  of  the  stores  of  human  learn- 
ing, who  has  not  felt  the  transforming 
and  enlightening  power  of  the  truth 
upon  his  own  heart.  A  man  that  is  a 
householder  ;  literally,  a  man  house- 
holder, put  simply  for  a  householder. 
Bringeth  forth  lor  use.  Treasurer. 
Put  figuratively  for  treasury,  store-room, 
where  things  are  laid  away  for  future 
use.  Things  new  and  old.  Reference 
is  had  here  to  garments  laid  away,  some 
recently  made,  others  having  lain  in  the 
store-room  a  long  time.  As  they  were 
from  time  to  time  needed  by  the  ser- 
vants, they  were  brought  forth  for  use, 
the  older  or  newer  garments  being 
dealt  out,  according  to  the  wants  of 
those  who  stood  in  need  of  them. 
Thus  the  disciples  of  Christ  were  to  lay 
away  in  their  memory  his  instructions, 
and  have  them  in  readiness  for  use,  as 
well  as  the  newer  and  fresher  com- 
munications of  the  Spirit,  which  might 
be  made  to  them  after  his  ascension, 
and  also  what  might  result  from  their 
own  experience  in  the  use  and  applica- 
tion of  the  truth. 

Thus  ends  these  parables,  which  con- 
tain an  amount  of  truth,  perhaps  im- 
possible to  find  elsewhere  in  so  small  a 
compass,  and  expressed  in  such  clear  and 
striking  similitudes.  They  are  all  con- 
nected and  bound  together  by  one 
great  pervading  idea,  the  power  and 
progress  of  religion  in  the  soul ;  or  in 
its  more  general  aspect,  the  steady 
progress  of  Christianity  from  a  small  be- 


when  Jesus  had  finished  these 
parables,  he  departed  thence. 

54:  'And  when  he  was  come  in- 
to his  own  country,  he  taught 
them  in  their  synagogue,  insomuch 
that   they   were    astonished,    and 

rCh.  2:23;  Ma.  6:1;  Lu.4:16,23. 

ginning  to  universal  dominion,  all  her 
enemies  being  subdued  and  destroyed 
with  an  everlasting  destruction,  and 
her  friends  shining  with  sunlike 
brightness  in  the  abodes  of  blessedness. 
What  an  epitome  of  history!  What 
distinctness  of  outline,  which,  if  filled 
up,  would  be  the  complete  history  of 
the  human  race,  from  the  time  of  the 
apostasy  in  Eden,  to  the  consummation 
of  things  at  the  last  judgment! 

53.  He  departed  thence.  The  regular 
chronological  order  of  events  would 
now  conduct  the  reader  back  to  8  :  18, 
where  we  find  that  our  Lord  entered  at 
this  time  into  a  ship,  and  passed  over  to 
the  country  of  the  Gadarenes.  See  Ns. 
on  12  :  22  ;   13  :  1. 

54-58.  Jesus  again  at  Nazarkth 
AND  AGAIN  REJECTED.  Mark  6  :  1-6. 
This  visit  of  Jesus  to  his  own  country 
took  place  after  the  healing  of  the  blind 
man  (9  :  32-34),  in  reference  to  which 
the  Pharisees  repeated  their  blasphe- 
mous charge  before  made  (12  :  24), 
that  he  cast  out  devils  by  Satanic 
agency. 

54.  His  oion  country,  i.  e.  Nazareth, 
the  town  of  his  childhood  and  youth. 
The  place  of  his  nativity  was  Bethlehem. 
He  taught  them,  &c.  It  will  be  recol- 
lected, that  on  a  visit  several  months 
previous  to  this  place,  his  life  had  been 
attempted  by  his  infuriated  fellow- 
townsmen.  Time  had  so  cooled  their 
anger,  or  his  fame  had  became  so  great, 
that  he  was  now  suffered  to  teach  in 
their  synagogue  without  molestation. 
But  although  their  temper  was  not  vio- 
lently manifested,  yet  they  heard  him 
with  the  same  spirit  of  unbelief,  as  at 
the  former  visit  (Luke  4  :  22,  28,  20). 
The  rock  of  offence  on  both  occasions, 
seems  to  have  been  his  humble  paren- 
tage and  condition  of  life.     Olshauscn, 


174 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  31. 


said,  Whence  hath  this  man  this 
wisdom,  and  these  mighty  works  ? 


•with  other  German  commentators, 
maintains  that  our  Lord  made  only  one 
official  visit  to  Nazareth,  and  that  the 
one  here  reported  by  Matthew  is  iden- 
tical with  that  in  Luke  4  :  14-30.  But 
the  internal  evidence  is  altogether  in 
favor  of  regarding  them  as  two  separate 
visits.  The  question,  "  whence  hath 
this  man  this  wisdom?"  is  as  suita- 
ble for  a  second  visit,  when  his  fame 
was  more  widely  spread  abroad,  as  for 
the  one  narrated  in  Luke,  which  took 
place  in  the  earlier  period  of  his 
ministry.  \Micnce  hath  thin  man  (liter- 
ally, fellow)  this  wisdom?  They  could 
not  deny  the  clearness,  depth,  and  won- 
derful power  of  his  discourse.  But 
their  question,  so  evidently  one  of  con- 
tempt, shows  that  they  were  disposed 
to  refer  it  to  any  agency  or  source, 
rather  than  to  acknowledge  that  he  was 
taught  from  above.  They  were  not 
honest  inquirers  after  truth,  but  cavillers, 
seeking  for  some  means  of  evading  its 
demands  upon  their  assent  and  obe- 
dience. These  mighty  tvorks  (literally, 
these  powers.  See  N.  on  11  :  21).  In 
this  sneering  inquiry,  they  also  hint 
their  belief  that  his  miracles  are  to  be 
attributed  to  the  agency  of  the  devil. 
This  opinion,  set  on  foot  by  the  Phari- 
sees, may  have  become  quite  prevalent. 
Twice  at  least  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
multitude,  the  Pharisees  had  charged 
him  with  being  in  league  with  Satan. 
This  was  noised  abroad.  It  doubtless 
■was  known  at  Nazareth.  In  view  of  his 
miracles  they  say  :  Whence  hath  this 
fellow  (see  above)  this  wisdom  and 
power  ?  From  no  other  source  surely, 
than  the  one  which  our  great  and  learn- 
ed men  have  charged  upon  him.  For 
is  he  not  the  carpenter's  son?  How  is 
it  possible  that  one  whom  we  have 
known  from  his  boyhood,  can  all  at 
once  be  possessed  of  the  power  and  offi- 
cial dignity,  which  he  claims  for  himself 
It  is  no  proof  that  this  was  not  the 
reasoning  of  their  unbelieving  hearts, 
because  thev   were   astonished  at  his 


'  Is  not  this  the  carpenter's 
is    not   his   mother    called 

3;  Lu.3:23;  Jn.  6:42. 


55 
son  ? 

sis.  49:  7;  Ma.  6 


words  and  acts.  When  the  Pharisees 
made  their  blasphemous  charge,  they 
were  no  doubt  astonished  and  sorely 
puzzled  at  what  they  saw.  But  this  as- 
tonishment was  perfectly  consistent 
with  their  unbelief. 

55.  Is  not  this  (again  this  fellow)  the 
carpenter''s  son  ?  In  Mark  :  "  is  not  tliis 
the  carpenter?"  Every  Jewish  parent, 
according  to  their  canons,  was  obliged 
to  teach  his  children  some  trade.  The 
word  here  translated  carpenter.^  signifies, 
artificer.,  craftsman.,  and  is  generally 
accompanied  by  some  limiting  term,  as 
in  gold,  brass,  stone,  &c.  When  it 
stands,  as  in  the  present  instance,  alone, 
it  always  denotes  a  carpenter.  This  is 
an  interesting  item  in  the  life  of  our 
Savior,  previous  to  his  entering  upon 
his  public  ministry.  That  he  was  an 
artificer  in  wood,  working  at  the  same 
trade  with  his  father,  is  put  here  be- 
yond a  doubt.  The  Jews  say  that  he 
made  rakes  and  yokes.  It  matters, 
however,  little  what  was  the  trade  of 
Jesus.  Any  occupation  is  honorable, 
provided  it  be  honest  and  useful.  It 
was  no  greater  stoop  for  him  to  appear 
in  the  person  of  an  humble  artificer, 
than  it  would  have  been,  had  he  come 
as  one  of  the  most  powerful  of  earth's 
potentates.  His  condescension  is  be- 
yond the  power  of  language  to  express, 
in  deigning  to  appear  at  all  in  the  form 
of  a  man  (see  Phil.  2  :  6-8).  Is  not  his 
mother  called  (i.  e.  named)  llary  ?  i.  e. 
is  not  the  woman  called  Mary,  his 
mother?  His  low  birth  on  his  mother's 
side,  is  also  brought  forward  in  con- 
tempt of  his  claims.  And  his  brethren, 
and  his  sisters,  are  not  their  names  all 
familiar  to  us,  as  members  of  a  family 
in  low  and  humble  condition?  From 
what  soiu'ce  then,  we  repeat,  hath  this 
vile  impostor  these  marvellous  powers, 
unless  from  the  Satanic  agency  attribut- 
ed to  him  by  our  scribes  and  religious 
teachers?  Their  questions  seem  to 
indicate  that  this  was  their  train  of 
thought.   As  to    the  question  whether 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


175 


Mary  ?  and  'his  brethren,  "James, 
and  Joses,  and  Simon,  and  Judas  ? 

56  And  his  sisters,  are  they 
not  all  with  us?  Whence  then 
hath  this  man  all  these  things  ? 

57  And  they  ""  were  offended  in 
him.  But  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
"A  prophet  is  not  without  honour, 
save  in  his  own  country,  and  in 
his  own  house. 

cell.  12:46.         M  Ma.  15:  40.        a5Ch.ll:6; 
Ma.  6:8,  4.        yLu.  4  :  24;  Jn.  4  :  44. 

these  were  our  Lord's  own  brethren,  or 
some  ne.ar  kinsmen,  much  difference  of 
ophiion  has  existed.  We  will  venture 
to  affirm,  however,  that  irrespective  of 
tradition,  which  is  among  scholars  less 
and  less  relied  upon,  not  one  intelligent 
critic  would  dream  of  assigning  any 
other  than  the  common  meaning,  natu- 
ral or  real  brethren  and  sisters  of  our 
Lord.  Of  course  the  whole  Romish 
priesthood  would  protest  against  this, 
as  it  stamps  at  once  their  dogma  of 
Mary's  perpetual  virginity,  as  a  baseless 
figment  having  no  foundation  iu  the 
word  of  God. 

57.  And  they  were  offended  in  him. 
This  shows  the  spirit  and  temper  of 
their  inquiries.  They  stumbled  at  his 
low  condition.  They  could  not  brook 
the  presumption  of  one  so  much  their 
inferior,  in  claiming  to  be  not  only  their 
teacher,  but  even  their  long-expected 
Messiah.  A  prophet,  &c.  A  prover- 
bial expression,  than  which  there  is  not 
another  one  more  true,  or  of  more  fre- 
quent verification.  Not  without  honor, 
&c.  is  to  be  taken  comparatively  in  the 
sense,  is  nowhere  held  in  less  reputation 
than  in  his  own  country.  The  words  in 
his  own  house  (i.  e.  family)  are  added, 
either  because  it  was  a  part  of  the  pro- 
verb, or  because  of  the  unbelief  of  some 
of  his  kindred  (John  7  :  5). 

58.  And  he  did  not  many  mighty 
works,  &c.  It  was  not,  however,  from 
his  unwillingness  to  work  miracles,  for 
Mark  says  that  "he  laid  his  hands  up- 
on a  few  sick  folk  and  hca'.t  d  them." 
It  was  to  be  attributed  to  their  obsti- 
nate rejection  of  him,  so  that  few  per- 
sons availed  themselves  of  the  benefit 


58  And  '  he  did  not  many 
mighty  works  there,  because  of 
their  unbelief. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

AT  that   time  "Herod  the    te- 
trarch  heard  of  the  fame   of 
Jesus, 

2  And  said  unto  his  servants. 
This  is  John  the   Baptist ;  he  is 

e  Ma.  6 :  5,  6.        a  Ma.  6  :  14;  Lu.  9  :  7. 

of  his  presence  by  bringing  their  dis- 
eased friends  to  him  for  relief.  Un- 
belief in  him  as  a  teacher  sent  from 
God. 

CHAP.  XIV. 

1 — 12.  Herod  hears  of  the  fame  of 
Jesus,  and  takes  him  to  be  John  the 
Baptist,  whom  he  had  just  beheaded. 
Galilee.  Mark  6:  14-29;  Luke  9:  7-9. 
The  events  recorded  here  took  place, 
while  the  Twelve  were  absent  on 
their  missionary  tour  (10:  5).  The 
Herod  here  mentioned  was  Herod 
Antipas,  the  son  of  Herod  the  Great,  to 
whom  after  his  father's  death,  Au- 
gustus gave  Galilee  and  Perea  with 
the  title  of  Tetrarch,  on  account  of 
which  and  his  descent  from  Herod,  he 
was  sometimes  styled  king.  At  the 
instigation  of  Herodias,  whom  he  had 
married  after  putting  away  his  first 
wife,  the  daughter  of  Aretas,  an  Ara- 
bian king,  he  went  to  Rome,  to  solicit 
from  the  emperor  the  title  and  rank  of 
king,  but  was  there  accused  by  Herod 
Agrippa,  the  brother  of  Herodias,  and 
banished  to  Lugdunum  (now  Lyons)  in 
Gaul.  Afterwards  he  was  sent  an  exile 
to  Spain,  where  he  died. 

1.  TJie  tetrarch.  This  title  was  origi- 
nally given  to  the  ruler  of  the  fourth 
part  of  a  district  or  province,  but  came 
afterwards  to  signify  the  governor  or 
ruler  of  any  province,  subject  only  to 
the  Roman  emperor.  Heard  of  the  fame 
of  Jesus,  either  through  eye-witnesses 
of  his  miracles,  or  by  the  preaching  of 
the  Twelve,  much  of  whose  discourses 
was  doubtless  made  up  of  the  rehearsal 
of  Christ's  words  and  miracles  (see  Mark 
6:  14). 


176 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


risen  from  the  dead  ;  and  there- 
fore mighty  works  do  shew  forth 
themselves  in  him. 

3  '  For  Herod  had  laid  hold 
on  John,  and  bound  him,  and  put 

6Ma.6:17;  Lu.3:19,20. 

2.  Servants,  i.  e.  attendants,  ministers ; 
not  its  more  usual  sense,  servants,  slaves. 
Tills  is  John  the  Baptist.  Luke  (9:7) 
says  that  he  was  greatly  perplexed,  be- 
cause it  waa  said  by  some  that  John 
was  risen  from  the  dead,  and  by  others, 
that  there  was  in  Jesus  a  reappearance 
of  Elias,  or  some  one  of  the  old  proph- 
ets (see  Mark  6:  15).  These  reports 
and  impressions  of  the  people  threw 
Ilcrod  into  doubt  and  perplexity,  as  to 
who  Jesus  was,  but  at  last,  through 
terrors  of  conscience  at  his  cruel  mur- 
der of  John  the  Baptist,  he  came  to 
the  belief  that  he  had  risen  from  the 
dead.  Such  was  his  fear  and  suspense 
that  he  earnestly  desired  to  see  Jesus, 
(Luke  9  :  9),  in  order  that  his  doubts 
might  be  thus  removed.  He  is  risen, 
&c.  Although  Herod  belonged  to  the 
sect  of  the  Sadducees  (see  Ns.  on  16 :  6  ; 
Mark  8  :  15),  who  denied  the  existence 
of  the  soul  after  death,  yet  like  many, 
who  in  the  hour  of  alarm,  abandon 
their  false  views  of  religion,  he  unhesi- 
tatingly avowed  his  belief  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection,  and  the  soul's 
future  existence  beyond  the  grave. 
From  the  dead,  not  from  the  state  or 
condition  of  death,  but /Vo»n  among  the 
dead,  as  opposed  to  those  living  on  the 
earth.  For  the  use  of  the  article,  see 
N.  on  8 :  20.  Therefore  ;  literally,  on  ac- 
count of  this.  It  would  be  a  natural 
inference  of  such  a  mind  as  Herod's,  that 
one  who  had  risen  from  the  dead  would 
be  possessed  of  preternatural  power. 
Mighty  works  ;  literally,  mighty  works 
are  in  operation  or  work  in  him  ;  or,  if 
the  verb  be  taken  in  a  passive  sense, 
miracles  are  effected  by  him.  The  for- 
mer rendering  is  preferable,  the  in- 
transitive use  of  the  verb  in  the  sense  of 
to  operate,  to  work,  being  quite  common 
in  the  New  Testament. 

3.  The  account  of  the  beheading  of 


him  in  prison  for  Herodias'  sake, 
his  brother  Philip's  wife. 

4  For  John  said  unto  him,  '  It 
is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  have  her. 

5  And  when  he  would  have  put 

cLe.  18:16,  &  20:  21. 


John  is  here  inserted,  as  a  kind  of  ex- 
planatory parenthesis,  the  reader  not 
having  yet  been  informed  of  his  death, 
or  the  circumstances  attending  it.  Had 
laid  hold.  John's  apprehension  and  im- 
prisonment took  place,  while  our  Lord 
was  in  Judea,  after  his  first  passover 
(see  4:12;  Mark  1 :  14  ;  Luke  4 :  14). 
Its  proper  position  in  the  narrative 
would  have  been  just  before  Christ's  de- 
parture into  Galilee,  spoken  of  in  John 
4  :  1-3,  and  next  to  the  passages  in  the 
other  evangelists  above  quoted.  In 
prison  (see  N.  on  11:2)  is  put  for 
into  prison,  the  idea  of  subsequent 
confinement  in  prison  being  predomi- 
nant (see  N.  on  3  :  6  ;  10  ;  16  ;  Mark  16  : 
46).  His  confinement  was,  perhaps 
adopted  as  a  protection  against  He- 
rodias. See  N.  on  Mark  6  :  20.  It 
is  generally,  however,  attributed  to 
the  exasperation  of  Herod,  at  his 
reproof  on  account  of  his  scanda- 
lous connection  with  Herodias.  For 
Hcrodias's  sake,  i.  e.  on  account  of  the 
reproof  John  gave  him  for  marrying 
Herodias,  who  was  both  his  own  niece, 
and  wife  of  his  half-brother  Philip 
Herod. 

4.  It  is  not  lawful,  &c.  Herod  had 
committed  several  heinous  sins  by  this 
marriage.  He  had  put  away  without 
just  cause,  his  own  wife,  was  living  in 
adultery  with  another  man's  wife,  and 
was  guilty  of  incest  in  marrying  his 
own  niece  (see  Levit.  18:  16). 

5.  And  when  he  would  have  put,  &c. 
It  appears  from  Mark  6  :  19,  20,  that 
Herodias  was  greatly  incensed  at  John, 
and  would  have  killed  him,  had  not 
Herod  through  his  great  reverence  for 
him,  refused  to  yield  to  her  wishes. 
But  now,  worn  out  by  her  importuni- 
ties, and  probably  becoming  offended 
with  John,  at  the  faithfulness  with 
which  he  continued  to  rebuke  his  sin, 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


him  to  death,  he  feared  the  mul- 
titude, ''because  they  counted  him 
as  a  prophet. 

6  But  when  Herod's  birth-day 
was  kept,  the  daughter  of  Hero- 

dCh.  21:26;  Lu.  20:6. 

he  was  only  hindered  from  putting  him 
to  death  through  fear  of  the  people, 
who  regarded  him  as  a  prophet.  Thus 
there  is  no  inconsistency  between  this 
and  V.  9.  Josephus  says  that  the  Jews 
looked  upon  the  subsequent  calamities 
of  Herod,  as  a  judgment  of  God  for 
his  injustice  to  this  holy  man.  The 
multitude,  i.  e.  the  populace.  The 
people  of  Galilee  were  turbulent,  and 
with  great  difficulty  were  kept  from 
open  rebellion  against  any  governor 
who  held  authority  from  the  Roman 
power.  It  was  the  theatre  of  many 
insurrections,  and  led  the  way  in 
the  final  rebellion,  which  ended  in 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  by  Titus. 
Counted;  literally  held,  i.  e.  regarded. 
A  prophet,  i.  e.  a  religious  teacher, 
ranking  with  the  Old  Testament  pro- 
phets, in  piety  and  self-denying 
labor. 

6.  The  direct  narration  is  now  re- 
sumed from  V.  2,  which  was  interrupted 
by  the  explanatory  digression  in  vs.  3- 
5.  But  when  Herod's  birth-day  was 
kept.  It  appears  from  Mark  (6  :  21), 
that.this  day  was  regarded  by  Herodias 
as  a  favorable  time  to  put  into  execu- 
tion her  murderous  designs.  It  was 
"  a  convenient  day,"  an  opportune  oc- 
casion for  obtaining  Herod's  consent 
to  John's  death.  It  was  with  this  in- 
tent, that  she  caused  her  daughter  to 
dance  before  Herod  and  his  company, 
either  foreseeing  that  he  would  make 
such  an  extravagant  promise  as  he  did, 
or  hoping  in  some  way  to  gain 
her  end.  Tlic  daughter  of  Herodias. 
Her  name  was  Salome,  daughter  of 
Herodias  by  her  former  husband.  She 
was  afterwards  the  wife  of  her  uncle 
Philip,  tetrarch  of  Itursea  and  Trachoni- 
tis,  and  on  his  death,  married  her  cousin 
Aristobolus,  by  whom  she  had  three 
sons,  Herod,  Agrippa,  and  Aristobolus. 
Danced.  It  is  thought  by  some  that 
Vol.  I.— 8* 


177 

and 


dias    danced    before    them, 
pleased  Herod. 

7  Whereupon  he  promised  with 
an  oath  to  give  her  whatsoever 
she  would  ask. 


reference  is  had  here  to  an  immodest, 
lascivious  dance  of  the  pantomimic  kind, 
which  had  been  recently  introduced 
into  Judea,  and  which  was  the  subject  of 
such  severe  censure  by  Juvenal  and 
other  Roman  satirists.  But  it  is  not 
necessary  to  suppose  this  outrage  of 
common  decency,  to  render  this  affair 
more  improper  and  unbecoming  than  it 
would  appear,  viewed  as  a  mere  dance, 
in  which  elegance  of  motion  was  its 
principal  and  attractive  feature.  For 
a  young  maiden  of  her  high  birth  to 
administer,  as  a  common  dancer,  to  the 
pleasure  of  a  body  of  carousers  around 
Herod's  table,  was  a  very  great  depart- 
ure from  maidenly  modesty.  It  was  cer- 
tainly an  uncommon  occurrence  and 
perhaps  was  intended  by  Herodias  to 
take  the  company  by  surprise,  in  order, 
during  the  extravagant  applause,  which 
it  might  be  anticipated  such  an  act 
would  elicit,  to  seize  upon  some  way  of 
accomplishing  her  bloody  purpose. 
Before  them ;  literally,  in  the  midst  of, 
among,  designating  her  bold  and  in- 
timate approach  to  this  company  of 
revellers.  And  pleased  Herod  ("  and 
them  that  sat  with  him,"  Mark  6  :  22). 
He  was  pleased  not  only  with  her 
graceful  movements,  but  at  this  evi- 
dence of  her  and  her  mother's  desire 
to  contribute  to  his  own,  and  the  en- 
tertainment of  his  guests,  on  this  fes- 
tive occasion. 

1.  Whereupon  he  promised,  kc.  He 
had  doubtless  no  idea  of  the  ir.ipic 
consequences,  which  were  to  follow  this 
rash  promise.  It  was  thoughtlessly 
made,  and  in  the  excess  of  his  rapture 
at  the  condescension  of  the  damsel  and 
her  graceful  movements,  he  seems  to 
have  repeated  several  times  the  prom- 
ise, and  also  the  oath,  as  both  Matthew 
and  Mark  use  the  plural  oaths,  in  refer- 
ring to  Herod's  scruples  about  violating 
his    promise.      WJiatsoever    she    would 


178 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  32. 


8  And  sbe,  being  before  in- 
structed of  her  mother,  said,  Give 
me  here  John  the  Baptist's  head 
in  a  charger. 

9  And  the  king  was  sorry :  nev- 


a.sA-,  &c.  Mark  (6  :  23)  relates  it,  "  what- 
soever thou  shalt  ask  of  me,  I  will 
give  it  thee,  unto  the  half  of  my  king- 
dom." A  very  inflated  and  braggart 
promise,  from  one  who  was  governor 
of  only  two  provinces  of  Judea,  and 
which  he  held  as  the  vassal  of  the  Roman 
emperor.  But  the  promise  was  made, 
and  the  end  for  which  the  damsel 
danced  was  gained.  According  to  the 
instruction  of  her  mother,  to  whom  she 
immediately  repaired  for  direction  as  to 
the'  request  she  should  make,  she  de- 
manded the  head  of  John  as  her  re- 
ward. The  Forerunner  of  the  Mes- 
siah, who  had  come,  as  was  foretold,  in 
the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  the 
greatest  of  all  the  prophets  of  the  old 
dispensation,  was  to  be  sacrificed  to 
gratify  the  revenge  of  a  wicked  woman, 
and  as  a  reward  of  one  who  had 
danced  for  the  amusement  of  a  band  of 
revellers.  Truly  in  this  instance  at 
least,  truth  presents  stranger  incidents 
than  fiction. 

8.  Being  before  instructed ;  literally, 
heinri  put  forward  or  urged  on.  She 
seems  to  have  hesitated  at  the  cold- 
blooded proposal  of  her  mother,  or, 
perhaps,  she  wished  to  prefer  a  request 
for  something  more  congenial  to  her 
youthful  taste,  but  she  at  last  yielded, 
and  came  with  haste  (Mark  6  :  15),  and 
demanded  that  there  should  be  given 
her  immediately  (see  Mark)  the  head  of 
John.  The  palace  where  Herod  held 
his  feast,  was  either  at  or  very  near  the 
castle  of  Machferus  where  John  was 
confined.  In  a  charger,  i.  e.  a  platter 
or  dish,  in  which  food  was  served  up  at 
table. 

9.  Was  sorry.  See  N.  on  v.  5.  The 
word  in  the  original  denotes  excessive 
grief,  and  in  Mark  it  is  the  very  same 
which  our  Savior  used,  when  he  said, 
"  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even 
unto  death."  Herod's  grief  at  the  con- 
sequence of  his  rash  and  foolish  oath, 


ertheless  for  the  oath's  sake,  and 
them  which  sat  with  him  at  meat, 
he  commanded  it  to  be  given  her. 
10  And  he  sent,  and  beheaded 
John  in  the  prison. 

»■ 

was  no  doubt  real.  It  was  scarcely 
possible  that  he  should  have  felt  other- 
wise. He  had  a  high  respect  for  John. 
He  admired  his  bold  and  lofty  zeal  as  a 
reformer.  He  had  watched  over  and 
protected  him  from  the  rage  of 
Herodias  (see  Mark  6  :  20).  He  had 
listened  to  his  religious  discourses  with 
pleasure.  But  now  he  had  been  en- 
trapped to  give  him  up  to  his  most  im- 
placable foe.  No  wonder  he  was  cha- 
grined and  distressed.  For  his  oatKs 
sake,  i.  e.  through  a  scrupulous  regard 
to  the  sanctity  of  his  oaths.  This  was 
groundless.  His  promise  was  rash  and 
unlawful.  He  had  no  right  to  make 
such  an  unconditional  one.  And  when 
thus  perverted  by  Herodias  to  so  mur- 
derous a  purpose,  on  every  principle  of 
ethics,  it  ought  at  once  to  have  been 
broken.  No  oath,  in  whatever  circum- 
stances it  may  have  been  made,  can 
justify  murder.  It  is  strange  that  a 
man  should  thus  put,  as  Herod  did,  a 
rash  and  thoughtless  promise  before  a 
principle  of  eternal  rectitude ;  that  he 
should  have  more  regard  for  an  ap- 
pearance of  firmness  in  the  eyes  of  his 
guests,  than  for  the  hfe  of  one  of  the 
greatest  and  most  honored  messengers, 
that  God  has  commissioned  to  reveal 
his  will  to  man.  Than  which  sat  with 
him  ;  literally,  who  reclined  with  him  (a.t 
table).  Herod  wished  to  show  his  ap- 
preciation of  the  entertainment  afforded 
to  his  guests,  by  granting  the  damsel's 
request. 

10.  He  sent  and  beheaded  John.  How- 
ever great  his  distress  at  his  foolish 
promise,  he  did  not  long  hesitate.  Im- 
mediateU/hQ  sent  out  an  executioner,  and 
commanded  John's  head  to  be  brought 
(see  Mark  6  :  27).  It  must  have  been 
in  the  night  time,  when  this  bloody 
mandate  was  issued  and  executed.  We 
may  imagine  the  man  of  God  suddenly 
awakened  from  sleep  by  the  execu- 
tioner with  the  instrument  of  death  in 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


179 


11  And  his  head  was  brought 
in  a  charger,  and  given  to  the 
damsel :  and  she  brought  ii  to 
her  mother. 

12  And  his  disciples  came,  and 
took  up  the  body,  and  buried  it, 
and  went  and  told  Jesus. 


his  hand.  Perhaps  not  a  moment  was 
allowed  him  to  utter  a  prayer  to  God, 
or  take  leave  of  his  sorrowing  disciples. 
It  was  all  done  in  haste,  and  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  was  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable tragedies  of  blood  and  crime, 
which  has  been  committed  to  history. 

11.  Gave  it  to  the  damsel.  What  a 
scene  for  a  painter.  A  young  girl  con- 
veying to  her  mother,  on  a  platter,  the 
gory  head  of  her  victim,  as  a  price  of 
the  amusement  she  had  furnished  to 
the  wicked  king  and  his  guests.  There 
is  a  tradition  that  Herodias  treated  the 
head  in  a  most  shameful  manner,  pul- 
ling out  the  tongue  and  piercing  it  with 
a  needle. 

12.  And  his  disciples  came.  They 
were  not  in  the  prison,  for  Mark  says 
(6  :  29),  "  when  his  disciples  heard  of  it 
they  came,"  &c.  And  buried  if.  Herod, 
doubtless,  gave  them  permission,  willing 
to  do  something  towards  effacing  the 
guilt,  which  for  ever  afterwards  must 
have  burdened  his  conscience.  Went 
and  told  Jesus.  To  whom  could  they 
more  appropriately  go,  in  this  hour  of 
their  sorrow  and  bereavement,  than  to 
him  whom  their  deceased  master  had 
hailed  as  the  Messiah  which  was  to 
come,  and  whose  mighty  works  some 
of  them  had  been  permitted  to  see 
(compare  11:4,  5  ;  Luke  7  :  21,  22). 
They  acquainted  him  with  this  act  of 
Herod's  cruelty,  and  probably  gave  him 
timely  warning  of  danger  from  the 
same  quarter,  for  we  are  told  in  the 
next  verse,  that  Jesus  took  the  precau- 
tion to  retire  to  a  desert  place,  until 
the  danger  was  in  a  measure  past. 

13-21.  On  the  return  of  the 
Twelve,  Jesus  retires  with  them 
ACROSS  the  Lake.  Five  thousand 
ARE  FED.     Capernaum.     N.  E.  coast  of 


13  ^  'When  Jesus  heard  of  if, 
he  departed  thence  by  ship  into 
a  desert  place  apart :  and  when 
the  people  had  heard  thereof,  they 
followed  him  on  foot  out  of  the 
cities. 

14  And  Jesus  went  forth,  and 

eCh.  10:23,  &12:15;  Ma.  6:32;  Lu.  9:  10; 
Jn.  6 :  1,  2. 


the  Lake  of  Galilee.     Mark  6  :  30-44  ; 
Luke  9 : 10-17. 

13.  When  Jesus  heard  of  it,  i.  e. 
John's  martyrdom  and  Herod's  opinion 
of  himself  (see  v.  2).  The  distance  of 
Machcerus  to  Capernaum  will  account 
for  any  seeming  discrepancy  between 
this  and  v.  1.  It  would,  as  Alford  re- 
marks, be  some  days  before  the  news 
could  have  reached  Jesus,  and  the  re- 
port mentioned  in  v.  1,  might  reach 
Herod  in  the  mean  time,  and  the  mes- 
sa_ge  which  the  disciples  brought  to  our 
Lord  might  have  included  both  parti- 
culars, the  death  of  their  master,  and 
the  saying  of  Herod  respecting  himself. 
He  departed  theiicc,  &c.  He  was  at 
this  time  in  Capernaum.  He  now  re- 
tires to  the  north-east  coast  of  the 
lake,  not  far  from  the  northern  Beth- 
saida  or  Julias  (see  Luke  9  :  10). 
Previously  to  his  passage  across  the 
lake,  the  Twelve  returned  from  their 
circuit,  and  made  a  report  of  what 
things  they  had  done  and  taught  (Mark 
6  :  30,  31  ;  Luke  9  :  lu).  It  was  in 
part,  doubtless,  to  furnish  a  season  of 
repose  to  his  disciples  that  he  crossed 
the  lake.  Desert  place,  i.  e.  an  unin- 
habited district.  Apart  from  others 
except  his  disciples.  Had  heard  thereof, 
viz.  that  he  was  crossing  the  lake  in  a 
certain  direction.  ITiey  followed  him 
on  foot,  i.  e.  by  land,  in  contradistinc- 
tion from  his  crossing  the  lake  in  a 
ship.  Mark  (6  :  33)  says  that  "  they 
ran  afoot,  thither,  out  of  all  cities,  and 
outwent  them  (i.  e.  Jesus  and  his  dis- 
ciples) and  came  together  unto  him." 
So  great  was  their  desire  to  hear  his 
words  and  witness  his  mighty  ileeds. 
Out  of  the  cities  of  that  part  of  Galilee. 
Their  numbers  were,  doubtless,  increas- 
ed, as  they  passed  through  the   towns 


180 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


saw  a  great  multitude,  and  -'  was 
moved  with  compassion  toward 
them,  and  he  healed  their  sick. 

15     ^  And  when    it  was   even- 
ing,   his   disciples  came  to   him, 

/Ch.  9:86;  Ma.  6:34. 


and  villages,  which  lay  between  Caper- 
naum and  this  northern  Bethsaida. 

14.  M^ent  forth,  i.  e.  landed  from  the 
ship  in  which  he  had  crossed  the  lake. 
AU'ord  says  "  from  his  place  of  retire- 
ment." But  see  Mark  6 :  33,  where  it 
appears  that  the  people  who  went 
around  the  lake  on  foot,  reached  the 
place  where  he  was  to  land  before  him. 
Of  course  he  could  not  have  come  forth 
"  from  his  place  of  retirement"  to  meet 
them.  In  the  parallel  passage  in  Mark, 
Alford  has  adopted  the  right  exposition, 
which  shows  that  his  comment  here  in 
Matthew  was  an  inadvertence.  Saw  c 
great  tmdtiticde.  These  had  come  by 
land,  as  above  stated,  with  such  expedi- 
tion, that  they  had  reached  the  place 
before  Jesus  and  his  disciples.  Alford 
suggests  that  this  vast  concourse  was 
collected,  on  their  journey  to  Jerusalem 
to  keep  the  passover,  which  was  at  hand 
(John  6  :  4).  But  in  passing  around 
the  lake  to  meet  Jesus,  they  would 
seem  to  have  gone  in  an  opposite  direc* 
tion.  Was  moved  with  compassion.  See  N. 
on  9 :  36.  The  eagerness  manifested  by 
this  vast  crowd  to  wait  upon  his  minis- 
try, and  their  spiritual  destitution, 
excited  our  Savior's  deepest  sympathies. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  claiming  the  privi- 
lege of  retirement,  for  which  he  had 
crossed  the  lake,  he  received  them 
kindly  (Luke  9:11),  and  imparted  to 
them  instruction  (Mark  6  :  34),  and  heal- 
ed their  sick.  How  precious  are  these 
instances  of  our  Savior's  love  and  con- 
descension. John  (6  :  3)  says  that  he 
went  up  into  a  mountain,  and  there  sat 
and  taught  the  people. 

15.  And  when  it  was  evening.  In 
Luke,  "when  the  day  began  to  wear 
away."  The  first  evening  as  it  was 
called,  commenced  just  before  sunset, 
or,  as  some  say,  at  three  o'clock,  the  se- 


saying,  This  is  a  desert  place,  and 
the  time  is  now  past;  send  the 
multitude  away,  that  they  may  go 
into  the  villages,  and  buy  them- 
selves victuals. 

16  But  Jesus  said  unto  them, 

{7  Ma.  6  :  35 ;  Lu.  £  :  12 ;  Jn.  6  :  5. 

cond  evening,  at  sunset.  The  former 
evening  is  the  one  referred  to  here,  the 
latter,  v.  23.  With  the  Samaritans,  the 
first  evening  commenced  at  sunset,  the 
second,  when  it  began  to  grow  dark. 
Came  unto  him,  in  order  to  address  him. 
Perhaps  they  had  been  dispersed  among 
the  crowd  to  learn  more  fully  their  con- 
dition, or  to  assist  in  imparting  in- 
struction to  such,  as  could  not  come 
within  sound  of  our  Savior's  voice. 
27iis  is  a  desert  place.  See  N.  on  v.  13. 
The  time  is  now  past,  i.  e.  the  day  is  now 
far  spent.  Send  the  multitude  away,  i.  e. 
dismiss  the  assembly  by  bringing  the 
discourse  to  a  close.  It  la  worthy  of 
note,  that  so  deeply  interested  was  our 
Lord  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  those 
whom  he  addressed,  and  so  intent  were 
the  people  upon  his  instructions,  that 
neither  he  nor  they  seem  to  have  taken 
notice  that  the  day  was  drawing  to  a 
close,  and  that  it  was  high  time  for  the 
assembly  to  break  up,  in  order  to  repair 
for  lodging  and  refreshment  to  the 
neighboring  towns  and  villages.  And 
buy  themselves  victuals ;  literally,  eat- 
ables, solid  food,  as  opposed  to  milk  and 
other  liquids.  With  such  haste  had 
they  departed  from  home,  when  they 
heard  that  Jesus  was  crossing  the  lake, 
that  they  had  made  no  provision  for 
their  temporal  wants,  and  were  there- 
fore in  this  desert  place  without  any 
food.  Some  of  them  must  have  been  at 
this  time  faint  with  hunger. 

16.  In  regard  to  this  great  miracle  of 
the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand,  one  of 
the  most  stupendous  ever  wrought  on 
earth,  the  Evangelists  are  all  full  and 
circumstantial.  It  is  related  by  the 
whole  four,  and  their  account  of  it 
should  be  carefully  compared,  in  order 
to  become  acquainted  with  all  the  at- 
tending circumstances.     John  (6:  6-7) 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


181 


They  need   not  depart ;    give  ye 
them  to  eat. 

17  And  they  say  unto  him,  We 
have  here  but  five  loaves,  and  two 
fishes. 

18  He  said,  Bring  them  hither 
to  me. 


makes  particular  mention  of  the  trial  of 
Philip's  faith  in  our  Lord's  question,  as  to 
where  bread  should  be  purchased  for 
so  great  a  multitude,  when  "  he  himself 
knew  what  he  would  do."  When  PhiHp 
replied  that  two  hundred  pennyworth 
($30)  of  bread  would  not  suffice  to  give 
each  one  a  very  little,  Andrew  remarked 
(John  5  :  8)  that  a  lad  was  present  with 
five  barley  loaves  and  two  small  fishes, 
but  like  Philip,  betrayed  his  want  of  faith 
by  the  inquiry,  "what  are  these  among 
so  many  ?  "  The;i  need  not  depart  fasting 
and  faint  with  hunger.  Give  ye  them, 
&c.  This  direction  is  found  in  Matthew, 
Mark,  and  Luke,  and  was  given  for  the 
purpose  of  trying  them,  and  awakening 
their  attention  to  what  was  to  follow. 

17.  And  they  said.  Andrew,  as  we 
have  seen,  was  the  spokesman.  Loaves. 
These  were  made  in  the  form  of  round 
cakes,  nine  or  ten  inches  in  diameter, 
suitable  to  be  broken  rather  than  cut. 
The  particular  statement  of  the  quan- 
tity of  food  on  hand,  found  in  all  the 
Evangelists,  was  made  in  order  to  pre- 
vent all  doubts  of  the  actual  performance 
of  a  miracle.  It  appears  from  John  6  : 
9,  that  it  was  a  lad  (literally,  one  little 
boi/),  in  whose  possession  these  provi- 
sions were  found,  so  that  it  is  not  to  be 
referred  to  a  supply  of  food  belonging 
to  the  disciples  themselves,  although,  as 
is  hinted  in  Note  on  v.  19,  it  may  have 
been  sent  by  some  kind  friend,  for  the 
use  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples. 

18.  Bring  them.,  &c.  As  these  ele- 
ments of  food  were  to  be  miraculously 
increased,  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  be  placed  before  him,  both  that 
his  creative  power  might  be  definitely 
exerted,  and  its  effects  more  fully  seen 
by  the  multitude. 

19.  To  sit  down.,  i.  e.  to  recline  upon 
the  grass,  according  to  the  usual  pos- 
ture in  those  times.  The  place  was  very 


19  And  he  commanded  the  mul- 
titude to  sit  down  on  the  grass, 
and  took  the  five  loaves,  and  the 
two  fishes,  and  looking  up  to  hea- 
ven, ''  he  blessed,  and  brake,  and 
gave  the  loaves  to  his  disciples, 
and  the  disciples  to  the  multitude. 

h  Ch.  15  :  36. 

suitable  and  convenient,  on  account  of 
the  abundance  of  grass  (John  6  :  10). 
Mark  and  Luke  speak  of  the  manner  in 
which  they  were  to  recline,  viz.  in  ranks 
by  hundreds  and  by  fifties.  This  was 
necessary  not  only  for  the  preservation 
of  order,  and  convenience  in  distribut- 
ing the  food,  but  also  that  the  wants 
of  all  might  be  duly  attended  to,  and 
none  passed  by  in  so  great  a  multitude. 
And  took  the  five  loaves.,  &c.  He  pro- 
bably elevated  them  in  sight  of  the  peo- 
ple, while  he  invoked  God's  blessing,  or 
as  some  think,  merely  touched  them 
with  his  hand.  There  was  an  appro- 
priateness and  dignity  in  the  act,  which 
must  strike  the  mind  of  every  reader. 
Looking  ^ip  to  heaven,  as  that  was  the 
seat  of  his  Heavenly  Father,  and  what 
he  was  about  to  do  was  in  harmony 
with  his  relations  to  the  Godhead.  The 
Greeks  and  Romans  in  prayer  always 
extended  their  hands  in  the  direction  of 
the  divinities  invoked,  upward,  hori- 
zontally, or  earthward,  according  as 
they  prayed  to  the  celestial,  terrestrial, 
or  infernal  deities.  And  brake,  &c. 
See  N.  on  V.  17.  These  loaves  were  of 
barley  (John  6  :  9),  and  as  they  consti- 
tuted the  food  which  this  lad  had 
brought,  probably  for  the  use  of  Jesus 
and  his  disciples,  we  see  how  frugal 
was  their  fare,  and  that  on  this  occa- 
sion, although  Christ  could  have  easily 
supplied  the  five  thousand  with  the 
richest  food,  yet  he  chose  to  exert  his 
power  on  the  miraculous  enlargement 
of  plain,  wholesome  food.  These  inci- 
dents are  to  be  noted,  as  we  meditate 
upon  this  wondrous  transaction.  And 
gave  the  loaves,  &c.  The  creative  pro- 
cess was  exerted,  no  doubt,  upon  the 
food,  as  it  passed  from  his  hand,  and 
not  as  Meyer  and  some  others  think, 
during  its  distribution  by  the  disci- 
ples. 


182 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


20  And  they  did  all  eat,  and 
were  filled  :  and  they  took  up  of 
the  fragments  that  remained 
twelve  baskets  full. 


20.  And  they  did  all  eat,  &c.  This 
declares  the  miracle.  There  were  but 
five  ordinary-sized  loaves  and  two  small 
fishes.  From  this  small  quantity  of 
food,  they  all  ate,  and  were  fully  satis- 
fied (see  John  6  :  11),  although  in  a 
state  of  such  extreme  hunger,  that  no 
ordinary  quantity  would  have  sufficed 
to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  their  appetite. 
A7id  they  (L  e.  the  disciples)  took  up  (at 
his  command,  John  6  :  12),  of  the  frag- 
ments that  remained,  twelve  baskets  full ; 
literally,  what  reinained  of  the  fragments, 
twelve  baskets  full.  These  fragments  or 
broken  pieces  were  gathered  from  the 
place,  when  our  Saviour  broke  and  dis- 
tributed the  loaves,  and  also  from  what 
was  left  by  those  who  eat.  See  John 
6  :  13.  "  This  union  of  careful  saving- 
ness  with  creative  power,  is  a  feature 
so  peculiar,  that  it  impresses,  beyond 
all  mistake,  a  heavenly  character  on  the 
narrative."  Olshausen.  The  basket  here 
spoken  of  was  the  Jewish  travelling 
basket,  which  of  course  would  be  large 
enough,  to  contain  provisions  for  a  tra- 
veller for  several  days  if  it  was  neces- 
sary. This  shows  the  superabundance 
of  food,  and  the  completeness  of  the 
miracle.  The  quantity  which  remained 
was  far  greater,  than  that  which  they 
had  on  hand  before  the  repast.  The 
miracle  took  place  in  the  presence  of 
thousands,  and  on  the  mind  of  no  one 
could  there  rest  the  shadow  of  doubt  as 
to  its  reality.  Indeed,  it  so  impressed 
the  multitude  with  a  sense  of  his  power, 
that  mistaking  the  spiritual  nature  of 
his  mission,  and  groaning  under  the 
harsh  and  cruel  exactions  of  the  Roman 
governors,  they  were  about  to  "take 
him  by  force  and  make  him  a  king." 
Jolm  6  :  15.  If  a  man  of  such  ex- 
traordinary power  was  not  their  Mes- 
siah, they  might  correctly  have  con- 
cluded, that  it  was  vain  to  look  for 
another.  It  will  be  seen  also  that  the 
enmity  of  the  Pharisees  was  from  this 
time  more  virulent  against  him,  doubt- 


21  And  they  that  had  eaten 
were  about  five  thousand  men, 
beside  women  and  children. 

22  H   And  straightway   Jesus 

less  provoked  thereto  by  his  stupen- 
dous miracle,  and  the  popular  demon- 
stration in  his  favor. 

21.  They  that  had  eaten;  literally, 
the  persons  eating.  Prof.  Stuart  is  wrong 
in  saying  that  in  this  and  similar  in- 
stances, the  present  participle  in  the 
Greek  has  the  sense  of  the  imperfect. 
It  represents  time  present,  but  in  refer- 
ence to  a  past  act  of  numbering  the 
persons  who  had  eaten.  Were  about 
five  thousand  men.  As  they  had  been 
arranged  by  hundreds  and  fifties,  their 
number  could  be  taken  with  very  great 
exactness.  Five  thousand  is  doubtless 
here  used  for  a  round  number,  but 
was  exact  enough  for  all  practical 
purposes.  In  such  a  connection  it 
was  of  very  little  consequence,  whe- 
ther the  number  was  a  little  more, 
or  a  little  less  than  5000.  Besides 
vjomen  and  children.  The  whole  num- 
ber could  not  have  fallen  short  of 
10,000  persons.  In  view  of  this  great 
miracle,  we  cannot  wonder  that  the 
people  exclaimed,  "  this  is  of  a  truth 
that  Prophet,  that  should  come  into  the 
world,"  John  6:   14. 

22-36.  Jesps  on  a  Mountain  in 
Prayer.  He  walks  upon  the  Water. 
Lake  of  Galilee.  Genessareth.  Mark 
6:  45-56.  John  6:  15-21.  A?id 
straightway  Jesus,  &c.  It  appears  from 
John  6  :  15,  that  the  people  were  now 
desirous  to  make  Jesus  a  king.  The 
eyes  which  saw  no  evidence  of  his 
Messiahship  in  the  signs  spoken  of  in 
11  :  5,  were  now  opened  by  this 
stupendous  miracle,  which  brought 
his  claims  nearer  to  their  precon- 
ceived notions  respecting  the  Messiah. 

They  were  now  ready  to  receive  him 
as  their  king.  Who  could  better  lead 
them  to  victory  over  their  Roman  op- 
pressors, than  he  who  could  feed  ten 
thousand  persons  upon  five  loaves  and 
two  fishes  ?  Jesus,  however,  would  per- 
mit no  such  notion  to  be  entertained. 
He  forthwith  sent  his  disciples  on  board 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


183 


constrained  his  disciples  to  get  I  multitudes  away,  he  went  up  into 
into  a  ship,  and  to  go  before  him  [  a  mountain  apart  to  pray:  ''and 
unto  the  other  side,  while  he  sent  when  the  evening  was  come,  he 
the  multitudes  away.  was  there  alone. 

23  '  And  when  he  had  sent  the        24  But  the  ship  was  now  in  the 

i  Ma.  6  :  46.  kJn.6: 16. 

disciples  were  now  on  the  lake,  he  with- 
drew to  the  mountain.  It  must  also  be 
remembered,  that  he  was  a  man,  liav- 
ing  human  passions  and  emotions,  and 
the  honors  which  the  people  were  ready 
to  force  upon  him,  could  not  but  have 
agitated  his  mind,  although  not  with 
the  least  desire  to  possess  them.  He 
therefore  retired  to  gain  calmness  and 
singleness  of  purpose,  for  his  great 
work  of  privation,  suffering,  and  death, 
by  prayer  and  communion  with  his 
Father.  In  this  he  should  be  an  ex- 
ample to  us,  when  agitated  and  dis- 
turbed by  worldly  influences,  or  by  the 
proffer  of  hUman  honors.  T7ie  eveninc/. 
The  second  evenmg.  See  N.  on  v.  15. 
He  was  there  alone.  He  had  come  to 
this  desert  place  with  his  disciples,  in 
order  to  enjoy  a  little  quiet  and  repose. 
But  in  this  he  had  been  disappointed, 
for  the  people  were  present  by  thou- 
sands to  meet  him  as  he  landed.  Now 
while  others  were  refreshing  themselves 
with  sleep,  he  was  on  the  mountain 
alone,  engaged  in  acts  of  devotion  and 
enjoying  communion  with  God.  In 
how  many  interesting  positions  do  we 
find  him  in  his  ministry.  Sometimes 
preaching  from  a  ship  to  thousands  on 
the  shore  ;  at  other  times,  sitting  on 
the  hill  side  and  instructing  the  people  ; 
now  in  the  synagogue  putting  to  silence 
his  cavilling  enemies,  and  then  perform- 
ing in  the  private  house  of  a  friend 
some  of  the  most  sublime  miracles.  At 
one  time  he  authoritatively  cleanses  the 
temple  of  unlawful  traffic,  at  another, 
he  sits  over  against  Jerusalem,  predict- 
ing with  tears  its  rapidly  approaching 
doom.  But  in  no  attitude  of  more 
heavenly  sublimity  does  he  appear,  than 
when  on  some  solitary  mountain,  he 
passes  the  night  in  prayer,  pleading  with 
his  Father  for  those  who  have  believed 
on  him,  and  for  the  multitudes  who 
throng  upon  his  ministry. 


the  ship,  in  which  they  had  previously 
crossed  the  lake  (see  v.  13),  and  at  once 
dismissed  the  multitude  before  they 
could  have  time  to  take  any  political  step 
which  would  give  umbrage  to  the  pub- 
lic authorities.  Some  think  that  the 
words,  constrained  his  disciples,  implies 
their  reluctance  to  depart,  being  influ- 
enced by  ambitious  views,  and  thinking 
the  time  now  favorable  for  him  to  set 
up  his  kingdom.  It  is  better,  however, 
to  refer  it  to  a  natural  desire,  on  their 
part,  to  linger  at  the  place  where  they 
had  witnessed  so  remarkable  a  scene. 
Unto  the  other  side,  i.  e.  unto  Bethsaida  of 
Galilee,  not  to  the  Bethsaida  or  Julias 
on  the  north-eastern  side  of  the  lake, 
in  the  vicinity  of  which  they  then  were. 
See  N.  on  v.  13.  John  says  (6  :  17) 
that  "  they  entered  into  a  ship  and  went 
over  the  sea  toward  Capernaum." 
These  two  places  lay  in  the  same  gene- 
ral direction  of  S.  W.  from  the  place 
where  they  embarked.  Olshausen  sug- 
gests that  the  disciples  may  have  intend- 
ed first  to  have  put  in  at  the  one  point, 
and  then  sailed  on  to  the  other. 
While  he  sent.  The  people  would  be 
less  reluctant  to  disperse,  if  they  saw 
the  disciples  going  on  board  ship,  and 
knew  from  this  that  Jesus  intended  to 
leave. 

23.  He  went  up  into  a  mountain; 
literally,  the  mountain,  referring  to  the 
range  which  encircled  the  lake,  and 
here  lay  back  of  the  northern  Bethsaida. 
Christ  chose  this  hour  of  prayer  and 
communion  with  God,  because  its 
quiet  stillness  was  favorable  to  devo- 
tion, and  because  the  hours  of  the  day 
were  all  spent  in  the  public  duties  of  his 
ministry.  John  (6  :  15)  seems  to  con- 
nect this  devotional  retirement  of  our 
Lord,  with  the  popular  movement  to 
"  take  him  by  force  to  make  him  a 
king."  He  deemed  it  prudent  to  re- 
tire a  while  from  their  sight,  and  as  his 


184 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


midst    of    the    sea,    tossed    with 
waves  :  for  the  wind  was  contrary. 

25  And  in  the  fourth  watch  of 
the  night  Jesus  went  unto  them, 
walking  on  the  sea. 

26  And  when  the  disciples  saw 


24  In  the  mid^t  of  the  sea.  They 
were  probably  three  or  four  miles  from 
land  (see  John  6  :  19),  and  as  the  lake 
was  only  some  ten  miles  in  diameter, 
they  were  in  the  midst  of  it,  as 
here  said.  Tossed  with  the  waves.  The 
word  translated  tossed,  is  the  one  trans- 
lated to  torment  in  8 :  29,  and  has  often 
that  sense  in  other  places  in  the  New 
Testament.  It  literally  signifies  to  test 
a  thing,  and  then  to  elicit  truth  by  tor- 
ture, from  which  it  has  the  signification, 
to  torture,  torment,  &c.  The  ship  was 
metaphorically  said  to  be  tortured  by 
the  waves,  its  strength  being  tested  to 
the  utmost  in  this  stormy  sea,  and  al- 
most yielding  to  the  violence  of  the 
wind  and  waves.  Was  contrary.  The 
gale  was  not  only  one  of  extreme  vio- 
lence, but  directly  against  their  course. 
They  were  struggling  against  it  with 
the  oars  (Mark  6  ;  48  ;  "john  6  :  19), 
but  made  Uttle  or  no  headway. 

25.  The  fourth  watch.  The  Roman 
night  was  divided  into  four  watches  of 
three  hours  each,  the  guard  at  the  end 
of  each  watch  being  changed.  The 
Jews,  who  had  divided  the  night  into 
three  watches  of  four  hours  each,  after 
their  subjugation  by  the  Romans,  adopt- 
ed their  division.  The  fourth  watch 
began  at  3  o'clock  in  the  morning.  This 
shows  how  little  headway  the  ship  had 
made,  that  at  so  late  an  hour,  they  had 
only  rowed  some  25  or  30  furlongs 
(John  6  :  19).  Jesus  went  unto  them. 
The  force  of  the  original  is  :  went  forth 
(from  the  mountain)  and  came  to  them. 
Mark  says  (6  :  48),  that  he  saw  them 
toiling  and  rowing.  As  the  night  was 
dark  and  tempestuous,  he  could  only  [ 
have  seen  them  with  his  omniscient  eye, 
to  which  the  darkness  is  as  the  light  I 
(Ps  139  :  11,  12).  Walking  on  the  j 
sea.  What  a  series  of  sublime  manifes- 
tations.    In  Job  9  ;   8,  it  is  said  that  | 


him  '  walking  on  the  sea,  they 
were  trouhled,  saying,  It  is  a 
spirit ;  and  they  cried  out  for 
fear. 

27  But  straightway  Jesus  spake 

Z  Job  9  :  8. 

"God  alone  treadeth  upon  the  waves  of 
the  sea."  The  Egyptian  hieroglyphic 
for  an  impossibility,  was  a  man's  feet 
resting  upon  the  sea.  Our  Lord  in  a 
variety  of  ways  manifested  his  divine 
character.  He  had  shown  his  creative 
power  in  the  miracle  of  the  loaves  and 
fishes,  his  omniscience,  in  looking 
through  the  darkness  of  the  night  upon 
his  disciples,  and  his  ability  to  do  what 
to  the  human  mind  was  the  symbol  of 
impossibility,  to  walk  upon  the  waves  of 
the  sea. 

26.  When  the  disciples  saw  him.  He 
was  then  quite  close  to  them,  for  Mark 
(6  :  48)  says  that  "  he  came  unto  them, 
walking  upon  the  sea,  and  would  have 
passed  by  them,"  (on  which  see  N.  on 
v.  32.)  This  he  did  to  try  their  faith, 
and  to  give  them  a  more  vivid  sense  of 
his  protective  power,  in  saving  Peter 
when  beginning  to  sink.  They  were 
troubled.  Such  was  their  dimness  of 
vision  in  the  darkness,  and  so  strange 
the  sight,  that  they  did  not  recognize 
Jesus,  but  thinking  it  to  be  some  spirit, 
they  cried  out  with  fear.  An  ap- 
pearance like  this  could  not  but  terrify 
any  band  of  men.  It  was  as  when  the 
spirit  in  its  dim  outlines,  passed  be- 
fore Eliphaz  in  the  visions  of  the  night, 
or  as  Daniel's  vision  of  the  glorious  per- 
sonage standing  upon  the  waters  of  the 
Hiddekel  (Dan.  10:  5-8;  12  :  7).  No 
wonder  that  those  in  the  ship  "  cried 
out  for  fear." 

27.  But  straiffhtway  Jesus,  &c.  Their 
kind  and  compassionate  Master  did  not 
suffer  them  to  remain  long,  in  this  state 
of  extreme  terror.  He  immediately 
addressed  them  in  his  calm  and  well- 
known  tones  :  be  of  good  cheer,  take 
courage  and  let  not  your  spirits  sink ; 
It  is  I,  your  master  and  friend ;  be  not 
afraid  at  my  strange  and  unexpected 
presence.     What  words  of  peace  and 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


185 


unto  them,  saying,  Be  of  good 
cheer  ;  it  is  I ;   be  not  afraid. 

28  And  Peter  answered  him 
and  said,  Lord,  if  it  be  thou,  bid 
me  come  unto  thee  on  the  water. 

comfort.  What  tender  and  watchful 
care  over  his  disciples.  How  many 
times  by  his  Spirit  has  he  since 
whispered  to  the  poor  sinner's  heart, 
overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  its  lost 
condition,  and  troubled  with  fearful 
visions  of  a  judgment  to  come,  It  is  I, 
be  not  afraid.  Precious  words,  which 
shall  furnish  comfort  to  the  troubled 
soul,  until  all  God's  children  are 
brought  over  life's  stormy  sea  to  the 
haven  of  peace  and  safety  above.  It  is 
/,  the  English  idiom  for  the  Greek,  / 
am  (he),  i.  e.  I  am  the  one  who  address- 
es you,  both  forms  of  expression  being 
based  on  the  idea,  that  the  person  ut- 
tering them  is  well  known,  by  the  tones 
of  his  voice  or  general  appearance 

28.  And  Peter  answered  him,  k.c.  "We 
have  here  an  act  strikingly  characteris- 
tic of  Peter,  and  as  it  has  been  aptly 
termed,  a  rehearsal  of  his  denial  after- 
wards. There  was  the  same  presump- 
tion, followed  by  failure  in  the  time  of 
trial,  and  a  merciful  recovery  from  the 
sad  effect  of  his  self-confidence  and  pre- 
sumption. It  is  uncertain  what  was  his 
real  motive  in  making  this  strange  re- 
quest. From  the  doubt,  seemingly  at 
least  implied  in  the  words,  if  it  be  thou, 
it  would  appear  that  he  wished  a  con- 
firmation of  the  real  presence  of  Christ 
by  another  miracle.  Or  perhaps  we 
may  give  it  this  sense :  since  or  inas- 
tnuvh  as  it  is  thou.  That  the  conjunc- 
tion in  the  original  may  have  this  mean- 
ing is  beyond  dispute  (6  :  30  ;  John  13  : 
n  ;  7  :  23  ;  10  :  35  ;  Luke  12  28). 
The  general  sentiment  would  then  be  : 
Inasmuch  as  it  is  thou,  I  am  so  relieved 
of  fe.ar,  that  I  am  willing  at  thy  com- 
niand  to  step  forth  from  the  ship,  and 
come  to  thee  upon  the  water.  Neither 
of  these  interpretations,  however,  exon- 
erates Peter  from  the  charge  of  unbe- 
lief and  vain  confidence,  which  in  the 
sequel  was  signally  rebuked  by  his 
divine  Master.     Bid7ne,  i.  e.  enable  me, 


29  And  he  said.  Come.  And 
when  Peter  was  come  down  out  of 
the  ship,  he  walked  on  the  water, 
to  go  to  Jesus. 

80  But  when  he  saw  the  wind 


as  the  command  implies  the  necessary 
ability  to  perform  it.  On  the  water ; 
Uterally,  along  upon  the  water.  The 
expression  varies  somewhat  from  the 
words  on  the  sea,  in  v.  25,  where  rest 
upon  the  sea  is  the  predominant  idea, 
while  here  it  is  motion  towards  or  along 
over.  Peter  was  intent  only  on  reach- 
ing his  Master,  and  kept  the  idea  of 
rest  upon  the  water  out  of  sight  in  the 
expression.  It  perhaps  may  not  be 
pressing  this  variation  from  v.  25  too 
far  to  say,  that  in  it  may  be  discerned  a 
premonition  of  Peter's  wavering  faith, 
which  caused  him  in  the  trial  to  sink  in 
the  waters  and  exclaim.  Lord,  save  me. 

29.  And  he  said,  Come.  Our  Lord 
gratified  Peter's  request,  although  it 
savored  at  least  of  presumption,  in 
order  to  try  him,  and  teach  him  thereby 
a  valuable  lesson.  Was  come  down  out 
of  the  ship  ;  literally,  descending  from 
the  ship.  It  was  a  small  fishing  vessel, 
from  the  side  of  which  one  could  easily 
step  down  upon  the  water.  He  walked 
upon  the  water.  The  tense  in  the  ori- 
ginal does  not  admit  the  sense  given  by 
some  interpreters,  he  attempted  or  t^'ied 
to  walk  upon  the  water.  It  expresses 
an  act  which  he  performed.  He  evi- 
dently walked  on  the  element  a  short 
distance,  probably  a  few  steps  only. 
His  faith  was  active, until  the  dark  and 
angry  waves  caused  him  to  lose  sight 
of  his  Savior.  Then  he  wavered  in  his 
purpose  and  began  to  sink.  What  a 
rich  lesson  of  instruction  in  times  of 
trial.  Jesus  is  to  be  kept  before  the 
eye  of  faith,  as  an  all-powerful  and  com- 
passionate Savior.  With  him  in  sight, 
no  wave  of  affliction  can  overwhelm  the 
soul,  or  shake  its  serenity.  To  go  to 
Jesus.  This  should  be  the  aim  and  ob- 
ject of  all  our  actions.  But  even  in  the 
act  of  going  to  Jesus,  we  need  great 
faith,  such  as  we  can  receive  only  from 
him  through  the  agency  of  his  Spirit. 

30.  Boisterous,   i.    e.  blowing   vehe- 


186 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  S2. 


boisterous,  he  was  afraid  ;  and  be- 
giaiiing  to  sink,  he  cried,  saying, 
Lord,  save  me. 

31  And  immediately  Jesus 
stretched  forth  his  hand,  and 
caught  him,  and  said  unto  him,  0 

mently.  With  this  was  also  connected 
the  sight  of  the  black  and  raging 
waters.  To  sink ;  literally,  to  sink 
down  into  the  sea.  The  word  is  very 
full  and  expressive.  He  was,  doubtless, 
from  his  occupation  as  a  fisherman,  a 
strong  and  expert  swimmer.  But  now 
weak  and  helpless,  he  was  sinking 
down  into  the  angry  flood,  with  no 
power  in  himself  to  avert  his  destruc- 
tion. Lord.,  save  me.  Now,  his  infidel- 
ity, or  his  presumption  and  self-confi- 
dence, or  whatever  improper  motive 
prompted  him  to  take  this  perilous  step, 
wholly  left  him.  Weak,  powerless,  and 
confiding  as  a  little  child,  he  throws 
himself  in  this  moment  of  danger  upon 
Christ,  and  finds  his  hand  immediately 
etretched  forth  for  his  relief. 

31.  Immediately  Jesus,  &c.  This 
shows  that  Peter  was  not  far  from  his 
Master,  when  his  faith  failed  him,  and 
he  began  to  sink.  Thus  the  soul  of  the 
believer  often  faints  through  doubt  and 
distrust,  even  when  within  reach  of  an 
Almighty  Savior  upon  whom  to  recline. 
0  thou  of  little  faith,  &c.  Peter  had 
volunteered  an  exhibition  of  his  strong 
faith.  It  was  uncalled  for,  and  savored 
of  presumption  and  pride,  if  not  of  un- 
beUef  as  to  the  reahty  of  his  Savioi-'s 
presence.  But  how  tenderly  is  he  here 
rebuked.  He  is  reminded  of  his  weak 
faith,  and  that  he  had  no  reason  to 
doubt,  when  his  divine  Master  was  so 
near  him.  It  is  not  probable  that 
his  fellow  disciples  even  heard  the  ad- 
monition, in  such  sweet  and  gentle 
tones  was  it  given.  In  all  these  inci- 
dents, how  lovely  does  the  character  of 
Jesus  appear.  Didst  thou  doubt ;  lite- 
rally, was  in  a  state  of  uncertainty  be- 
tween two  objects.  It  refers  here  to 
the  doubt  and  uncertainty  which  sprang 
up  in  Peter's  mind,  as  to  whether  the 
waves  would  swallow  him  up,  or  he 
would  experience  his  Savior's  protec- 
tion, and  which  failure  of  his  faith  was 


thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst 
thou  doubt  ? 

32  And  when  they  were  come 
into  the  ship,  the  wind  ceased. 

33  Then  they  that  were  in  the 
ship  came   and  worshipped  him, 


immediately  followed  by  his  sinking  in 
the  waters. 

32.  And  tvhen  they  were  come,  &c.  Some 
cavillers  who  are  ever  ready,  and  even 
searching,  to  find  contradictions,  trans- 
late John  6  :  21,  they  were  willing  to  re- 
ceive him  into  the  ship,  and  deny  that 
he  really  did  come  on  board  at  this 
time.  But  it  is  evident  that  this  ex- 
pression stands  in  contrast  with  their 
previous  unwillingness  through  terror 
to  receive  him,  until  they  were  fully 
convinced  by  his  conversation  with 
Peter,  that  he  was  their  Master.  It 
may  have  been  their  repelling  exclama- 
tions and  gestures,  which,  in  part  at 
least,  caused  him  to  pass  the  ship,  as 
though  he  had  no  intention  of  coming 
on  board.  But  so  great  and  urgent  was 
their  need  of  his  assistance,  that  having 
thus  tried  them,  he  made  himself  known, 
and  was  accosted  by  Peter,  in  the  words 
given  by  Matthew.  The  passage  may 
then  be  read  with  the  natural  ellipsis, 
they  wished  to  take  hhn  (and  did  take 
him)  into  the  ship.  Tlie  xcind  ceased. 
Here  was  another  stupendous  miracle. 
As  soon  as  Jesus  came  on  board,  the 
tempest  was  lulled,  and  they  almost  im- 
mediately came  to  the  desired  port 
(John  6  :  21). 

33.  Came  and  worshipped  him.  Mark 
(6  :  51)  says  that  "they  were  sore 
amazed  in  themselves  beyond  measure 
and  wondered."  There  was  something 
in  Christ's  walking  on  the  sea  and  still- 
ing the  tempest,  so  indicative  of  divine 
majesty  and  power,  that  it  caused 
them  to  lose  sight  of  that  equally  won- 
drous miracle  of  the  loaves  and  fishes, 
wrought  but  a  few  hours  previous  (see 
Mark  6  :  62).  Now  they  fall  down 
and  do  homage  to  him  as  to  a  superior 
being.  Of  a  truth  &c.,  literally,  truly 
So^i  of  God  art  thou.  The  absence  of 
the  article  in  the  original  has  led  some 
to  translate.  Son  of  a  God,  and  to  refer 
the  exclamation  to  the  mariners  of  the 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


187 


saying,  Of  a  truth  "  thou  art  the 
Sou  of  God. 

34  ^  "  And  when  they  were 
gone  over,  they  came  into  the 
land  of  Gennesaret. 

35  And  when  the  men  of  that 
place  had  knowledge  of  him,  they 

m  Ps.  2  :  7 ;  Ma.  1 :  1 ;  ch.  16 :  16,  &  26  :  63 ; 
Lu  4:41;  Jn.  1 :  49,&  6  :  69,  &  11 :  2T;  Ac. 8: 
3T;  Eo.l:4. 


ship,  who  might  have  been  Pagans. 
But  there  is  no  proof  that  the  apostles, 
who  were  so  many  of  them  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  management  of  the 
small  craft  of  the  lake,  did  not  them- 
selves work  the  vessel  ;  or  if  other  per- 
sons were  hired  to  do  this  service,  there 
is  no  evidence  whatever,  that  they  were 
Pagans.  It  would  also  be  unnatural  to 
suppose  that  the  apostles,  with  hearts 
alive  to  his  transcendent  worth,  should 
at  this  time  be  silent,  while  pagan  mar- 
iners were  prostrating  themselves  and 
offering  him  the  highest  ascriptions  of 
praise.  Equally  valid  and  pertinent 
would  be  this  objection  against  the 
words  being  uttered  by  Jewish  mar- 
iners. They  are  most  unquestionably 
the  words  of  the  Twelve,  and  are  to  be 
taken  in  their  usual  acceptation,  the  So7i 
of  God,  i.  e.  the  Messiah,  so  called  and 
regarded  by  the  Jews. 

34.  Gone  over  the  lake.  Land  of 
Gennesaret.  This  was  a  small  region  of 
Galilee,  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake, 
described  by  Josephus  as  nearly  four 
Roman  miles  in  length,  and  two  and  a 
half  in  breadth.  On  the  north-east  ex- 
tremity of  this  plain  is  supposed  to 
have  been  the  site  of  Capernaum,  near 
which  our  Lord  landed.  See  John  6  : 
24,  25,  59.  The  lake  was  sometimes 
called  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret^  from  this 
fertile  and  populous  district. 

35.  Of  that  place,  i.  e.  Capernaum. 
See  John  as  above  cited.  Had  know- 
ledge of  him,  i.  e.  knew  or  recognized  him. 
l^heif  sent  out,  &c.  Mark  (6  ;  55)  says 
that  they  "  ran  through  that  whole  re- 
gion round  about,  and  began  to  carry 
about  in  beds  those  that  were  sick, 
where  they  heard  he  was." 

36.  And  besought  him,  &c.  This 
showed   their  faith  in   his  power  and 


sent  out  into  all  that  country 
round  about,  and  brought  unto 
him  all  that  were  diseased ; 

36  And  besought  him  that  they 
might  only  touch  the  hem  of  his 
garment :  and  "  as  many  as  touch- 
ed were  made  perfectly  whole. 

n  Ma.  6 :  53.       o  Ch.  9  :  20 ;  Ma.  3  :  10 ;  Lu.  6: 
19 ;  Ac.  19 :  12. 

readiness  to  heal.  TTie  hem  of  his  gar- 
ment. See  N.  on  9  :  20.  And  as  many 
as  touched,  &c.  It  was  not  necessary 
that  each  diseased  person  should  be 
brought  to  receive  the  special  healing 
influence  of  Jesus,  by  the  laying  on  of 
his  hands,  or  some  other  outward  act. 
His  omniscient  eye  and  omnipresent 
power  could  see  and  heal  multitudes  at 
the  same  moment  of  time,  provided 
they  had  faith  to  avail  themselves  of 
his  aid.  They  could  not  stand  afar 
off  and  receive  the  blessing.  They 
must  approach  so  near  as  to  come  in 
contact  with  his  person.  This  was  a 
test  of  their  faith,  and  at  the  same  time 
showed  that  the  heahng  influence  came 
from  him. 

This  chapter  is  full  of  incident  and 
instruction.  The  tragic  death  of  John 
furnishes  an  admonitory  lesson  against 
habits  of  criminal  indulgence,  which 
bring  in  their  train  such  doleful  conse- 
quences, as  followed  the  adulterous  con- 
nection of  Herod  and  Herodias.  The 
folly  and  sin  of  rash  promises,  and  the 
still  greater  sin  of  performing  them 
when  opposed  to  the  law  of  God,  are  no- 
where taught  more  forcibly  than  in  the 
promise  made  by  Herod,  with  its  bloody 
fulfillment.  The  great  miracles  of  the 
loaves  and  fishes,  the  walking  on  the 
sea,  the  stilling  of  the  tempest,  which 
alone  were  enough  to  stamp  the  seal  of 
divinity  upon  our  Savior's  character, 
are  related  in  this  chapter,  in  simple, 
but  graphic  terms.  The  readiness  of 
Christ  to  heal  those  who  were  brought 
to  him,  exhausted,  as  he  must  have 
been,  with  the  labors  of  the  preceding 
day,  and  his  sleepless  night  upon  the 
mountain,  are  also  worthy  of  note,  and 
show  how  untiring  he  was  in  his  labors 
of  mercy  and  love. 


188 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THEN  "came  to  Jesus  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  which  were  of 
Jerusalem,  saying, 

a  Ma.  7  : 1. 


CHAP.  XV. 

1-20.  The  Pharisees  find  fault 
WITH  THE  Disciples  for  eating  with 
UNWASHEN  Hands.  Pharisaic  Tra- 
ditions. Capernaum.  Mark  7  :  1-23. 
In  order  to  preserve  the  thread  of  our 
Savior's  history,  we  must  turn  to  John 
6;  22-71;  1  :  1,  where  we  find  our 
Lord's  discourse  to  those  who  came  to 
him  on  the  next  morning  after  the  still- 
ing of  the  tempest  at  Capernaum,  and 
whose  political  views  of  his  mission  re- 
ceived a  decided  check  in  his  reproof 
of  those  who  followed  him  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  that  is,  for  the  further- 
ance of  ambitious  and  worldly  views. 
On  that  occasion  he  also  declared  more 
fully  the  spiritual  nature  of  his  king- 
dom, which  caused  some  who  had  been 
his  disciples  from  ambitious  views  to 
depart  from  him.  About  three  weeks 
from  this  time,  the  third  passover  in 
our  Savior's  ministry  took  place  (see 
John  6  :  4).  Jesus  did  not  attend 
this  passover,  for  reasons  given  in 
John  7:1.  It  appears,  however,  that 
the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees  were  so 
exasperated  by  the  reports  received  on 
that  occasion  by  his  miracles,  and  the 
general  favor  with  which  he  was  re- 
ceived by  the  people,  that  they  sent 
some  of  their  number  to  watch  and  en- 
trap him,  if  possible,  into  some  word 
or  act  which  might  furnish  a  ground  of 
accusation  against  him.  The  present 
chapter  opens  with  an  attempt,  on  the 
part  of  these  scribes  and  Pharisees,  to 
fasten  a  charge  upon  him  for  trans- 
gressing the  tradition  of  the  elders,  in 
eating  with  unwashen  hands. 

1.  Which  were  of  Jerusalem,.,  i.  e.  who 
had  their  residence  in  Jerusalem.  They 
were  doubtless  men  eminent  for  learn- 
ing and  ability.  Those  who  had  fol- 
lowed him  on  a  previous  occasion  (see 
12:2,  4),  were  probably  persons  of  less 
note  belonging  to  Galilee. 

2.  Why  do  thy  disciples  transgress,  &c. 


2  '  Why  do  thy  disciples  trans- 
gress ''the  tradition  of  the  elders  ? 
for  they  wash  not  their  hands 
when  they  eat  bread. 

fc  Ma.  7  :  5.        c  Col.  2  :  8. 


It  appears  from  Mark  (8 :  2-5),  who 
gives  more  in  detail  their  superstitious 
scrupulousness,  in  frequently  washing 
themselves  and  their  household  utensils, 
that  they  first  noticed  the  fault  here 
complained  of  in  the  disciples,  and 
probably  had  some  conference  respect- 
ing it,  before  they  proposed  this  ques- 
tion to  Jesus.  The  tradition  of  the 
elders.  The  traditionary  laws  or  un- 
written ordinances  of  the  Jews,  were 
referred  back,  at  least  some  portion  of 
them,  to  the  time  of  Moses.  They 
were  regarded  by  the  Pharisees,  as  of 
more  binding  obligation  than  the  law 
itself.  These  traditions  in  a  collected 
form,  constitute  the  Talmud,  divided 
into  the  Mischna  or  text,  and  the  Ge- 
mara  or  commentary.  The  elders  here 
referred  to,  were  the  celebrated  ancient 
Jewish  doctors.  By  the  tradition  of 
the  elders  is  meant,  the  traditions  which 
had  come  down  from  these  ancient 
doctors.  See  5:21.  JFor  they  wash  not., 
&c.  The  washing  of  hands  before  meat 
was  made  by  the  traditionary  law  a  re- 
hgious  duty.  The  Pharisees  regarded 
its  omission  as  a  crime  of  equal  magni- 
tude with  fornication,  and  worthy  of 
death.  "So  rigidly  did  the  Jews  ob- 
serve it,  that  Rabbi  Akiba  being  im- 
prisoned, and  having  water  scarcely 
sufficient  to  sustain  life  given  him,  pre- 
ferred dying  of  thirst,  to  eating  without 
washing  his  hands."  Alford.  They 
took  great  pains  to  have  the  hands  and 
arms  thoroughly  washed.  But  if  they 
had  not  departed  from  the  house,  the 
hands,  with  the  fingers  closed  in  the 
form  of  the  fist,  might  be  wet  with 
water  poured  over  them,  and  then  ele- 
vated so  that  the  water  might  flow 
down  to  the  elbows,  after  which  the 
water  was  to  be  poured  a  second  time 
over  the  arms,  in  order  that,  the  hands 
being  held  down,  the  water  might  flow 
over  the  fingers.  It  is  thought  that 
this  is  alluded  to  in  Mark  7  :  3,  while 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


189 


3  But  lie  answered  and  said  un- 
to them,  Why  do  ye  also  trans- 
gress the  commandment  of  Grod 
by  your  tradition  ? 

4  For  God  commanded,  saying, 

dEx.20:12;  Le.l9:3;  De.5:16;  Pr.  23:22; 
Ep.  6 :  2. 

Others  refer  the  expression,  washing 
with  the  fist,  in  that  passage,  to  the 
rubbing  of  the  hands  together  in  this 
form,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
Orientals.  Eat  bread,  i.  e.  partake  of 
their  meals. 

3.  Why  do  ye  also  transgress,  &c. 
Our  Lord  replied  to  this  interrogation, 
by  an  inquiry,  which  brought  out  in 
striking  light  their  utter  disregard  of 
God's  commands,  while  they  were  such 
sticklers  for  human  traditions.  His 
method  is  that  which  he  often  employed, 
viz.  to  confute  them  on  their  own 
ground.  The  word  rendered,  also,  im- 
plies no  acknowledgment  on  the  part 
of  Christ,  that  his  disciples  had  trans- 
gressed any  other  law,  than  the  tra- 
ditionary one  of  the  Pharisees.  The 
train  of  thought  is,  that  the  disciples  had 
transgressed  the  traditionary  law  ;  the 
Pharisees  had  also  transgressed  an  im- 
portant commandment  of  God.  The 
antithesis  lies  in  the  two  kinds  of  law 
here  referred  to.  The  disciples  had 
broken  the  one,  viz.  the  tradition  of 
the  elders ;  the  Pharisees  had  broken 
the  other,  that  is,  the  commandment  of 
God.  Alford  well  remarks,  that  "this 
is  a  remarkable  testimony  from  our 
Lord  to  the  divine  origin  of  the  Mosaic 
law ;  not  merely  the  Decalogue  as 
such,  for  the  second  command  quoted 
is  not  in  the  Decalogue,  and  it  is  to 
be  observed  that  where  Matthew  has  it, 
'■''for  God  commanded,"  Mark  writes, 
"ybr  Moses  said."  By  your  traditions. 
Our  Savior  did  not  directly  dispute 
against  their  traditions,  but  by  his 
question  and  accompanying  illustration 
in  vs.  4—6,  he  demolishes  the  very 
foundation  of  their  traditionary  law,  by 
showing  how  totally  it  is  opposed  to 
the  law  of  God. 

4.  For  God  commanded  (Ex.  20 :  12). 
This  is  the  illustration  and   proof  that 


"^  Honour  thy  father  and  mother  : 
and,  '  He  that  curseth  father  or 
mother,  let  him  die  the  death. 

5  But  ye  say,  Whosoever  shall 
say  to  his  father  or  his  mother, 

eEx.21:17;   Le.20:9;    De.2T:16;    Pr.  20  : 
20,  &  30: 17. 

they  had  rendered  void  the  divine  com- 
mandment by  their  traditions.  Honor 
thy  father,  &c.  Our  Lord  selected  this 
commandment  because  it  referred  to  a 
duty  of  binding  obligation  in  the  esti- 
mation of  all,  the  respect  due  from 
children  to  their  parents.  People  of 
every  age  and  country,  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent  acknowledge  and  practise 
this  duty.  To  honor  one's  parents, 
implies  not  only  an  outward  respect 
and  reverence,  but  an  attention  to  all 
their  wants,  especially  in  the  declining 
years  of  their  life.  In  like  manner  by 
the  force  of  the  antithesis,  to  curse 
(literally  to  speak  evil  of)  father  or 
mother,  or  to  revile  them,  is  virtually 
the  same  as  to  dishonor  them,  by  neg- 
lecting them  and  leaving  them  to  want 
and  sufl'ering.  This  was  the  law  of 
God,  written  with  his  finger  upon  a 
table  of  stone,  respecting  the  duty  of 
children  to  parents.  We  shall  see  in 
the  next  verse,  how  the  Pharisees  re- 
garded it.  Die  the  death,  i.  e.  suffer  ca- 
pital punishment.  Compare  Ex.  21 :  17. 
6.  But  ye  say,  by  your  tradition,  which 
is  here  in  direct  opposition  to  God's 
law.  Wliosoever,  i.  e.  any  one,  what- 
ever may  be  his  circumstances,  and 
however  aged  or  dependent  his  parents 
may  be.  It  is  a  gift,  literally,  a  gift, 
that  from  ivhich  thou  mightest  have  been 
benefited  by  me,  i.  e.  which,  if  it  had  not 
been  thus  dedicated,  might  have  been 
applied  to  your  support.  Mark  (7  :  11) 
instead  oi  gift,  has  corban,  i.  e.  conse- 
crated to  the  temple  worship  or  to  the 
altar.  Lightfoot  says  that  the  utterance 
of  the  word  corban,  did  not  bind  the 
person  to  consecrate  his  property  to 
religious  uses,  but  only  absolved  him 
from  all  obligations  of  duty  or  care  for 
his  parents.  It  was  probably  declara- 
tive of  the  use  to  which  at  a  future  time, 
he  might  devote  his  property. 


190 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


^  It  is  a  gift,  by  whatsoever  thou 
mightest  be  profited  by  me  ; 

6  And  honour  not  his  father  or 
his  mother,  he  shall  be  free.  Thus 
have  ye  made  the  commandment 
of  God  of  none  effect  by  your  tra- 
dition. 

/Ma.  T:  11,12. 


6.  And  honor  not,  &c.  i.  e.  dishonor, 
by  depriving  them  of  the  support  due  to 
them  according  to  God's  law.  He  shall 
be  free  from  all  obligations  to  assist  his 
parents.  These  words  are  added  by  the 
translators,  to  complete  what  they  con- 
ceived to  be  the  sense.  Some  critics 
think  that,  from  the  words,  let  himdie  the 
death,  we  may  here  supply,  let  him  not 
die  the  death.  Others  render  the  clause, 
and  honor  not,  potentially,  must  also  not 
honor,  or  must  even  not  honor,  i.  e.  is  re- 
leased from  all  obhgation  to  honor.  But 
this  is  too  great  a  departure  from  the  ht- 
eral  rendering,  and  besides,  as  the  clause, 
atid  honor  not,  is  not  found  in  Mark, 
the  difficulty  still  remains,  and  some 
phrase  must  be  supplied.  Alford  supplies 
the  ellipsis  after  the  preceding  clause 
thus:  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  father  or 
mother,  it  is  a  gift  by  whatsoever  thou 
mightest  be  profited  by  me,  is  free,  and 
such  a  one  will  not  honor  his  father  or 
his  mother.  Olshausen  conjectures  that 
the  future  shall  honor  is  a  false  reading, 
and  would,  therefore,  substitute  a  tense 
and  mood  answering  to  shall  say,  and 
translate  :  "  If  any  one  says,  what  would 
have  been  yours  is  consecrated  to  the 
temple,  he  need  not  (he  may  or  shall 
not)  honor  (i.  e.  give  bodily  support  to) 
his  father.  "  But  the  ellipsis  as  filled  up 
in  our  common  translation,  is  natural 
and  pertinent.  Thus  ye  have  made,  &c. 
In  how  simple,  concise,  and  irrefutable 
a  manner  did  our  Lord  expose  the  hy- 
pocrisy of  these  Pharisees.  There  was 
no  evading  the  force  of  the  argument. 
Tradition  was  shown  to  be  opposed  to 
God's  law,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt 
as  to  which  of  the  two  was  of  binding 
obhgation.  Have  ye  made,  by  your 
teachings  and  practice.  Of  none  effect, 
1.  e.  of  no  binding  force. 


7  ^Ye  hypocrites,  well  did 
Esaias  p;ophesy  of  you,  saying, 

8  ^  This  people  draweth  nigh 
unto  me  with  their  mouth,  and 
honoureth  me  with  their  lips; 
but  their  heart  is  far  from  me. 

9  But  in  vain  they  do  worship 
C  Ma.  T :  6.      h  Is.  29  :  13 ;  Ez.  33  :  31. 


7.  The  Pharisees  seem  to  have  been 
so  confounded  as  to  make  no  reply  to 
Jesus,  and  he  proceeds  to  expose  still 
further  their  hypocrisy  by  a  quotation 
from  Isaiah  29  :  13.  In  Mark  this  re- 
ference to  the  prophet  is  placed  before 
the  verses,  in  which  he  convicts  them 
of  violating  by  their  traditions  the  fifth 
commandment.  The  order  of  Matthew 
seems  the  more  natural.  Prophesy  of 
you,  i.  e.  of  such  persons  as  you.  The 
character  of  the  Pharisees  was  so  like 
that  of  those  to  whom  Isaiah  prophesied, 
that  his  words  might  be  said  to  have 
been  spoken  of  them.  The  quotation 
is  made  by  the  way  of  illustration,  and 
does  not  adhere  to  the  exact  words  of 
the  original,  although  the  sense  is  well 
observed. 

8.  This  people  draiveth  nigh,  &c. 
They  approach  God  in  the  way  of  re- 
ligious worship,  with  words  of  apparent 
piety.  They  make  great  professions  of 
zeal  and  regard  for  the  house  of  God. 
Their  lips  utter  most  reverential  senti- 
ments, hut  their  heart  is  far  from  me. 
Their  feelings  and  emotions  are  the 
very  opposite  of  their  professions.  They 
are  strict  in  all  the  outward  forms  and 
ceremonies  of  religion,  but  are  strangers 
to  its  spirit  and  power  in  the  heart. 
They  are  hypocrites  whose  profession 
and  practice  are  at  utter  variance. 

9.  B^it  in  vain,  &c.  The  words 
in  this  part  of  the  quotation  are  an  en- 
tire departure  from  those  of  the  original. 
But  if  we  translate  the  last  clause  of 
the  original,  as  Bloomfield  suggests  : 
their  worship  of  me  is  (only)  a  taught 
commandment  of  men  (\.  e.  their  religion 
rests  only  on  the  precepts  of  human 
teaching),  the  quotation  will  then  ap- 
pear to  conform  to  the  sense  of  the 
original.     In  vai7i,  i.  e.  to  no  purpose. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


191 


me,   'teaching  for  doctrines  the 
commandments  of  men. 

10  *  And  he  called  the  mul- 
titude, and  said  unto  them.  Hear, 
and  understand : 

i  Is.  29  :  13 ;  Col.  2 :  18,  22 :  Ti.  1  :  14. 
>fc  Ma.  T  :  14. 

God  looketh  upon  the  heart,  and  will 
accept  of  no  worship  or  offering  which 
is  not  made  in  sincerity.  Do  they  wor- 
ship me  (in  this  formal,  hypocritical 
way),  teaching  for  doctrines  (i.  e.  pre- 
cepts of  binding  obligation)  the  com- 
mandments of  men.  There  is  a  slight 
difference  in  form,  between  the  word 
-  here  translated  comma7idments,  and  that 
which  denotes  the  commands  of  God, 
which  has  led  some  commentators  to 
find  an  implied  contrast  between  the 
two  expressions.  Except  here  and  the 
corresponding  passage  in  Mark  7  :  7,  the 
word  is  only  found  in  Col.  2  :  22,  where 
it  also  denotes  the  commandments  of 
men,  as  opposed  to  those  of  God. 

10.  While  the  Pharisees  were  con- 
versing with  Christ,  the  people  stood 
at  a  respectful  distance.  But  now  as 
the  learned  doctors  turn  away,  baffled 
and  put  to  shame,  our  Lord  calls  upon 
the  people  to  come  near,  in  order  that 
he  might  improve  the  occasion,  to  in- 
struct them  as  to  what  constituted  real 
defilement.  Hear  and  understand.  They 
were  to  hsten  with  fixed  and  undivided 
attention,  in  order  to  comprehend  the 
import  of  his  instructions.  Attention 
is  necessary  to  the  right  understanding 
of  a  thing,  although  one  may  listen 
with  attention  and  yet  not  understand. 
Our  Savior  here  unites  the  two  to- 
gether. 

11.  Which  ffoeth  into  the  mouth,  i.  e. 
is  received  in  the  way  of  food  for  the 
stomach.  The  Pharisees  taught  that 
the  touch  of  food  by  unwashen  hands, 
imparted  defilement  to  it,  and  thus  to 
the  body,  when  the  food  was  received 
into  the  stomach.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  food  in  those  times,  was 
conveyed  to  the  mouth  in  the  fingers, 
and  hence  the  Pharisaic  notion  of  de- 
filement by  physical  contact.  Defileth, 
i.    e.    renders    ceremonially    unclean. 


11  'Not  that  which  goeth  into 
the  mouth  defileth  a  man ;  but 
that  which  cometh  out  of  the 
mouth,  this  defileth  a  man. 

12  Then  came  his  disciples,  and 

iAc.  10:15;  Eo.  14  :  14,  IT,  20;  lTi.4:4; 
Tit.  1 :  15. 


Christ  does  not  here  abrogate  the  law 
of  distinction  between  clean  and  un- 
clean articles  of  food,  nor  teach  that 
it  is  a  matter  of  no  importance  what 
a  man  may  eat.  His  simple  object 
is  to  show  that  the  mind  cannot  be 
defiled  in  the  way  here  mentioned. 
No  article  of  food  in  itself  has  any 
moral  impurity.  Even  when  eaten  to 
excess,  or  in  violation  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  declaring  certain  animals  unclean 
and  not  to  be  eaten,  it  was  not  the 
food  which  contaminated  the  man,  but 
the  heart  or  disposition,  which  led  him 
to  indulge  in  gluttony,  or  in  eating 
that  which  the  law  pronounced  unclean. 
In  a  word,  the  heart,  and  not  the  body, 
was  the  seat  and  source  of  moral  defile- 
ment. This  appears  from  the  next 
clause :  but  that  which  cometh  out  of  the 
mouth,  &c.  which  in  v.  18  is  declared 
to  be  the  issues  of  the  heart. 

12.  Tlien  came  his  disciples,  &c.  This 
was  after  the  assembly  had  broken  up, 
and  he  had  entered  into  the  house.  See 
!  Mark  7  :  17.  Were  oJf'e7ided  or  vexed. 
They  had  been  frustrated  in  their  at- 
tempts to  entangle  our  Lord,  in  a  dis- 
cussion on  the  validity  of  the  ceremo- 
nial law.  He  did  not  stop  to  dispute 
this  point  with  them,  but  by  a  well- 
known  traditionary  tenet  of  theirs  re- 
specting the  treatment  of  parents,  he 
convicted  them  of  a  direct  violation  of 
God's  law.  The  inference  was  obvious 
that  their  traditions  were  not  at  all  ob- 
ligatory, when  thus  arrayed  against  the 
divine  law,  and  yet  he  had  said  nothing 
on  which  they  could  ground  a  formal 
accusation  against  him.  They  were 
therefore  chagrined  at  their  want  of 
success  in  entrapping  him,  and  at  the 
rebuke  which  their  hypocrisy  had  re- 
ceived in  the  hearing  of  the  people. 
This  saying,  i.  e.  his  reply  contained  in 
vs.  3-9 ;  or  perhaps  the  declaration  in 


192 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


said  unto  him,  Knowest  thou  that 
the  Pharisees  were  offended  after 
they  heard  this  saying? 

13  But  he  answered  and  said, 
•"  Every  plant,  which  my  heavenly 
Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be 
rooted  up. 

14  Let  them  alone:  "they  be 
blind  leaders  of  the  blind.     And 

m  Jn.  15 :  2 ;   1  Co.  3 :  12,  &c.  n  Is.  9 :  16 ; 

Mai.  2:8;  ch.  23  :  16 ;  Lu.  6 :  39. 

V.  11,  as  to  what  constituted  real  defile- 
ment. 

13.  Every  plant  refers  here  figurative- 
ly to  the  doctrines,  precepts,  and  tra- 
ditions of  the  Pharisees  planted  in  the 
human  heart.  Olshausen  refers  it  to 
the  Pharisees  personally,  and  this  is  un- 
doubtedly true,  so  far  as  they  sufi'ered 
themselves  to  be  estranged  from  the 
truth,  by  the  adoption  of  false  and  cor- 
rupt precepts  and  doctrines.  Ti^icA 
my  Father,  &c.  This  hmits  and  defines 
these  vain  traditions  and  senseless  forms 
of  the  Pharisees.  That  which  God  plants 
will  never  be  eradicated  from  the  heart 
of  them  who  believe ;  every  thing  else 
shall  be  rooted  up  and  destroyed.  This 
was  the  end  to  which  they  were  re- 
served. But  what  was  true  of  these 
pernicious  doctrines,  was  also  true  of 
their  disseminators.  They  were  to  be 
rooted  out  and  separated  from  God's 
spiritual  children.  Christ  therefore 
felt  no  concern  at  their  displeasure. 
He  knew  their  deep-seated  hypocrisy, 
and  the  fearful  doom  which  awaited 
them,  and  therefore  took  no  pains  to 
provoke  or  avoid  their  censure. 

14.  Let  them  alone.  Heed  them 
not.  Pay  no  regard  to  their  threats  or 
displeasure.  This  shows  that  the  Phari- 
sees and  their  corrupt  doctrines  are  re- 
ferred to,  in  the  symbolic  language  of 
the  preceding  verse.  Tlicy  be  blind 
leaders  (literally,  guides,  way-leaders)  of 
the  blind  (compare  Rom.  2.  19).  They 
were  blind  guides,  and  the  people 
blindly  submitted  to  their  teaching,  and 
the  burdensome  rites  and  ceremonies 
imposed  on  them.  The  consequence 
was  seen  in  the  proverbial  expression, 
if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall 
into  the  ditch.     The  word  ditch  refers  to 


if  the   blind  lead  the  blind,  both 
shall  fall  into  the  ditch. 

15  "  Then  answered  Peter  and 
said  unto  him,  Declare  unto  us 
this  parable. 

16  And  Jesus  said,  ^Are  ye 
also  yet  without  understanding  ? 

17  Do  not  ye  yet  understand, 
that   *  whatsoever  entereth  in  at 

o Ma.  7:17.       ^  Ch.  16:  9;  Ma.  7  :  18. 
fflCo.  6:13. 


the  pits  or  cisterns  dug  for  the  reception 
of  rain-water.  If  a  blind  man  should 
attempt  to  lead  another  who  was  also 
blind,  across  a  field,  in  which  these 
rain-reservoirs  had  been  dug,  the  fate 
of  both  might  be  easily  conjectured. 
A  fearful  doom  is  here  portrayed  of 
false  religious  teachers,  and  those  who 
have  been  led  astray  by  their  instruc- 
tion and  example. 

15.  Then  ansviered  Peter.  He  spoke 
for  his  fellow  disciples.  See  Mark  7  : 
17.  Declare  unto  us  this  parable,  or 
dark  saying.  See  N.  on  13:  35,  36. 
Reference  is  had  to  v.  11.  The  general 
sentiment  must  have  been  understood 
by  Peter  and  his  fellow-disciples,  but 
prejudices  resulting  from  their  educa- 
tion, prevented  their  fully  understand- 
ing how  it  was  reconcilable,  not  with 
the  traditions  of  the  Pharisees,  but  wilh 
God's  law,  which  pronounced  a  person 
unclean,  who  partook  of,  or  even  touch- 
ed, the  carcasses  of  certain  animals.  See 
Levit.  11  :  8,  24-28,  31. 

16.  Are  ye  also  yet  (after  so  much 
instruction)  without  understanding? 
I.  e.  without  clear  and  comprehensive 
views  of  the  spirituaHty  of  God's  law, 
and  the  great  truth,  that  sin  or  moral 
defilement  has  its  scat  in  the  heart. 
The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  ought  to 
have  opened  their  understanding  to  this 
great  and  cardinal  truth.  It  is  a  work  of 
time,  however,  to  fully  eradicate  long- 
standing prejudices.  There  is  a  slight 
shade  of  censure,  that  his  disciples  did 
not  understand  what  was  addressed  to 
the  multitude  (v.  11),  with  the  com- 
mand that  they,  who  were  far  below 
the  apostles  in  spiritual  discernment, 
should  hear  and  understand  it. 

17.  The   Pharisees  had  charged  his 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV, 


the  mouth   goeth   into  the  belly, 

and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught  ? 

18    But   *■  those    things    which 

proceed   out  of  the   mouth   come 

rJa.S:  6. 


disciples  with  sin,  in  having  eaten  with 
unwashen  hands.  Our  Lord  here  fully 
declares,  what  was  indeed  evident  to 
any  unprejudiced  mind  from  his  saying 
in  V.  11,  that  the  body,  with  its  or- 
gans of  mastication,  digestion,  and  re- 
jection of  that  which  was  not  converted 
into  aliment,  was  not  the  seat  or  source 
of  sin.  It  was  the  heart,  the  seat  of 
depraved  passions,  desires,and  thoughts, 
which  morally  defiled  a  man.  JVhat- 
soever  entereth  in,  &c.  The  general 
idea  is,  that  all  articles  of  food  are  taken 
into  the  body,  pass  through  it,  and  are 
cast  forth  into  the  draught  or  privy, 
without  coming  at  all  in  contact  with 
the  mind  or  soul  of  man.  The  only 
contact  was  physical,  and  could  pro- 
duce, therefore,  no  mental  or  moral 
pollution. 

18.  Out  of  the  mouth  is  antithetic  to 
the  words,  mi  at  the  mouth,  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  and  is  put  here  for  any 
external  act  indicative  of  moral  char- 
acter. It  does  not  follow,  however,  that 
a  man  is  not  equally  defiled  by  wicked 
thoughts  and  desires,  which  are  conceal- 
ed in  the  heart  from  every  human  eye, 
and  never  find  any  utterance  or  exter- 
nal manifestation.  But  that  which  pro- 
ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  is  an  evidence 
of  the  state  of  the  heart,  and  is  said  to 
defile  the  man,  by  thus  being  an  index 
of  the  moral  pollution  within. 

19.  This  verse  explains  and  confirms 
the  sentiment  of  the  preceding  one. 
Svil  thoughts.  Unless  we  take  this  in 
the  sense  of  evil  or  false  reasonings 
arising  from  a  perverted  mind,  a  sense 
which  the  context  justifies  us  in  giving 
it,  we  must  consider  it  as  put  generi- 
cally,  for  the  more  special  classification 
of  the  evil  acts  which  follow.  In  the 
catalogue  of  these,  the  order  is  some- 
what changed  in  Mark,  and  other  spe- 
cifications are  added.  Murders.  Not 
only  the  overt  act,  but  anger,  malice, 
revenge,    and   all   other  states   of  the 

Vol.  I.— 9 


193 

heart ;  and  they 


forth  from  the 
defile  the  man. 

19  '  For  out  of  the  heart  pro- 
ceed evil  thoughts,  murders,  adul- 
s  Ge.  6 : 5,&  8 :  21 ;  Pr.  6 :  14;  Je.  17 : 9;  Ma.  7 :  21. 

mind,  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  sixth 
commandment.     See  5  :  21-26.     Adul- 
teries.    See  N.  on  5  :  2*7-32.     Fornica- 
tions.    This  refers  to  all  acts  of  lewd- 
ness, and  to  all  unchaste  desires  (see  5  : 
28).     TJiefts.     In  connection  with  this 
Mark  adds  covetousness  ;  literally,  covet- 
ous thoughts,  plans  of  fraud,  the  great 
exciting   cause  of  the  violation   of  the 
eighth    commandment.     The   spirit  of 
this   commandment  is  opposed  to  the 
appropriation  to  our  own  use,  of  any 
thing,  however  valueless,  which  belongs 
to  another.     Some  people  reason  falsely 
that  there  is  no  sin  in  taking  from  one 
who   has     an    abundance,    some   trifie 
which  will  not  be  missed.     It  may  not 
be    missed  by  the  owner,  but  God  has 
seen  the  act,  and  pronounces  it  a  theft, 
proceeding  from  an  evil  heart,  and  de- 
filing the  soul  with  guilt.     Nor  does  His 
eye  behold  only  the  overt  act   of  theft. 
He  sees  every  covetous    desire,   as   it 
goes  forth  and  rests  upon  the  property 
of  others,  and  pronounces  it  the  issue 
of  a  wicked  and  corrupt  heart.     He  de- 
mands  in  us  a  contented  disposition, 
freedom   from  envy,  a  faithful  regard 
for  the  interest  of  others,  in  every  thing 
intrusted    to    our   keeping    or   falling 
within  our  reach.     False  witness.     This 
is  also  put  generically  not  only  for  false 
testimony  in  courts  of  justice,  but  for 
every  species  of  fraud,  deception,  and 
fiilsehood.     One  of  the  most  universal 
sins  of  our  race  is  here  referred  to.     It 
besets  childhood,  and  unless  judiciously 
and  thoroughly  eradicated,  takes  such 
deep   root  in  the  soul,  as  to  be  the  be- 
setting sin  of  one's  whole  life.     It  makes 
its  appearance  in  various  forms.     With 
some  persons  a  malicious  pleasure  seems 
to  be  taken  in  spreading  slanderous  and 
mischievous    reports,    "  scattering  fire- 
brands, arrows,  and  death."     In  others, 
it  results  from  a  want  of  moral  courage 
to   tell   the  truth.     It  sometimes  pro- 
ceeds from  a  habit  of  exaggeration,  in- 


194 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


teries,   fornications,   thefts,    false 
witness,  blasphemies  : 

20  These  are  the  things  which 
defile  a  man  :  but  to  eat  with  un- 
washen  hands  defileth  not  a  man. 


advertently  formed,  but  not  less  tena- 
cious and  destructive  of  confidence 
between  man  and  man.  Men  rightly 
conclude  that  he  who  tells  a  false- 
hood, to  give  fulness  or  point  to  a 
story,  will  not  hesitate  to  do  so  when 
prompted  thereto  by  self-interest.  A 
violation  of  truth  may  be  found  in 
promises  carelessly  made,  but  not  ful- 
filled, conventional  forms  of  polite 
prevarication,  false  impressions  con- 
veyed in  language  so  adroitly  framed, 
as  to  contain  no  verbal  falsehood, 
and  in  signs,  gestures,  and  even  silence 
itself.  Against  all  these  forms  the 
commandment  of  God,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
bear  false  witness,"  is  opposed.  When 
seen  by  his  eye,  they  indicate  a  cor- 
rupt heart,  out  of  which  proceeds  that 
which  defiles  the  soul.  Blasphemy. 
This  refers  to  detraction,  railing,  revil- 
ing, and  the  whole  category  of  evil 
speaking.  Mark  places  this  after  what  he 
calls  an  evil  eye,  i.  e.  envy.  The  envious 
person  is  quite  apt  to  indulge  in  evil 
speaking,  and  the  two  sins  are  well  put 
in  juxtaposition.  What  a  sweep  of 
condemnation  is  here  made  of  much, 
which  is  denominated  "  small  talk," 
and  regarded  by  many  as  innocent 
scandal.  Mark  adds  to  this  catalogue 
of  Matthew,  besides  those  we  have  no- 
ticed, lasciviousness,  which  may  be  refer- 
red to  looseness  of  language,  or  any 
intemperance  of  conduct,  leading  to  the 
great  sins  of  adultery  and  fornication, 
wickedness  (literally,  wickednesses,  i.  e. 
wicked  plans,  purposes,  and  counsels), 
pride,  ViuA foolishness.  The  sins  here  enu- 
merated, are  all  violations  of  the  second 
Table.  If  to  them  we  add  the  rebellious 
and  evil  thoughts  against  God,  which 
issue  from  the  heart,  how  overwhelming 
must  be  the  conviction  of  the  deep  de- 
pravity of  our  nature,  and  the  impossi- 
bility of  being  purified,  except  by  the 
blood  of  Christ  which  cleanseth  from 
all  sin. 


21  H  '  Then  Jesus  went  thence, 
and  departed  into  the  coasts  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon. 

22  And  behold,  a  woman  of 
Canaan   came   out   of    the   same 


<  Ma.  7  :  24. 


20.  These  are  the  things,  &c.  Mark 
adds,  "  which  come  from  within."  This 
is  an  emphatic  repetition  of  what  was 
asserted  in  v.  18.  But  to  eat,  &c.  See 
N.  on  V.  11. 

21-28.  The  Daughter  of  the  Syro- 
PHENiciAN  WoMAi'  IS  HEALED.  Region 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon.     Mark  7  :  24-30. 

21.  2Yien  Jesus  went  thence,  &c.  He 
seems  to  have  left  Galilee  in  order  to 
avoid  Herod,  who  had  taken  up  a  tem- 
porary residence  in  that  province,  and 
whose  attention  had  been  particularly 
turned  to  Jesus  at  that  time.  See  14 :  1-2. 
Alford  thinks  that  he  retired  from  Gal- 
ilee, to  avoid  the  present  indignation  of 
the  Pharisees.  Into  the  coasts,  &c. 
Mark  :  "  unto  the  borders,"  or  confines. 
See  N.  on  Mark  7  :  24.  It  has  been  a 
matter  of  doubt  with  many  commenta- 
tors, whether  Jesus  actually  entered  the 
Gentile  territory.  Those  who  think  he 
did  not,  give  to  the  preposition  trans- 
lated i7ito,  the  sense  of  toward.  It 
would  seem,  however,  from  the  face  of 
the  whole  passage,  that  our  Lord  did 
really  enter  the  borders  of  this  Gentile 
country,  although  not  to  heal  or  to 
preach,  but  only  to  find  a  safe  retreat 
from  the  storm  of  persecution. 

22.  A  vmnan  of  Canaan,  i.  e.  a  Phoe- 
nician woman.  Mark  (7  :  26)  calls  her 
"  a  Greek,  a  Syrophenician  by  nation," 
on  which  see  Note.  She  was  evidently 
a  Gentile  by  birth,  although  some  think 
she  was  a  proselyte.  However  this 
may  have  been,  it  is  evident  that  she 
was  not  at  this  time  an  idolatress,  but  a 
believer  in  God.  It  is  quite  probable 
that  she  shared  with  the  Jews  in  the 
expectation  of  the  Messiah,  and  that 
she  had  heard  of  Jesus ;  for  so  full  was 
the  region  of  his  fame  that,  according 
to  Mark,  while  he  would  have  no  man 
know  that  he  had  entered  into  a  house, 
he  could  not  be  hid.  Came  out  of  the 
same  coa.^ts.  The  proper  order  of  the 
words  is ;  A  Cauaanitish  woman  of  the 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


195 


coasts,  and  cried  unto  him,  saying, 
Have  mercy  on  me,  0  Lord,  tliou 
son  of  David ;  my  daugliter  is 
grievously  vexed  with  a  devil. 

23  But  he  answered  her  not  a 
word.      And  his   disciples   came 


sanu  coasts  (i.  e.  belonging  to  the  same 
region  ■which  he  wac  visiting)  came  out 
of  her  house  or  village.  And  said  unto 
him.  Her  distress  for  her  daughter, 
and  contidence  in  the  power  of  Jesus 
to  heal,  excited  her  to  such  a  degree 
that,  regardless  of  the  multitude,  she 
called  aloud  upon  him  for  help.  He  had 
as  yet  performed  no  miracle  in  these 
parts,  and  this  renders  her  faith  and 
perseverance  the  more  remarkable. 
Have  mercy  onine^  &c.  See  N.  on  9  :  27. 
She  had  doubtless  heard  from  the  Jews, 
that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  of  the  line 
of  David.  This  address  did  not,  there- 
fore, imply  any  supernatural  communi- 
cation to  her  of  this  truth.  As  the 
father  of  the  lunatic,  in  Mark  9:  22, 
said,  "  have  compassion  on  us  and  help 
«•?,"  so  this  woman  makes  her  daugh- 
ter's affliction  her  own,  and  exclaims, 
"  have  mercy  on  »«e,  &c.  Grievously 
vexed,  &c.  See  N.  on  4 :  24.  This  was 
i2L  possession  of  more  than  ordinary  vio- 
llence. 

23.  B^d  he  answered  her  not  a  word. 
He  took  no  notice  of  her.  It  was  thus 
that  he  tried  the  faith  of  the  blind  man 
(9 :  27),  who  followed  him  with  the 
same  importunate  cry  for  help.  The 
sequel  shows  that  his  heart  was  all  the 
while  full  of  kindness  and  compassion. 
Besoitght  him  ;  literally,  inquired  of  him., 
which,  by  a  Hebrew  idiom,  takes  the 
sense  to  entreat,  ask  a  favor.  Seiid  her 
away,  i.  e.  either  grant  or  deny  her  re- 
quest and  dismiss  her.  The  granting 
her  request,  however,  was  predominant 
in  their  minds,  from  the  well-known 
habit  of  Jesus,  to  refuse  assistance  to 
none  who  came  to  him  for  relief;  and 
also  his  answer  to  them  inqilies  this,  for 
he  gives  as  a  reason  why  he  cannot  con- 
sistently help  her,  that  it  does  not  com- 
port with  the  immediate  object  of  his 


and  besought  him,  saying,  Send 
her  away ;   for  she  crieth  after  us. 

2J:  But  he  answered  and  said, 
"  I  am  not  sent  but  unto  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel. 

25  Then  came  she  and  worship- 

MCh.  10:5,6;  Ac.  3;  25,  26,  &  13:  46;  Eo.l5:8- 


mission.  She  ci'ieth  after  us,  i.  e.  she 
follows  us  with  her  cries.  Jesus  was 
passing  along  the  way,  when  this  wo- 
man came  forth,  but  soon  after,  as  it 
appears  from  Mark,  he  entered  into  a 
house  for  the  sake  of  concealment. 
Hither  also  she  came  and  preferred  her 
request,  as  detailed  in  v.  25,  where 
Mark's  account  commences.  This  har- 
monizes the  two  statements.  The  dis- 
ciples feared  lest,  by  her  cries,  the  at- 
tention of  the  people  would  be  directed 
to  them,  and  the  purpose  of  conceal- 
ment, for  which  they  had  come,  frus- 
trated. But  it  was  great  presumption 
in  them,  after  what  they  had  seen 
of  his  power  and  wisdom,  to  direct 
him,  as  to  what  it  was  proper  to  do 
on  this  occasion. 

24.  /  am  not  sent,  &c.  See  Ns.  on  10  : 
5,  6.  The  immediate  mission  of  our  Sa- 
vior was  to  the  Jews.  The  time  for  the 
dispensation  of  the  gosjiel  and  its  privi- 
leges to  the  Gentiles,  had  not  yet  come. 
Christ  as  Mediator,  was  officially  subor- 
dinate to  the  Father,  and  therefore  here 
and  elsewhere  speaks  of  himself,  as 
being  sent  on  this  mission  into  the 
world.  See  N.  on  11:  27.  But  unto 
the  lost  sheep,  i.  e.  to  none  but  the  lost 
sheep,  &c. 

25.  77ien  came  she.  In  the  extremity 
of  her  distress,  she  is  emboldened  to 
come  into  his  presence,  and  prefer  her 
suit  so  directly,  as  to  give  him  no  oppor- 
tunity of  evading  it  any  longer.  Jesus 
was  now  in  the  house  (see  N.  on  v.  2;-!), 
and  it  is  quite  probable  that  slie 
pressed  her  way  in,  against  the  will 
of  the  disciples,  who  would  be  like- 
ly to  interpret  their  Master's  reply 
in  V.  24,  as  a  virtual  denial  of  the 
woman's  request.  Andvmrtihijipcd  hi m. 
See  N.  on  2  :  11.  Lord,  help  me.  What 
words    more   simple   and   appropriate 


196 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  32. 


ped   him,  saying,  Lord,  help    me. 

26  But  he  answered  and  said, 

It  is  not   meet  to   take  the  chil- 


could  be  uttered  by  a  mother  in  behalf 
of  a  suffering  child,  and  to  a  Being  of 
such  power  and  condescending  love,  as 
the  one  in  whose  presence  she  then 
stood. 

26.  It  would  seem  that  this  woman's 
faith  and  perseverance  had  been  suf- 
ficiently tested,  but  Jesus  subjected  it  to 
a  still  further  trial,  in  order  to  illustrate 
its  power,  and  render  it  an  example 
worthy  of  being  imitated  to  the  end  of 
time.  It  is  not  meet,  i.  e.  not  right, 
proper.  7'he  childreii's  bread,  i.  e. 
bread  or  food  intended  for  the  children. 
Our  Lord  was  well  understood  by  the 
woman,  as  referring  to  the  Jews,  who 
being  heirs  of  the  promises,  and  in- 
heritors of  his  covenant  blessings, 
claimed  to  be  God's  children.  It  is 
here  used  in  this  general  acceptation, 
but  Paul  in  Rom.  9  :  6-8  declares  that 
none  but  the  children  of  the  promise 
are  to  be  accounted  true  Israelites  or 
children  of  God.  See  also  Gal.  3  :  7. 
And  to  cast  it  to  dogs  ;  literally, 
little  dogs,  the  diminutive  implying  the 
familiarity  with  which  household  dogs, 
especially  such  as  are  very  tame  and 
affectionate,  are  addressed.  The  epithet 
dog  was  quite  commonly  bestowed  upon 
the  Gentiles  by  the  Jews.  It  was  after- 
wards reversed,  and  dog  of  a  Jew  was 
the  common  epithet,  by  which  persons 
of  that  despised  race  were  addressed 
for  many  centuries  in  Europe.  Our 
Savior  employed  this  expression  as  one 
in  common  vogue,  for  the  purpose  of 
rendering  more  severe  the  trial,  to 
which  he  was  subjecting  this  woman's 
faith.  The  general  sentiment  is  this  : 
The  Jewish  nation,  who  are  peculiarly 
the  children  of  God,  and  with  whom 
are  his  ordinances  and  true  worship, 
are  in  need  of  all  the  spiritual  gifts  and 
healing  mercies,  which  I  can  personally 
bestow.  Their  interests  ought  not  to 
be  overlooked.  They  are  the  children 
and  must  first  be  fed  (Mark  7:  Ti). 
Their  food  must  not  be  given  to  the 


dren's    bread,  and    to   cast  it  to 
"  dogs. 

27  And  she  said,  Truth,  Lord : 

a5Ch.T:6;  Phi.  3  :  2. 


Gentiles,  who  have  no  more  claim  to 
share  their  repast,  than  the  dogs  to  eat 
bread  with  their  master's  children.  The 
idea  of  some,  that  by  children  Jesus 
meant  the  woman,  and  by  dogs  the  un- 
believing Jews,  and  that  this  was  ad- 
dressed to  the  disciples  in  the  general 
sense,  "  shall  I  not  help  a  woman  of 
such  faith?  Is  she  not  one  of  God's 
real  children,  from  whom  the  food 
ought  not  to  be  taken,  to  be  given  to 
cavilling  hypocrites  like  most  of  the 
Jewish  nation?"  is  entitled  to  no  con- 
sideration. The  whole  scope  of  the 
passage  is  against  it.  The  woman  re- 
plied to  it,  as  being  directed  in  the  way 
of  reproach  to  herself.  The  apparent 
harshness  of  our  Lord's  remark  disap- 
pears, however,  if  we  consider  him  as  em- 
ploying terms  in  common  use,  expres- 
sive of  the  estimation  in  which  the  Jews 
held  their  Gentile  neighbors,  without 
sanctioning  at  all  the  practice  of  using 
opprobrious  epithets,  or  implying  that 
the  Gentiles  by  nature  were  worse  than 
the  Jews. 

27.  Truth,  Lord,  i.  e.  what  you  say, 
Lord,  is  true.  I  acknowledge  that  I 
am  fit  to  be  classed  only  with  the  dogs. 
Yet  the  dogs ;  literally,  for  even  the 
dogs,  there  being  impHed  a  previous 
ellipsis  of  some  phrase  as  this :  (yet 
deny  not  my  request)  ybr  even  the  dogs, 
&c.  She  adroitly  brings  to  view  the  at- 
tachment which  a  man  feels  for  his  faith- 
ful dog,  and  the  provision  made  for  his 
wants,  from  the  well-spread  table  of  the 
children,  and  thus  derives  from  the  very 
reason  given  by  Jesus  why  he  should 
deny  her  request,  an  argument  why  it 
should  be  granted.  What  could  be 
more  beautiful  and  prudent  than  her 
reply  ?  Luther  who,  in  the  words  of 
Trench,  "  seems  never  weary  of  extol- 
ling the  mighty  faith  of  this  woman," 
exclaims  of  this  reply  of  hers,  "Was 
not  that  a  master  stroke  ?  She  snares 
Clirist  in  his  own  words."  Tlie  crumbs 
which  fall.  Not  pieces  of  bread,  as  some 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


197 


yet  the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs 
which  fall  from  their  masters' 
table. 

28  Then  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  her,  0  woman,  great  is 
thy  faith  :  be  it  unto  thee  even  as 
thou  wilt.  And  her  daughter 
was  made  whole  from  that  very 
hour 

y  Ma.  7 :  31.        s  Ch.  4  :  18. 


think,  on  which  the  hands  are  wiped 
while  eating,  but  small  crumbs,  which 
accidentally  fall,  and  are  quickly 
snatched  up  by  the  dog,  whose  privi- 
lege it  is  to  remain  at  such  times  under 
the  table.  Tlnir  masters',  not  the 
Jews,  as  some  have  strangely  thought, 
for  they  are  represented  by  the  children, 
but  God  himself,  the  plural  form  being 
used  to  accord  with  the  plural  doc/s, 
they  being  supposed  to  have  many 
masters. 

28.  0  woman,  great  is  thy  faith.  The 
faith  of  this  Syrophenician  woman  had 
been  tested  in  a  very  severe  manner. 
She  had  cried  after  Jesus  by  the  way, 
but  received  no  encouraging  reply  or 
look.  The  disciples  having  become 
wearied  with  her  clamorous  importu- 
nity, and  seeing  that  she  would  not 
otherwise  go  away,  impatiently  asked 
their  Master  to  dismiss  her.  His  reply, 
if  it  reached  her  ears,  as  it  doubtless 
did,  was  any  thing  but  encouraging,  yet 
she  pressed  her  way  into  the  house,  and 
prostrating  herself  before  Jesus,  uttered 
those  touching  words.  Lord,  help  me. 
Even  there  she  was  repulsed,  but  in- 
stead of  giving  up  in  despair,  or  taking 
offence  at  the  odious  term  by  which  she, 
as  a  Gentile,  had  been  referred  to,  with 
a  readiness  and  tact,  which  show  her 
mind  to  have  been  of  no  common  order, 
converts  our  Lord's  reply  into  one  of 
the  strongest  arguments  that  relief 
should  be  granted  her.  No  wonder 
that  our  Savior  exclaimed,  great  is  thy 
faith  ;  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt, 
i.  e.  thy  request  is  granted.  There  is, 
perhaps,  no  stronger  instance  of  the 
power  and  triumph  of  faith  to  be  found 
in  the  record  of  God's  word,  than  is 


29  ^  ''And  Jesus  departed  from 
thence,  and  came  nigh  '  unto  the 
sea  of  Galilee ;  and  went  up  into 
a  mountain,  and  sat  down  there. 

30  "  And  great  multitudes  came 
unto  him,  having  with  them  those 
that  were  lame,  blind,  dumb, 
maimed,    and   many   others,    and 

a  Is.  35 :  5,  6  ;  ch.  11  :  5 ;  Lu.  7  :  22. 


furnished  in  the  incident  here  related. 
The  words  of  our  Lord  as  given  in 
Mark,  are  very  remarkable :  For  this 
sai/ing  go  thy  loay,  the  devil  is  gone  out 
of  thy  daughter,  as  though  her  reply 
in  V.  27,  was  the  great  and  crowning 
triumph  of  her  faith,  which  constituted 
the  principal  ground  of  her  acceptance. 
From  that  very  hour.  See  Ns.  on  9  :  22 ; 
Mark  1  :  30. 

29-38.  A  DEAF  AND  DUMB  MaN  HEALED  ; 
ALSO     MANY     OTHERS.       FoUR     THOUSAND 

ARE  FED.  Decapolis.  Mark  7  :  31-37  : 
8  :  1-9. 

29.  And  Jesus  departed  from  thence, 
i.  e.  from  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon. 
He  does  not  appear  to  have  tarried  long 
in  that  region,  and  the  only  incident 
relating  to  his  visit,  is  the  ouejust  given 
in  vs.  21-28.  Nigh  unto  the  sea  of 
Tiberias.  He  returned  through  Galilee, 
but  did  not  tarry  there,  through  fear  of 
Herod,  but  passed  on  to  Decapolis 
(Mark  7  :  31),  which  was  without  his 
jurisdiction.  See  N.  on  4  :  25.  Itito  a 
mountain  ;  literally,  the  mountain,  i.  e. 
the  mountainous  ridge  environing  the 
lake.  This  was  a  favorable  position, 
both  for  addressing  the  people  who  oc- 
cupied the  slopes  below,  and  from  its 
being  a  comparatively  still  and  secluded 
place.  Sat  down  there  to  teach  the 
people.     See  N.  on  5  :  1. 

30.  Great  nmltitudes,  &c.  His  fame 
had  before  filled  that  region  (4 :  25), 
and  now,  on  his  coming  thither,  the 
people  gathered  around  him  in  great 
numbers,  to  be  healed,  and  to  listen  to 
his  words  of  instruction.  At  this  time 
the  deaf  mute,  spoken  of  in  Mark 
7:  32-36,  was  healed.  Maimed;  liter- 
ally,   bent,  crooked.     As  this   word,  in 


19g 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


cast  them  down  at  Jesus'  feet ; 
and  he  healed  them  : 

31  Insomuch  that  the  multitude 
•wondered,  when  they  saw  the 
dumb  to  speak,  the  maimed  to  be 
whole,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the 
blind  to  see  :  and  they  glorified 
the  (jod  of  Israel. 

32  '  Then    Jesus    called    his 


its  present  connection,  must  differ  from 
tlie  one  rendered  lame,  and  as  the  trans- 
lation maimed  (i.  e.  wanting  some  mem- 
ber of  the  body),  is  not  the  exact  render- 
ing, it  is  better  to  refer  it  to  those  whose 
arn)s,  hands,  legs,  or  feet  had  become 
crooked  and  useless  by  disease,  or  had 
been  so  from  birth.  Bowlegged,  club- 
footed  persons,  and  all  such  as  suffered 
from  similar  malformation,  would  come 
within  its  definition,  and  the  cure  of 
such  was  a  great  exhibition  of  our 
Savior's  power.  Many  others  who  were 
diseased.  Cast  them  dow7i  at  Jesus^  feet, 
i.  e.  brought  them  before  him  and  laid 
them  down  to  be  healed.  The  expres- 
sion does  not  denote  neglect  or  aban- 
donment, but  haste,  and  the  natural 
desire,  in  such  crowds,  to  be  fir^t  in  ob- 
taining that  which  was  sought. 

31.  77ie  multitude  wondered.  It  is 
evident  from  the  enumeration,  that 
there  were  many  persons  healed  on  this 
occasion,  and  of  a  great  variety  of 
diseases.  Tfie  dumb ;  literally,  the  dull, 
blunted,  reference  being  had  to  those 
deprived  of  both  hearing  and  speech. 
It  is  well  known  that  persons  horn  deaf, 
or  who  become  so  at  an  early  age,  are 
also  dumb.  To  be  tvhole ;  literally, 
S02ind,  healthy,  well.  They  glorified,  &c. 
See  N.  on  9:8.  God  of  Israel,  i.  e. 
the  Being  whom  the  people  of  Israel 
worshipped,  and  whose  protection  they 
had  experienced.  It  is  strange  that 
Trench  should  think  from  these  words, 
that  of  those  present  a  great  number 
were  heathens.  Nothing  was  more 
common,  as  every  reader  of  the  Old 
Testament  will  see,  than  for  the  Israel- 
ites themselves  to  speak  of  Jehovah,  as 
being  the  God  of  Israel. 


disciples  unto  him,  and  said,  I 
have  compassion  on  the  multitude, 
because  they  continue  with  me 
now  three  days,  and  have  nothing 
to  eat :  and  I  will  not  send  tiieui 
away  fasting,  lest  they  faint  in 
the  way. 

33  "  And  his  disciples  say  unto 
him,  Whence  should  we  have  so 

c2Ki.  4:4.3. 

32.  Tften  Jesus  called,  &c.  The  dis- 
ciples were  probably  dispersed  among 
the  multitude,  to  further  the  benevolent 
designs  of  their  Master.  Perhaps,  how- 
ever, nothing  more  is  meant  than  that 
he  called  their  attention  to  what  he  was 
about  to  communicate.  I  have  compas- 
sion. See  N.  on  9  :  36.  Because  they 
continue  with  me  now  three  days.  Ac- 
cording to  the  most  approved  reading 
of  the  original,  a  literal  translation 
would  be  three  days  (are)  now  to  them 
staying  with  me,  i.  e.  they  have  stayed 
with  me  now  three  days.  The  sense 
does  not  differ  from  that  of  our  common 
version.  The  people  took  their  repose 
for  two  nights  in  the  open  field.  As  it 
was  just  after  the  passover,  the  sea- 
son was  pleasant,  and  no  injury  to 
health  was  incurred.  Have  nothing  to 
eat.  Their  temporary  supply  of  food 
was  now  exhausted.  /  will  not  send 
them  aivay  fasting.  They  had  probably 
consumed  most,  if  not  all,  their  food, 
on  the  first  and  second  days,  but,  being 
unwilling  to  leave  Jesus,  they  remained 
another  day  ;  forgetful  of  their  temporal 
wants,  in  the  wonders  of  love  and  mercy, 
with  which  his  ministrations  were  at- 
tended. 

33.  And  his  disciples  say,  &c.  The 
apparent  impossibility  of  supplying  the 
wants  of  this  great  multitude,  so  pos- 
sessed their  minds,  that  they  seem  to 
have  forgotten  that  on  a  previous  occa- 
sion, in  circumstances  almost  similar, 
he  had  miraculously  fed  five  thousand. 
Hence  we  see  the  wisdom  of  repeating 
this  great  miracle.  In  the  wildervess, 
far  off  from  places  where  provisions 
could  be  purchased. 

34.  How  many  loaves  have  ye  ?    The 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


199 


much  bread  in  the  wilderness,  as 
to  fill  so  great  a  multitude  ? 

34  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
How  many  loaves  have  ye  ?  And 
they  said,  Seven,  and  a  few  little 
fishes. 

35  And  he  commanded  the 
multitude  to  sit  down  on  the 
ground. 

36  And  ''he  took  the  seven 
loaves  and  the  fishes,  and  ^gave 
thanks,  and  brake  them,  and  gave 
to  his  disciples,  and  the  disciples 
to  the  multitude. 

d  Ch.  14  :  19.         el  Sa.  9  :  18;  Lu.  22 :  19. 
/Ma.  8 :  10. 


same  question  which  he  proposed  on 
the  previous  occasion.  See  Mark  6 :  38. 
They  said  seven.  Although  there  were 
more  loaves,  and  a  less  number  of  per- 
sons to  be  fed  than  on  the  previous  oc- 
casion, yet  the  quantity  of  food  was  so 
inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  multi- 
tude, that  the  miracle  was  no  less 
grand  and  striking  than  the  preceding 
one.  Some  German  critics  have  main- 
ttiined,  that  this  miracle  is  identical  with 
the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  related 
in  14:  15-21.  But  not  to  speak  of 
minor  points  of  difference,  which  forbid 
the  idea  of  such  identity,  the  reference 
by  our  Lord  himself,  in  16:  9-10,  to 
two  distinct  miracles,  is  a  sufficient  con- 
futation of  such  a  notion.  It  is  also 
worthy  of  note,  that  the  baskets  in  this 
second  miraculous  repast,  were  of  a 
smaller  kind  than  those  mentioned  be- 
fore, and  have  a  different  name  given 
them  by  Matthew  and  Mark,  from  the 
name  given  those  used  on  the  former 
occasion,  which  was  the  same  in  all  the 
Evangelists.  This  same  distinction  in 
the  name  of  the  baskets,  is  observed  in 
our  Lord's  reference  to  the  miracles 
(16:  9-10),  and  is  almost  proof  positive 
that  they  were  two  distinct  and  separate 
miracles.  It  is  well  said  by  Olshausen, 
in  reference  to  De  Wette's  idea,  that 
this  miracle  is  a  repetition  of  the  first  fact 
handed  down  from  tradition,  that  had 
this  been  so,  the  second  miracle 
would  have  been  related  in  more  exag- 


37  And  they  did  all  eat,  and 
were  filled :  and  they  took  up  of 
the  broken  meat  that  was  left 
seven  baskets  full. 

38  And  they  that  did  eat  were 
four  thousand  men,  beside  women 
and  children. 

39  ^  And  he  sent  away  the  mul- 
titude, and  took  ship,  and  came 
into  the  coasts  of  Magdala. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  "Pharisees   also   with  the 
Sadducees   came,  and  tempt- 

a  Ch.  12:  38;    Ma.  8  :  11 ;  Lu.  11 :  16,  &  12  : 
54-56  ;  1  Co.  1 :  22. 

gerated  language  ;  whereas  the  number 
fed  was  less,  the  number  of  loaves 
from  which  they  were  fed,  larger,  and 
the  quantity  of  fragments  taken  up, 
smaller,  than  at  the  previous  miracle  of 
feeding  the  five  thousand. 

35.  And  he  commanded,  &c.  The 
orderly  preparation  for  the  repast, 
which  was  the  same  as  before  (14:  19), 
made  the  miracle  more  prominent  and 
impressive.  As  the  five  thousand  sat 
down  by  hundreds  and  by  fifties,  it  is 
probable  that  the  four  thousand  sat 
in  the  same  general  order. 

36,  37.  Andhe  took,  &c.  See  Ns.  on 
14:  19-20. 

38.  J/hur  thousand  men,  &c.  On  the 
same  principle  referred  to  in  N.  on 
14:21,  we  may  suppose  the  whole  num- 
ber fed  on  this  occasion,  to  have  been 
not  less  than  eight  thousand. 

39.  And  he  sent  away,  &c.  According 
to  his  intention  of  bringing  the  meeting 
to  a  close  (see  v.  32).  Magdala.  This 
place  formerly  was  called  Migdol  (see 
Josh  19:  38).  It  lay  on  the  western 
shore  of  the  lake,  some  three  miles 
north  of  Tiberias.  It  is  now  a  village 
of  only  a  few  miserable  huts.  Dalma- 
nutha,  to  which  Mark  refers,  was  a  vil- 
lage near  Magdala. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
1-4,  The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
AGAIN  REQUIRE    A   SiGN.     Near  Mag- 
dala.    Mark  8  :  10-12. 


200 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


ing    desired   him    that  he  would 
shew  them  a  sign  from  heaven. 

2  He  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  When  it  is  evening,  ye  say, 
It  will  he  fair  weather  :  for  the 
sky  is  red. 

3  And  in  the  morning,  It  loill 
he  foul  weather  to-day :  for  the 
sky  is  red  and  lowering.  0  ye 
hypocrites,  ye  can  discern  the  face 

6  Ch.  12  :  39. 

1.  The  event  here  spoken  of  pro- 
bably took  place  soon  alter  he  landed 
from  the  ship.  See  Mark  8:11.  The 
Pharisees  and  Sadducces,  although  bit- 
terly at  variance,  seem  to  have  united, 
on  this  occasion,  in  attempting  to  en- 
snare our  Lord.  They  pretended  to  an 
honest  desire  to  see  some  sign  from 
heaven,  which  would  I'emove  all  doubt 
as  to  his  Messiahship.  It  was  a  repe- 
tition of  their  request  in  12  :  88  ;  Luke 
11  :  16.  Tempting  Mm.  This  denotes 
the  purpose  of  their  request.  A  sign 
from  heaven.     See  N.  on  12  :  38. 

2.  He  answered  and  said.  The  reply 
of  our  Savior  is  based  on  the  clear  and 
abundant  proofs,  he  had  already  given 
them  of  his  divine  mission.  Mad  they 
been  as  wise  to  see  and  acknowledge 
these  signs,  as  they  were  to  prognosti- 
cate the  weather  from  the  appearance 
of  the  sky,  they  would  have  required 
no  fui'ther  evidence,  but  would  at  once 
have  received  him.  Wlien  it  is  ei'eni7ig. 
See  N.  on  1-i  :  15.  It  tvill  be  fair  wea- 
ther; WtevAWj,  fair  iveather  (to-morrow). 
/■>•  rec/,  i.  e.  has  a  dry,  fiery  appearance. 

3.  In  the  morning,  i.  e.  between  dawn 
and  sunrise.  Hed  and  loicering,  i.  e.  of 
a  heavy,  dark-red  appearance.  0  ye 
hypocrites.  See  N.  on  6 :  2.  Their  de- 
sire for  a  more  convincing  sign,  was  a 
mere  pretence  to  find  some  occasion 
against  him.  Ye  can  discerri,  &c.  Yc 
can  prognosticate  the  weather  from  the 
appearance  of  the  sky.  Lightfoot  finds 
many  examples,  showing  that  the  Jews 
were  given  to  prognosticating  the  wea- 
ther of  the  coming  season.  Tlie  signs 
of  the  times,  i.  e.  the  evidences  of  our 
Lord's  Messiahship,  in  his  miracles  and 


of  the  sky ;  but  can  ye  not  discern 
the  signs  of  the  times  ? 

4  *  x\  wicked  and  adulterous 
generation  seeketh  after  a  sign ; 
and  there  shall  no  sign  be  given 
unto  it,  but  the  sign  of  the  pro- 
phet Jonas.  And  he  left  them, 
and  departed. 

5  *^[  And  '  when   his  disciples 


doctrine.  The  word  times  refers  to  the 
appointed  time  for  the  appearance  of 
Christ  on  earth.  The  Old  Testament 
prophecies  marked  with  sufficient  clear- 
ness the  signs  of  those  times,  so  that  no 
one,  through  pretended  ignorance  of 
them,  would  be  justified  in  rejecting  the 
Messiah.  The  life  and  character  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  his  abundant  mira- 
culous powers,  so  clearly  corresponded 
to  the  Messianic  predictions,  that  it 
evinced  the  extremest  blindness  of 
heart  in  face  of  such  evidence  to  reject 
him. 

4.  A  wicked  and  adidterous  genera- 
tion. See  N.  on  12  :  39.  Mark  in  the 
parallel  passage  (8  :  12)  says,  that  he 
sighed  deeply  in  spirit  at  their  unbelief 
and  hardness  of  heart,  which  led  them 
to  cavil  at  his  claims,  and  demand  a 
further  sign  of  his  Messiahship.  The 
sign  of  the  prophet  Jonas.  He  repeats 
this  reference  to  Jonas,  both  to  give  it 
emphasis,  and  stop  the  mouths  of  those 
wicked  men.  They  repeated  their  de- 
mand for  a  sign  from  heaven,  he  re- 
peats his  reply,  that  there  shall  no  sign 
be  given  them,  but  one  from  the  depths 
below,  even  the  sign  of  the  prophet 
Jonas.  Andhe  left  them  anddeparted. 
He  was  filled  with  such  holy  indigna- 
tion at  their  hypocrisy  and  hardness  of 
heart,  that  without  deigning  to  hold 
further  conversation  with  them,  he  ab- 
ruptly left  them,  and  again  embarked 
on  Ijoard  the  ship  (Mark  8  :  13),  and 
departed  to  the  north-eastern  side  of 
the  lake,  to  the  northern  Bethsaida.  See 
Ns.  on  11  :  21  ;  14  :  13. 

5-12.     The     Disciples     cautioned 
AGAINST    the  Leaven  of    the   Phaki- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


201 


were  come  to  the  other  side,  they 
had  forgotten  to  take  bread. 

6  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
''  Take  heed  and  beware  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of 
the  Sadducees. 

di.u.  12: 1. 

SEES.     JV.  E.  coast  of  the  Lake  of  Gali- 
lee.    Mark  8  :  13-21. 

5.  Tlieii  had  forgotten,  &c.  This  re- 
fers to  the  necessary  supplies,  which 
through  forgetfulness  they  had  neglect- 
ed to  take  with  them.  Mark  says  that 
they  had  but  one  loaf,  and  as  the 
country  in  that  quarter  was  sparsely 
settled  (see  14  :  15),  to  obtain  a  supply 
of  provisions  there,  would  be  attended 
with  some  difficulty.  Hence  when  they 
reached  the  place  of  their  destination, 
and  were  about  to  proceed  on  their  land 
journey,  they  manifested  some  concern, 
at  their  forgetfulness  in  not  taking  the 
requisite  food  with  them. 

6.  Tlien  Jesus  said,  &c.  They  had 
openly  expressed  their  concern,  or 
Jesus,  in  the  exercise  of  his  omnis- 
cience, knew  what  was  passing  in  their 
minds.  He  took  occasion  from  their 
anxiety  in  respect  to  their  bodily  wants, 
to  warn  them  against  the  doctrines  of 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  These 
he  characterized  as  leaven,  silently  and 
insidiously  pervading  and  vitiating  the 
whole  spiritual  man,  and  destroying 
every  pure  and  holy  emotion.  Take 
heed  and  beware.  An  emphatic  injunc- 
tion to  give  the  most  earnest  attention. 
Leaven.  We  are  told  in  v.  12,  that 
under  this  metaphor,  reference  was  had 
to  the  doctrine  of  the  sects  here  men- 
tioned. The  word  in  itself  may  be  used 
Ijoth  of  true  and  false  doctrines,  the 
silent  and  pervading  influence  and  dif- 
fusive power  of  leaven  constituting  the 
point  of  the  simile.  Many  of  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Pharisees  were  true  and 
scriptural,  yet  were  so  mingled  with 
corrupt  and  vain  traditions,  that,  as  a 
whole,  they  might  well  be  likened  to 
moral  leaven  of  the  most  pernicious 
kind.  In  Luke  12  :  1,  on  a  different 
occasion,  our  Lord  uses  this  metaphor 

Vol.  I.— 9* 


7  And  they  reasoned  among 
themselves,  saying.  It  is  because 
we  have  taken  no  bread. 

8  Which  when  Jesus  perceived, 
he  said  unto  them,  0  ye  of  little 
faith,  why  reason  ye  among  ycur- 


to  denote  She  hypocrisy  of  the  Phari- 
sees. Ana  of  the  Sadducees.  In  Mark 
(8  :  15),  the  equivalent  of  these  words 
is,  "  the  leaven  of  Herod,"  on  which 
see  Note. 

7.  27ie)/  reasoned  among  themselves. 
They  debated  this  matter  privately 
with  one  another.  Thus  they  doubt- 
less often  talked  of  the  incidents  and 
instructions  of  the  day,  and  pondered 
over  things  which  seemed  to  them 
strange  and  obscure.  Sometimes  in 
such  cases,  they  resorted  to  Jesus  for 
light.  See  13  :  10,  36  ;  15  :  15  ;  IG  : 
1(»  ;  Mark  7  :  17.  It  is  because,  &c. 
They  supposed  that  he  referred  to  phy- 
sical food,  and  that  his  caution  was  a 
virtual  prohibition  against  partaking  of 
their  bread,  as  though  it  were  polluled. 
Such  an  injunction  doubtless  appeared 
to  them  strange,  but  they  were  so 
prone  to  regard  his  sayings  in  a  tem- 
poral light,  that  they  had  no  idea  th.at 
he  referred  to  the  doctrines  of  these 
sects. 

8.  \Miich  when  Jesus  perceived.  Their 
secret  thoughts  and  private  reasonir.gs 
were  all  known  to  him.      0  ye  of  little 

faith.  See  N.  on  6  :  30.  Why  reosoii 
ye,  &c.  After  the  stupendous  display 
of  our  Lord's  creative  power  in  feeding 
thousands  of  persons  from  a  few  loaves 
and  fishes,  it  showed  not  only  great  for- 
getfulness, but  a  want  of  faith  in  them  to 
betray  such  anxiety  about  their  tempo- 
ral wants.  Our  Savior  also  manil'ests 
his  surprise,  that  they  should  suppose 
him  to  refer  to  so  comparatively  unim- 
portant a  subject,  as  the  procuring  of 
bread  (see  John  4  :  32,  34).  Their 
dullness  of  apprehension  is  most  em- 
phatically referred  to  in  Mark  :  "  Per- 
ceive ye  not  yet,  neither  understand? 
have  ye  your  heart  yet  hardened  ?  hav- 
ing eyes,  see  ye  not  ?  and  having  cars 


202 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


selv'cri,  because  ye  have  brought  no 
bread  ? 

9  'Do  ye  not  yet  understand, 
neither  remember  the  five  loaves 
of  the  five  thousand,  and  how 
many  baskets  ye  took  up  ? 

10  'Neither  the  seven  loaves 
of  the  four  thousand,  and  how 
many  baskets  ye  took  up  ? 

11  How  is  it  that  ye  do  not 
understand  that  I  spake  it  not  to 

e  Ch.  14  :  17 ;  John  6 : 9. 


hear  ye  not  ?  and  do  you  not  remem- 
ber ?  "  These  reiterated  inquiries  show 
the  depth  of  his  astonishment,  at  their 
having  so  mistaken  his  meaning. 

12.  Tlien  understood  they,  &c.  They 
were  now  sensible  of  their  mistake. 
They  had  been  taught  a  twofold  les- 
son, not  to  distrust  a  watchful  Provi- 
dence, and  to  realize  how  transcendent- 
ly  important  it  was,  to  have  correct 
doctrinal  views  in  respect  to  the  duties 
and  obligations  of  religion.  The  com- 
parative worth  of  the  bread  that  perish- 
eth,  and  that  which  endureth  to  ever- 
lasting life,  was  also  impressed  upon 
their  minds  on  this  occasion. 

13.  Peter  and  the  rest  again  pro- 
fess THEIR  Faith  in  Christ.  Region 
of  Ccesarea  Philippi.  Mark  8  :  27-30  ; 
Luke  9:  18-21. 

13.  When  Jesus  came,  &c.  On  his 
way  to  this  region,  he  passed  through 
the  northern  Bethsaida,  where  accord- 
ing to  Mark  (8  :  22-26),  he  healed  a 
blind  man  by  spitting  on  his  eyes,  and 
putting  his  hands  upon  him.  Ccesarea 
Philippi  was  a  city  of  Upper  Galilee, 
near  the  sources  of  the  Jordan,  at  the 
foot  of  Mount  Hermon.  It  was  the 
ancient  Laish  or  Dan.  Judg.  18  :  7,  29. 
It  was  rebuilt  by  Philip  the  tetrarch, 
and  named  in  honor  of  himself  and 
Tiberius  Caesar.  It  is  now  called 
Panias  or  Banias.  It  is  conspicuous  in 
our  Lord's  history,  as  being  the  place, 
in  the  vicinity  of  which  he  first  fore- 
told his  own  death  and  resurrection, 
and  the  trials  and  sufferings  of  his  fol- 
lowers.    The  transfiguration  was  also 


you  concerning  bread,  that  ye 
should  beware  of  the  leaven  of 
the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Saddu- 
cees? 

12  Then  understood  they  how 
that  he  bade  theyn  not  beware  of 
the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Pharisees  and  of 
the  Sadducees. 

18  T[  When  Jesus  came  into 
the  coasts  of  Cesarea  Philippi,  he 

/Ch,15:84 


probably  on  a  mountain  near  the  place. 
The  Cffisarea  referred  to  in  Acts,  lay 
on  the  Mediterranean  coast.  He  asked 
his  disciples.  Mark  (3  :  27)  says  that 
he  proposed  this  question  to  them  by 
the  way.  There  is  no  discrepancy  be- 
tween the  accounts,  as  the  conversation 
may  have  taken  place  as  they  were 
passing  along,  after  having  come  into 
the  region  here  spoken  of.  There  is 
no  necessity  of  amending  the  common 
translation  of  Matthew,  which  adheres 
correctly  to  the  aoristic  force  of  the  par- 
ticiple. Luke  (9  :  18)  says  that  he  was 
praying  at  this  time.  This  would  seem 
to  indicate,  that  he  and  his  disciples 
had  paused  a  short  time  by  the  way, 
in  order  to  rest  from  the  fatigue  of  the 
journey,  which  opportunity  our  Lord 
improved  in  devotion  and  religious  con- 
versation. TF^oHi  do  men  say,  &c. 
Some  commentators  give  this  turn  to 
the  question  :  WJiom  do  men  say  that  1 
am  ?  the  Son  of  man  ?  This,  besides  being 
a  harsh  and  forced  construction,  is  for- 
bidden by  the  answer  of  the  disciples, 
which  in  that  case,  must  have  been  a 
simple  affirmative  or  negative.  Equally 
unsatisfactory  is  Olshausen's  rendering 
and  explanation  :  /  who  am  (as  you 
are  aware)  the  Son  of  Man  ;  which  he 
thinks  led  the  disciples  forward  to  the 
idea  of  Son  of  God.  But  Alford  well 
remarks,  that  "this  would  destroy  the 
simplicity  of  the  following  question. 
But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  because 
it  would  put  into  their  mouths  the  an- 
swer intended  to  be  given."  There 
are   some   who   reject   the   pronoun  I, 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


203 


asked  his  disciples,  saying,  ^Whom 
do  men  say  tliat  I,  the  Son  of 
man,  am  ? 

14  And  they  said,  *  Some  say 
thai  thoic  art  John  the  Baptist ; 
some,  Elias ;    and   others,    Jere- 

g  Ma.  8  :  27  ;  Lu.  19  :  18. 
A  Ch.  14  :  2 ;  Lu.  9  :  7,  8,  9. 

■which  is  wanting  in  some  versions,  and 
translate :  Whom  do  men  suppose  the 
Son  of  man  to  be  ?  in  which  case,  they 
make  Son  of  man  to  correspond  with 
/,  in  V.  15.  But  this  would  demand 
some  such  answer  as  :  Some  say  that 
John  the  Baptist  is  the  Sou  of  man, 
some  Elias,  &c.  In  that  case,  So7i  of 
man  would  refer  to  the  Forerunner  of 
the  Son  of  God  or  the  Messiah,  which 
is  inadmissible.  The  common  reading 
and  translation  is  the  correct  one,  and 
against  it  can  be  advanced  no  vahd  ob- 
jections. The  evident  scope  of  the  in- 
quiry is  the  opinion  entertained  by  the 
people  of  Jesus  himself.  The  question 
is  put  directly  in  v.  15,  and  to  the  form 
as  there  given,  the  answers  in  v.  14  cor- 
respond, showing  that  the  question  in 
this  verse  is  the  same  as  that  in  v.  15. 
In  the  parallel  passages  of  Mark  and 
Luke,  the  question  corresponds  with 
that  given  by  Matthew,  the  words  "  Son 
of  man  "  being  omitted. 

14.  It  appears  from  this  reply  of  the 
disciples,  that  while  the  opinions  of  the 
people  respecting  our  Savior  were  vari- 
ous, all  agreed  that  he  was  the  reappear- 
ance, by  bodily  resurrection,  of  John 
the  Baptist,  or  some  Old  Testament 
prophet.  Mias  was  to  be  the  forerun- 
ner of  the  Messiah.  Jeremias,  accounted 
by  the  Jews,  according  to  Lightfoot, 
the  first  in  the  prophetic  canon,  and 
styled  by  way  of  eminence,  the  prophet 
of  God.  One  of  the  prophets,  i.  e.  some 
one  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets. 

15.  But  whom  say  ye,  &c.  Our  Sa- 
vior led  the  disciples  by  these  questions, 
to  a  true  understanding  of  his  character 
and  mission.  It  was  not  that  he  him- 
self was  ignorant  of  the  estimation  in 
which  he  was  held  by  the  people,  that 
he  proposed  these  inquiries,  but  that 
he  might  take  occasion  from  the  con- 
fession of  his   disciples  as  to  his  Mes- 


mias,    or   one   of    the    prophets, 

15  He  saith  unto  them.  But 
whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ? 

16  And  Simon  Peter  answered 
and  said,  'Thou  art  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God. 

i  Ch.  14  :  38;  Ma.  8  :  29;  Lu.9  :  20;  John  6: 
69,  &  11 :  27 ;  Ac.  8  :  37,  &  9 :  20 ;  IJo.  4:  15,  & 
5:5;  He.  1 :  2,  5. 


siahship,  to  enlighten  them  in  respect 
to  the  real  object  of  his  mission,  viz.  to 
die  for  the  sins  of  the  world.  At  thia 
point,  according  to  Alford,  begins  the 
second  great  division  of  our  Savior's 
ministry  on  earth,  introductory  to  his 
sufferings  and  death. 

16.  Simon  Peter  answered.  As  the 
oldest  and  leading  disciple,  he  respond- 
ed for  the  rest.  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  he  was  the  only  one  of  the 
Twelve,  who  had  attained  to  the  convic- 
tion that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  They 
had  often,  doubtless,  talked  among 
themselves  of  the  wondrous  miracles 
and  subHme  teachings  of  their  Master, 
and  had  long  ere  this  attained  to  the 
full  conviction,  that  he  was  the  Christ, 
promised  and  foretold  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  fact  that  Peter  acted  as 
spokesman  for  the  rest,  should  be  kept 
in  mind,  as  it  is  the  key  to  the  right  in- 
terpretation of  the  controverted  pas- 
sage which  follows.  Thou  art  the 
Christ  (himself,  and  not  as  the  people 
think,  his  forerunner),  the  Son,  &c.  Mark 
the  directness  and  promptness  of  Peter's 
reply,  as  coming  from  the  depths  of  his 
heart,  thou  art,  not,  /  say  that  thou  art, 
as  the  form  of  the  question  required. 
Whitby  supposes  that  there  is  a  dif- 
ference between  Christ  and  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,  the  former  referring  to 
his  office,  the  latter  to  his  divine  origin. 
It  is  better,  however,  to  regard  the 
latter  as  designed  to  give  fullness  and 
emphasis  to  the  word  Christ.  God  is 
said  to  be  the  living  God,  in  contradis- 
tinction from  idol  deities,  and  as  the 
author  of  life  and  its  blessings.  See 
John  6  :  69  ;  Acts  8  :  37  ;  9  :  20 ;  1 
John  4  :  15  ;  5  :  5.  Peter's  confession 
was  full,  clear,  and  exphcit,  bringing 
out  the  twofold  nature  of  Christ  as  born 
of  man,  and  yet  the  Son  of  God,  as  both 
human  and  divine — a  view  so  much  in 


204 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  a2. 


18   And  I  say  also  unto  thee, 
That  '"  thou  art  Peter,  and  "  upon 

m  John  1  :  42.        n  Ep.  2  :  20 ;  Ee.  21 :  14. 


17    And    Jesus    answered  and    thee,  but  'my  Father  which  is  in 
said    unto  him.  Blessed  art  thou    heaven. 
Simon  Bar-jona  :  *  for  flesh   and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto 

/fc  Ep.  2  :  8.        n  Co.  2 :  10 ;  Ga.  1 :  16. 

advance  of  the  Jewish  conception  of 
the  Messiah,  that  our  Lord  declares  it 
to  have  been  communicated  to  him  by 
a  revelation   from  heaven. 

17.  Blessed  art  thou,  i.  e.  blessed  of 
God  in  his  revelation  of  so  glorious  a 
truth  to  thee.  Bar-jona,  i.  e.  son  of 
Jonas.  The  prefix  Bar,  is  a  Hebrew 
word  signifying;  sow,  and  is  found  in 
several  of  the  New  Testament  names  as 
Barabbas,  Bartholomew,  Barjesus,  &c. 
The  name  of  Peter  is  fully  given  both 
by  way  of  emphatic  address,  and  to 
contrast  his  earthly  relationship  and 
extraction,  with  the  high  degree  of 
spiritual  illumination  and  blessedness, 
resulting  from  the jevelation  here  re- 
ferred to  ;  or  as  Olshausen  thinks,  to 
form  a  contrast  to  the  foregoing  "  Son 
of  God."  Flesh  and  blood  (compare 
Gal.  1  :  15,  16).  These  words  are  put 
by  circumlocution  for  man,  as  composed 
of  flesh  and  blood,  and  hence  are  used 
mataphorically  to  denote  the  weakness 
and  frailty  of  human  nature.  As  op- 
posed to  the  words,  my  Father,  in  the 
next  clause,  it  denotes  man  as  an  err- 
ing, sinful  being,  naturally  blind  to 
every  thing  spiritual.  Hath  not  re- 
vealed it,  i.  e.  hath  not  discovered  it,  or 
made  it  known.  "  Man  looketh  on  the 
outward  appearance"  (1  Sam.  16  :  7), 
and  would  never,  in  the  light  of  his  own 
reason,  have  discerned,  under  the  mean 
exterior  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  his  di- 
vine Sonship.  The  verb  hath  revealed 
is  to  be  supplied  in  the  next  clause,  but 
not  in  the  sense  of  a  special  communi- 
cation or  revelation  from  heaven,  but 
to  the  conviction  wrought  in  Peter's 
mind  of  his  Master's  Messiahship,  by 
his  miracles  and  doctrines.  This  men- 
tal illumination  and  conviction  was, 
nevertheless,  the  result  of  the  divine  in- 
fluence upon  his  heart,  by  which  his 
Jewish  prejudices  were  removed,  and 
his  mind  enlightened  and  opened  to 
conviction. 


18.  And  I  also  say  U7ito  thee.  As  thou' 
hast  borne  such  correct  testimony  to 
my  true  character,  I  likewise  saj-  unto 
thee  that  thou  art  Peter,  i.  e.  thou  art 
all  which  was  implied  in  that  prophetic 
name,  which  I  gave  thee  at  Jordan 
(see  John  1  :  42).  Peter  was  the  Greek 
of  Cephas,  a  rocA'.  It  was  intended  to 
denote  the  energy  and  boldness,  which 
our  Savior  saw  to  be  characteristic  of 
that  disciple.  His  frank  and  fearless 
confession  of  the  Messiahship  of  Jesus, 
comported  with  the  signification  of  his 
name,  and  our  Lord  doubtless  referred, 
in  the  words  thou  art  Peter,  to  the 
strength  and  energy  of  his  foith  and 
zeal  for  his  Master's  honor,  which  his 
reply  evinced.  And  upon  this  rock. 
Tiie  word  petra,  here  translated  rock, 
has  the  generic  sense,  a  mass,  or  ledye 
of  rock,  and  is  never  used  in  the  signi- 
fication oipetros  (Peter),  a  single  stone. 
It  is  employed  here,  not  only  to  distin- 
guish the  w  ord  from  pctros,  the  proper 
name  in  thou  art  Peter,  but  as  more  con- 
sentaneous with  the  idea  o{  foundation, 
which  in  the  case  of  edifices  designed 
to  be  durable,  was  composed,  if  possible, 
of  the  living  rock  (see  7  :  24).  By  a 
play  of  words,  (juite  common  in  the 
sacred  writers,  our  Lord  said,  thou  art 
Peter  (a  rock  of  firmness),  and  upon 
this  rock  (i.  e.  the  rock-like  firmness  of 
Peter's  character,  manifested  in  his 
prompt  and  open  confession  of  faith,  and 
still  further  to  be  developed  in  his 
energy  and  boldness  in  planting  the 
infant  church)  /?«7ZiM?'W  (or  establish) 
my  church.  This  seems  to  me  to  be 
the  sense  of  this  much  controverted 
passage.  Peter  was  the  finst  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  Jews  (Acts  2:  14), 
and  afterwards  to  the  Gentiles  (Acts 
10 :  34).  His  forwardness,  zeal,  and 
boldness  are  represented  under  the 
figure  of  a  rock,  suggested  to  our 
Lord's  mind  by  the  name  Peter,  which 
he  had  himself  given  him.     Upon  this 


A.  D.  32.J 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


205 


this  rock  I  will  build  my  church; 
and   "  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it. 
o  Job  38:  IT;    Ps.  9:13,  &lor:18;  Is.38:10. 

rock,  that  is  through  the  agency  of 
this  devoted  apostle,  he  was  to  build 
up  and  establish  his  church.  That  petra, 
rock,  in  this  verse  refers  to  Peter,  and 
not  to  the  confession  of  faith  which 
he  had  just  made,  or  as  some  think 
to  the  Savior  himself,  there  can  be  no 
question.  But  it  refers  to  him,  not  so 
much  in  his  person,  as  in  his  natural 
boldness  and  ardent  temperament,  on 
account  of  which  he  had  previously  re- 
ceived from  Christ,  the  name  Peter. 
Hence  every  one  who  has  Peter's  fideli- 
ty, zeal,  and  boldness,  shares,  in  a 
measure,  with  him  the  honor  of  being 
a  stone  in  the  spiritual  edifice,  "  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself 
being  the  chief  corner-stone  "  (Eph.  2 : 
20).  He  is  a  living  stone,  not  so  prom- 
inent it  is  true  as  the  apostle,  nor  in 
the  order  of  time,  underlying  the 
edifice  so  near  the  great  foundation- 
stone,  but  yet  essential  to  the  beauty, 
harmony,  and  general  effect  of  the 
building.  Such  living  stones  are  the 
only  legitimate  successors  of  Peter,  the 
only  true  inheritors  of  the  blessing, 
pronounced  npon  him  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Olshausen,  who  refers 
the  foundation-rock  to  Peter's  confes- 
sion of  faith,  virtually  adopts  the  above 
explanation,  when  he  says,  "  the  ex- 
planation, that  the  faith  of  Peter  and 
the  confession  of  that  faith  is  the  rock, 
is  entirely  the  correct  one,  only  the 
faith  itself,  and  his  confession  of  it, 
must  not  be  regarded  apart  from  Peter 
himself  personally."  It  would  be  better 
to  reverse  this  and  say,  that  Peter  him- 
self personally  is  referred  to,  but  not 
apart  from  his  faith  and  the  confession 
of  it,  which  he  had  so  promptly  and 
boldly  made.  TTie  gates  of  hell,  i.  e. 
the  powers  of  darkness,  the  opposition 
to  the  church  by  Satan,  carried  on 
through  the  agency  of  wicked  men. 
SoTne  think  this  phrase  to  mean  the 
entrance  to   the   grave,  viz.    death,  the 


19  ^  And  I  will  give  unto  thee 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en :    and   whatsoever    thou   shalt 

p  Ch.  18:18;  Jno.  20  :  23. 

idea  being  that  death  itself  shall  not 
prevail  over  the  true  members  of 
Christ's  church,  but  that  they  shall 
attain  to  a  happy  resurrection.  This 
is  true  of  the  pious  dead,  but  is  not 
taught  directly  in  the  passage  before 
us.  In  ancient  times,  business  of  all 
kinds  was  transacted  in  the  gates 
which  led  into  the  city  or  palace,  and 
hence  these  gates  are  tropically  put 
for  the  persons,  who  are  there  congre- 
gated for  business.  Especially  was 
this  true  of  the  king  or  ruler,  who 
cither  personally,  or  by  his  ministers, 
gave  audience  in  the  gate  to  his  sub- 
jects, and  decided  such  points  of  dis- 
pute as  were  referred  to  him.  So  now 
the  term,  "  Sublime  Porte  "  or  Lofty 
Gate,  is  employed  to  designate  the 
court  or  government  of  the  Turkish 
Sultan.  Here  the  passage  evidently 
refers  to  the  enemies  of  the  church,  the 
court  of  Satan,  the  great  foe  of  God 
and  man.  Hades,  translated  hell, 
properly  refers  to  the  abodes  of  the 
dead,  the  grave,  the  invisible  or  lower 
world  (see  N.  on  11:  23),  but  is  here 
put  for  the  place,  or  prison,  where  are 
confined  the  powers  of  evil.  Shall  not 
prevail;  literally,  shall  not  overpower. 
The  word  implies  a  great  struggle  for 
supremacy,  and  the  victory  is  declared 
to  be  on  the  side  of  the  church.  This 
promise  has  been  confirmed  thus  far 
in  the  history  of  Christianity,  and  will 
be  fully  veiified  in  the  great  and  final 
consummation  spoken  of  in  1  Cor.  15  : 
24-28. 

19.  And  I  will  give  unto  thee.  Peter 
had  acted  as  spokesman  for  the  disciples, 
in  replying  to  a  question  put  to  all  of 
them,  "  Wliom  say  ye  that  I  am?'''' 
Our  Lord,  therefore,  addressed  to  him, 
personally,  what  was  intended  as  a 
promise  to  all.  See  N.  on  v.  15.  A 
reference  to  18:  18  will  show,  that  the 
words  of  the  latter  part  of  this  verse, 
were  then  addressed  to  all  the  apostles. 
There  is  no   evidence  whatever,  that 


206 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


bind  on   earth,  shall  be  bound  in 
heaven :     and     whatsoever     thou 


Peter  had  extraordinary  powers  here 
conferred  upon  him,  not  shared  by 
his  fellow-disciples. 

19.  TIiekeys,kc.  As  the  church  was 
to  be  founded  upon  the  great  truths 
preached  by  Peter  and  his  fellow-apos- 
tles, so  by  a  continuation  of  the  same 
figure,  to  them  were  committed,  as  it 
were,  the  keys  of  admission  to  it,  and 
the  power  to  bestow  or  withhold  the 
blessings  of  the  Messianic  kingdom. 
The  former  promise  had  reference  to 
the  foundation  of  the  edifice  represent- 
ing the  church  ;  this,  to  the  admission  of 
persons  to  the  enjoyment  of  its  bless- 
ings and  privileges.  The  doctrines  and 
instructions  of  the  apostles,  acting,  as 
they  did,  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  the  Spirit  (John  16  :  13),  were 
to  be  the  basis  of  admission  to  the 
church  of  Christ,  and  whoever  rejected 
this  basis  of  belief  was  to  be  excluded 
from  it.  In  this  sense,  whatsoever  Peter 
and  his  fellow-disciples  should  bind  on 
earth,  or  declare  to  be  unlawful,  would 
be  ratified  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever 
they  should  loose,  or  enjoin  to  be  done, 
as  a  prerequisite  to  admission  to  the 
church,  should  be  loosed  or  confirmed 
in  heaven.  The  great  principles  and 
requisitions  of  the  gospel  are  most  un- 
questionably here  referred  to.  These 
were  to  be  communicated  to  men  by 
Christ's  chosen  apostles.  They  were, 
therefore,  in  a  sense  to  possess  the 
keys  of  his  kingdom.  They  were 
to  shut  and  open,  to  bind  and  loose, 
and  from  their  decision  there  was  to  be 
no  appeal.  No  other  gospel  than  that 
which  they  had  received  from  Christ 
was  to  be  preached  (Gal.  1  :  8),  no 
other  terms  of  admission  to  his  king- 
dom to  be  made,  than  those  which 
they  laid  down.  In  this  sense,  which  is 
the  only  one  the  passage  will  legiti- 
mately bear,  it  is  disencumbered  of  all 
difficulties.  The  word  keys  is  used  here 
and  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament, 
as  the  emblem  of  power,  in  the  sense 
of  exclusion  from  or  admission  to  cer- 


shalt   loose    on    earth    shall    be 
loosed  in  heaven. 

20  ^  Then  charged  he  his  disci- 

q  Ch.  17  :  9 ;  Ma.  8  :  30;  Lu.  9  :  21. 

tain  privileges,  or  a  certain  state  or 
condition.  See  23  :  13  ;  Luke  11  :  52  ; 
Rev.  1  :  18  ;  3  :  7  ;  9  :  1.  Keys  of  the 
kingdoin  of  heaven  means,  therefore, 
the  power  of  admission  to  its  privileges, 
and  is  employed,  as  above  stated,  to 
denote  the  duties  and  requisitions  of 
the  gospel,  preached  by  Peter  and  the 
other  apostles,  as  prerequisite  for  ad- 
mission to  the  church  of  Christ.  WJiat- 
soever  thou  shalt  bind,  &c.  A  continua- 
tion of  the  sentiment  of  the  preceding 
clause,  but  couched  under  difl'erent 
imagery.  The  previous  figure  was  that 
of  a  gateway  or  passage  leading  to  a 
place,  the  keys  of  which  were  to  be  in- 
trusted to  Peter  and  the  other  apostles. 
Here  the  figure  is  changed  to  that  of 
binding  or  loosing,  which  seems  to  refer 
very  clearly  to  the  councils  and  decrees 
of  the  apostles,  by  which  the  affairs  of 
the  church  were  regulated,  and  its  dis- 
cipline administered.  Under  this  im- 
agery, the  idea  contained  in  the  in- 
trusting of  the  keys  of  admission  to 
Peter,  is  expanded  and  explained.  It 
shows  clearly  that  reference  through- 
out the  whole  is  had  to  the  doctrines 
and  discipline  of  the  apostles,  by  which 
men  were  to  regulate  their  conduct, 
and  secure  to  themselves  the  privileges 
of  Christ's  kingdom.  Shall  be  bound 
inheaven,  i.  e.  shall  be  ratified  in  hea- 
ven. This  must  follow,,  of  course,  if 
Peter  and  his  fellow-apostles  acted  under 
the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  affairs  of  the  church 
on  earth.  Their  acts  of  legislation,  in 
founding  and  establishing  the  church, 
and  in  arranging  its  internal  and  exter- 
nal polity,  were  no  less  the  result  of 
divine  illumination,  than  the  doctrines 
and  duties  which  they  preached  and 
enforced.  In  all  things  pertaining  to 
the  apostolical  functions,  they  were  the 
fully  accredited  ambassadors  of  Christ, 
and  as  such  their  acts  were  final  and 
irreversible. 

20.  Tlien  charged  he,  &c.     Luke  says 
that  "  he   straitly  charged   them,  and 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


207 


pies  that  they  should  tell  no  man 
that  he  was  Jesus  the  Christ. 

21  IF  From  that  time  forth  be- 
gan Jesus  '  to  shew  unto  his  dis- 
ciples, how  that  he  must  go  unto 

rCh.  20:17;  Ma.  8:  31,  &  9  :  81,  &  10:  33; 
Lu.  9 :  22,  &  18  :  31,  &  24  :  6,  7. 

commanded  them  to  tell  no  man  that 
thing."  The  command  was  very  strict 
and  imperative.  2^hat  they  should  tell 
no  man,  &c.  In  the  conversation  which 
had  taken  place,  Jesus  distinctly  avow- 
ed himself  to  be  the  Messiah.  This 
avowal,  if  noised  abroad,  would  awaken 
the  jealousy  of  the  rulers,  especially 
Herod,  whose  fears  had  recently  been 
excited  in  regard  to  the  fame  of  Jesus. 
The  idea  of  temporal  power  and  na- 
tional aggrandizement,  was  so  united 
in  the  Jewish  mind  with  the  Messiah's 
reign,  that  any  one  professing  to  be  that 
personage,  would  have  been  regarded  by 
the  civil  authorities,  as  a  dangerous  man 
to  be  put  out  of  the  way  as  speedily  as 
possible.  Hence  our  Lord  took  pre- 
cautionary measures  against  a  public 
disclosure  of  his  high  office,  and  forbade 
the  conversation  just  held  with  his  dis- 
ciples, to  be  reported  to  any  one. 
'''^21-28.  Our  Lord  foretells  his 
OWN  Death  and  Resurrection.  Re- 
gion of  Ccesarea  Philippi.  Mark  8  : 
31-38  ;  9  :  1  ;  Luke  9  :  22-27. 

21.  From  that  time,  &c.  Some  hints 
had  previously  been  given  of  his  future 
sufferings  (see  10  :  38  ;  12  :  40  ;  John 
8  :  14),  but  now  having  distinctly  avow- 
ed his  Mes.siah.ship,  he  proceeds  to  in- 
struct his  disciples  as  to  the  great  object 
of  his  mission,  to  suffer  and  die  for  the 
sins  of  the  world.  Their  minds  were 
now  in  a  measure  prepared  to  receive 
this  truth.  But  even  with  all  their  pre- 
vious instruction,  as  to  the  spirituality 
of  the  Messianic  dispensation,  they 
were  slow  to  admit  the  unwelcome 
truth,  which  now  fell  from  their  Master's 
lips.  Luke  (9  :  22)  connects  this  an- 
nouncement of  his  sufferings  and  death 
with  the  previous  conversation.  Hoiu 
that  he  must  go,  &c.  It  was  rendered 
necessary  by  divine  appointment,  in 
order  to    accomplish   the  end   of  his 


Jerusalem,  and  suflFer  many  things 
of  the  elders  and  chief  priests 
and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  be 
raised  again  the  third  day. 

22  Then  Peter  took  him,  and 


mission.  Unto  Jerusalem,  the  place 
where  he  was  to  suffer  (Luke  13  :  33). 
And  suffer  many  things,  i.  e.  endure 
much  suffering.  During  the  arraign- 
ment and  trial  of  Jesus,  as  well  as  at 
his  execution,  this  prediction  was  fully 
verified.  Some  of  these  acts  of  cruelty 
and  indignities  are  particularly  men- 
tioned in  20  :  19  ;  Luke  18  ;  32,  33. 
In  the  parallel  passage  in  Mark  and 
Luke,  the  idea  of  his  rejection  by  the 
chief  men  of  the  nation  is  added.  See 
John  19  :  15  ;  Luke  19  :  14  ;  Isa.  63  : 
3.  TJie  elders.  The  Sanhedrim.  See 
N.  on  2  :  4.  The  third  day.  This  con- 
forms to  the  actual  fact,  and  interprets 
the  expression  in  Mark,  "  and  after 
three  days  rise  again." 

22.  Then  Peter  took  him.  He  pro- 
bably drew  our  Lord  aside,  being  fear- 
ful of  the  eflect  which  this  strange  de- 
declaration  might  have  upon  the  minds 
of  his  fellow-disciples,  and  wishing  to 
put  an  end  to  what  he  deemed  the 
gloomy  and  unfounded  forebodings  of 
his  Master.  Some  interpret  :  taking 
him  by  the  hand,  a  very  common  thing, 
when  advice  is  given  or  a  rebuke  ad- 
ministered. Perhaps  the  interpreta- 
tions may  be  combined,  taking  him  by 
the  hand  and  draiving  him  aside.  Began 
to  rebuke ;  literally,  rebuking  addressed 
him.  He  probably  intended  to  admin- 
ister a  gentle  reproof  for  what  seemed 
to  be  groundless  despondency.  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  Jesus  was 
at  this  time  in  the  extreme  north  of  Pa- 
lestine, whither  he  had  retired  to  avoid 
the  jealousy  of  Herod.  Peter  supposed 
that  his  Master  was  beginning  to  yield 
to  mental  depression,  on  account  of  the 
obstacles  thrown  in  his  way  by  his  un- 
believing countrymen,  and  the  dangers 
to  which  he  was  exposed.  Being  of  a 
naturally  bold  and  ardent  temperament, 
and  perhaps  elated  by  the  high  praise 


208 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


boji^aa  to  rebuke  him,  saying,  Be 
it  far  from  thee,  Lord  :  this  shall 
not  be  unto  thee. 

23  But  he  turned,  and  said  un- 
to  Peter,    Get    thee  behind   me, 

8  See  2  Sa.  19:  22.        <  Eo.  8  :  7. 


Just  bestowed  upon  him  by  Jesus, 
he  takes  upon  himself  the  office  of 
endeavoring  to  restore  his  Master  to  his 
usual  serenity  of  mind.  His  motives 
were  good,  but  how  little  did  he  know, 
into  what  depths  of  ruin  the  human 
race  would  have  fallen,  had  the  Savior 
listened  to  his  advice.  He  ought  also 
to  have  left  this  and  all  other  things,  to 
the  superior  wisdom  of  him,  whom  he 
had  just  acknowledged  to  be  the  Christ 
the  Son  of  the  living  God.  Hence  he 
was  severely  rebuked  for  his  ill-tiined 
interference.  The  verb  here  translated 
to  rebuke,  literally  signifies,  to  show  ho- 
nor to,  to  lay  a  value  upon,  and  hence  to 
lay  a  penalty  upon,  i.  e.  to  blame  or 
censure.  The  word  in  this  secondary 
sense,  is  expressive  of  strong  disappro- 
bation, it  being  employed  in  17  :  18,  of 
the  rebuke  administered  by  Jesus  to  the 
demon  who  had  taken  possession  of  the 
lunatic.  Be  it  far  front  thee ;  more 
literally,  mercy  on  thee  !  God  have  mercy 
on  thee  !  It  is  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  tender  solicitude.  The  idea 
that  his  Master  should  be  put  to  death, 
and  thus  disappoint  the  hopes  of  those 
who  looked  upon  him  as  the  Messiah, 
was  so  distressing  to  Peter,  that  he 
CO  amenccs  his  reproof  with  an  ejacu- 
lation, that  God  would  avert  so  terrible 
an  evil.  This  shall  not  be  unto  thee. 
This  may  have  been  a  usual  form  of 
deprecating  evil,  or  perhaps  it  was  in- 
tended as  a  positive  declaration,  that 
tlie  event  would  turn  out  otherwise 
than  his  Master  had  predicted.  In 
cither  case  it  evinced  Peter's  usual 
forwardness,  and  when  considered  as 
addressed  to  a  Being,  who  had  given 
such  evidence  of  his  divine  wisdom  and 
power,  was  presumptuous  to  the  high- 
est degree. 

23.  But  he  turned,  &c.    Mark :  "  when 
he  had  turned  about  and  looked  on  his 


'  Satan  :  '  thou  art  an  offence  unto 
me  :  for  thou  savourest  not  the 
things  that  be  of  God,  but  those 
that  be  of  men. 

24  '^  "Then  said  Jesus  unto  his 

wCh.  10:88;   Ma.  8:. 34;  Lh.  9  :  23,  &  14  :  27; 
Ac.  14 :  22 ;  1  Til.  3 :  8;  2  Ti.  3 :  12. 

disciples."  Peter  began  to  reprove  his 
Master,  probably,  when  he  first  took 
him  by  the  hand  or  dress,  to  lead  him 
apart;  but  Jesus  immediately  turned 
around,  and,  in  the  hearing  of  all,  re- 
buked him  for  the  worldly  spirit  and 
presumptuous  interference,  which  really 
lay  at  the  foundation  of  this  solicitude, 
of  which  Peter,  in  the  depth  of  his  love 
and  tenderness,  was  himself  uncon- 
scious. Oet  thee  behind  me,  &c.  Sec  N. 
on  4  :  10,  It  is  not  necessary  to  sup- 
pose that  our  Lord  applied  this  term  to 
Peter,  as  though  he  was  the  incarna- 
tion of  Satan,  nor,  as  is  Olshausen's 
view,  that  he  addressed  Satan  directly, 
as  the  one  who  was  tempting  Peter  to 
evil.  The  words,  thou  savourest  the 
things,  &c.  could  hardly  be  applied  to 
Satan,  considered  as  personally  ad- 
dressed. The  expression  was  intended, 
as  a  stern  rebuke  of  an  unwarrantable 
interference  on  Peter's  part,  to  prevent 
the  accomplishment  of  the  great  pur- 
pose of  God  in  sending  his  Son  into  the 
world,  thus  acting  as  a  co-worker  with 
Satan,  who  had  himself  endeavored  to 
tempt  Christ  from  the  course,  which  his 
Heavenlv  Father  had  marked  out  for 
him.  Thou  art  an  offence  to  me ;  liter- 
ally, thou  art  my  stumblinfi-Mock ;  not 
as  in  13  :  41,  a  stumbling-block  cau.sing 
to  sin,  but  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his 
Master's  duty,  in  endeavoring  to  divert 
him  from  the  great  object  for  which  he 
had  come  into  the  world.  It  thus  be- 
comes an  explanatory  term  to  what 
immediately  precedes.  For  thou  sa- 
vourest, kc.  Thy  mind  is  set  upon 
worldly  pleasures,  honors,  and  enjoy- 
ments. Thou  art  to  me,  therefore,  in 
thy  present  carnal  state,  an  object  of 
aversion.  Savourest;  literally,  thinkest 
upon,  hast  set  thy  affections  upon.  The 
things  that  be  of  God,  i.  e.  things 
heavenly,  pure,  divine,  pleasing  to  God, 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


209 


disciples,  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself, 
and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow 
me. 

25  For  '  whosoever  will  save 
his  life,  shall  lose  it :  and  whoso- 
ever will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake, 
shall  find  it. 

(c  Lu.  17  :  33 ;  John  12 :  25.        y  Ps.  49  :  7, 8. 

8  Ch.  26  :  64;  Ma.  S  :  3S;  Lu.  0  :  26. 
a  Da.  7 :  10 ;  Zee.  14 :  5 ;  ch.  25  :  31 ;   Jude  14. 


as  opposed  to  those  that  be  of  men,  i.  e. 
such  as  man  in  his  fallen  state  sets  his 
aH'cctioiis  upon. 

24.  llien  said  Jesus,  &c.  In  Mark, 
he  is  said  to  have  calledthe  people  unto 
him  with  his  disciples ;  and  in  Luke,  to 
have  said  to  them  all.  His  discourse, 
although  thus  addressed  in  general  to 
all,  is  intimately  connected  with  the 
preceding  declaration  of  his  sufferings 
and  death,  and  was  designed  to  show- 
that  all  who  would  be  enrolled  as  his 
disciples,  must  be  ready  to  practise 
self-denial ;  and  if  not  called  to  endure 
for  his  sake  the  death  of  the  body,  yet 
must  have  a  spiritual  fellowship  in  his 
sufferings  (Phil.  3  :  10).  Will  come 
after  me,  i.  e.  be  my  disciple  or  follower. 
The  verb  will,  does  not  here  denote 
mere  inclination,  but  ivill,  combined 
with  a  choice  or  purpose.  Let  him  deny 
himself.  This  refers  not  only  to  self- 
denial  in  respect  to  sinful  pleasures  and 
pursuits,  but  to  a  disregard  for  one's 
life,  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  lay 
it  down  in  the  Redeemer's  service. 
And  take  up  his  cross,  &c.  See  N.  on 
10 :  38. 

25.  See  N.  on  10:  39. 

26.  For  2i<hat  is  a  man  profited,  &c. 
This  appears  to  be  a  proverbial  expres- 
sion, used  here  by  our  Lord  in  a 
spiritual  sense,  to  show  the  amazing 
worth  of  the  soul,  transcending  in  value 
any  material  object  with  which  it  may 
be  compared.  It  stands  as  a  reason, 
therefore,  why  discipleship  with  Christ, 
even  when  attended  with  trials  and  suf- 
ferings,- is  to  be  preferred  to  a  life  of 
self-indulgence  and  sinful  ploasm-e.  The 
posession  of  the  whole  material  uni- 
verse would  be  of  no  account  whatever, 


26  For  what  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  ''  what 
shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for 
his  soul  ? 

27  For  '  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father, 
"  with  his   angels ;  ''  and  then  he 

&Job34:ll;  Ps.  62:12;  Pr.  24:  12;  Je.  17: 
10,  &32:19;  Po.2:  6;  1  Co.3:8;  2Co.5:10; 
1  Pe.  1 :  17 ;  Ee.  2  :  23,  &  22 :  12. 


if  the  soul,  with  its  ever  increasing  ca- 
jiacity  for  happiness,  or  misery,  is 
banished  from  the  presence  of  God. 
The  question,  what  is  a  man  profit- 
ed, &c.  is  put  rhctoi-ically  for  the  de- 
claration, a  -man  is  not  at  all  j>rofitcd, 
&c.  Mliole  tvorld,  i.  e.  all  the  riches, 
pleasures,  and  sources  of  worldly  enjoy- 
ment. The  word  soul  or  life  refers 
here  to  the  spiritual,  immortal  nature 
of  man,  subject  hereafter  to  eternal  life 
or  eternal  death.  It  has  been  suggested 
to  me,  by  a  highly  valued  and  learned 
friend,  that  soul  is  here  to  be  taken  in 
the  sense  of  natural  life,  it  being  the 
design  of  our  Lord  to  show  that  even 
life  itself,  so  highly  valued  that  no  one 
would  part  with  it  for  the  whole  world, 
is  to  be  freely  surrendered,  whenever 
the  cause  of  Christ  shall  so  demand. 
But  the  losing  and  finding  in  the  pre- 
vious verse,  refers  to  life  in  its  higher 
spiritual  sense,  and  this  verse  is  evi- 
dently intended  to  heighten  the  worth 
of  the  soul,  l)y  showing  the  sad  over- 
throw of  all  happiness  involved  in  its 
loss.  Or  what  shall  a  man  give,  &c.  A 
continuation  of  the  same  sentiment.  In 
exchange  ;  literally,  as  a  price  or  equiva- 
lent. The  infinite  worth  of  the  soul 
finds  no  equivalent  for  which  it  can  be 
bartered  away.  The  implication  is, 
that  God  only  can  provide  a  ransom 
(Job  33  :  24),  which  if  man  rejects,  there 
is  nothing  left  by  which  he  can  pur- 
chase exemption  from  the  penalty  of 
sin  and  death.  This  is  an  additional 
reason,  why  the  world  is  to  be  forsaken 
by  all  who  would  obtain  eternal  life. 
In  no  other  way  than  by  giving  up  all 
for  Christ  can  the  soul  be  saved,  and 
hence  suffering  and  death  are  not  to  be 


210 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  82. 


shall  reward  every  man  accordmg 
to  his  works. 

28    Verily    I    say    unto    you, 


shunned,  but  welcomed,  if  endured 
for  Ilis  sake.  Thus  this  verse  becomes 
coniirmatory  of  the  declaration  made 
in  V.  24. 

27.  Our  Lord  here  advances  a  step 
further  in  confirmation  of  the  truth  set 
forth  in  v.  24.  A  day  of  judgment  is 
coming,  when  to  every  man  shall  be 
rendered  the  reward  due  to  his  works. 
Of  what  avail  will  it  then  be,  to  have 
enjoyed  the  things  of  this  world,  if  a 
man  has  no  interest  in  Christ  ?  Notice 
that  both  here  and  in  25  :  31,  our  Lord 
refers  to  himself  as  the  final  judge, 
under  the  appellation  of  Son  of  man. 
I  cannot  but  think  that  it  is  expressive 
of  the  full  and  perfect  revelation  of 
his  humanity^  as  well  as  divinity,  which 
he  will  make  on  that  great  and  awful 
occasion.  It  is  the  Son  of  man,  one 
w  ho  has  descended  into  the  very  depths 
of  our  weak  and  humble  condition, 
who  has  experienced  the  trials,  sorrows, 
and  temptations,  which  beset  us  in  this 
world,  and  who  has  left  us  in  his  own 
life  an  example  of  patience,  meekness, 
gentleness,  love,  and  devotion  to  his 
Father's  will,  that  is  to  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  judgment,  and  award  to  all 
their  just  deserts.  There  is  something 
in  this  which  appeals  to  the  heart  of 
all,  especially  of  those  who  love  his  ap- 
pearing (2  Tim.  4  :  8).  Shall  come. 
This  refers  to  our  Lord's  appearance  at 
the'  final  judgment.  In  a  secondary 
and  subordinate  sense,  he  is  said  to 
come  to  destroy  Jerusalem  (24  :  3,  2*7, 
37,  38),  and  also  at  the  hour  of  death 
(24  :  44  ;  Luke  12  :  40),  when  the  soul 
enters  upon  its  career  of  happiness  or 
misery,  which  in  full  degree  shall  be 
consummated  and  ratified  at  the  day 
of  judgment.  In  the  (/lory  of  his  Father, 
i.  e.  in  all  the  effulgence  of  glory,  with 
which  God  the  Father  is  invested. 
With  his  angels.  See  2  Thess.  1:7; 
Judo  14.  See  also  N.  on  25  :  31. 
Shall  reward.      This  word  is  literally 


"^  There  be  some  standing  here, 
which  shall  not  taste  of  death, 
till  they  see  the  Son  of  man 
coming  in  his  kingdom. 

c  Ma.  9 : 1 ;  Lu.  9  :  27. 


used  of  giving  up  or  faying  off  in  full 
that  which  belongs  to  another,  as  goods, 
commodities,  wages,  &c.  This  imagery 
is  often  employed  to  denote  the  service- 
pay  or  wages,  for  which  men,  as  moral 
and  accountable  beings,  arc  laboring. 
See  Rom.  6  :  23.  According  to  his  works  ; 
literally,  working  or  tvork  taken  as  a 
whole.  The  acts  of  men  develope  their 
true  character.  "  By  their  fruits  shall 
ye  know  them."  This,  at  the  last  day, 
will  constitute  the  criterion  of  judg- 
ment, as  evincing  the  state  of  the  heart. 
It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  in  the  parallel 
passages  of  Mark  and  Luke,  our  Lord 
refers  to  shame,  as  constituting  the 
principal  reason  for  his  rejection  by 
men,  and  as  being  requited  to  them, 
when  on  the  throne  of  judgment  he 
also  shall  be  ashamed  of  them,  and 
banish  them  for  ever  from  his  pre- 
sence. 

28.  TTiere  be  some  standing,  &c.  The 
people,  as  well  as  his  disciples,  had 
gathered  around  him  at  his  call.  See 
N.  on  V.  24.  Who  shall  not  taste  of 
death.  The  original  is  strongly  empha- 
tic, it  being  literally,  shall  not  taste  am/ 
part  of  death,  i.  e.  death  shall  not  come 
near  them,  until  they  see  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  man,  which  is  here  men- 
tioned. The  word  taste  is  often  used 
metaphorically  for  experience.  The  ex- 
planation of  this  verse  is  attended  with 
some  difficulty,  as  to  which  of  the 
comings  of  the  Son  of  man  reference  is 
had.  To  refer  it  to  the  Transfiguration, 
which  took  place  only  six  days  after- 
wards, is  evidently  erroneous,  inasmuch 
as  the  words,  there  be  some  standing  here, 
&c.  evidently  implies  that  a  portion  at 
least  of  his  auditors  would  be  dead,  be- 
fore the  event  took  place.  No  one 
would  think  of  using  such  language  of 
an  occurrence  so  near  at  hand.  The 
transfiguration  moreover  was  not  the 
reality  of  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,   but   only  its    foreshadowing,   as 


A.  D.  3-2.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


211 


A 


CHAPTER  XVII.  ]  John   his   brother,  and   bringeth 

IS  D    "  after   six    days    Jesus    them   up  into  an  high  mountain 

taketh    Peter,    James,     and    apart, 

a  Ma.  9 :  2  ;  Lu.  9  :  23. 


Peter  (2  Pet.  1  :  16-18)  evidently  re- 
garded it.  The  divine  splendor,  which 
on  that  occasion  invested  the  Savior, 
who  had  assumed  for  man's  redemption 
so  low  and  humble  a  condition,  was 
chiefly  designed  to-  strengthen  the 
faith  of  his  followers,  to  all  of  whom, 
after  his  resurrection,  it  was  permitted 
to  be  told  (17  :  9).  It  is  equally  mani- 
fest that  the  coming  of  Christ  here 
spoken  of,  cannot  refer  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  inasnauch  as  some  of  those 
present  were  not  to  die,  until  they  had 
seen  this  remarkable  manifestation. 
There  remain  only  two  events  to  which 
it  can  be  referred,  the  Pentecostal  elFu- 
sioa  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem.  Against  the  former  of 
these  the  same  objection  lies,  as  against 
its  reference  to  the  transfiguration. 
Almost  if  not  quite  all  of  the  persons 
then  present,  except  Judas  Iscariot, 
lived  to  see  the  glorious  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
which  took  place  less  than  one  year 
after  this.  It  is  better  therefore  to  re- 
fer it  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
including  however  with  that  event,  by 
which  the  church  was  freed  from  its  most 
malignant  and  active  enemies,  the  more 
general  spread  of  the  gospel  and  ad- 
vancement of  Christ's  kingdom,  from 
the  day  of  Pentecost  until  its  ultimate 
triumph  was  rendered  certain,  by  the 
downfall  of  the  seat  of  Judaism  and  the 
Jewish  persecuting  power.  Our  Lord 
thus  cheers  his  followers,  who  had  been 
cast  down  by  the  prediction  of  his  suf- 
ferings and  death,  and  their  own  trials 
and  privations,  with  the  announcement 
of  his  reappearance  to  establish  and 
confirm  his  kingdom,  and  to  destroy 
those  malignant  enemies  of  his  church, 
who  had  conspired  to  effect  his  death, 
and  had  been  the  bitter  persecutors  of 
his  followers. 

CHAP.  XVII. 
1-13.  The  Transfiguration.  Region 


of  Cesarea  Philippi.    Mark   9:    2-13; 
Luke  9  :  28-36. 

1.  And  after  six  days  from  the  time 
of  the  preceding  conversation.  Luke 
(9:  28)  says  that  it  was  "about  an 
eight  days  after  these  sayings."  He  is 
less  definite  than  Matthew  or  Mark,  or 
may  be  supposed  to  have  reckoned  in 
the  extreme  days,  while  their  reckon- 
ing embraces  only  the  inclusive 
ones.  Such  slight  discrepancies,  so  far 
from  detracting  from  the  veracity  of 
the  sacred  writers,  rather  confirm  their 
truthfulness,  by  showing  the  absence 
of  all  collusion  or  preconcertedness  in 
their  statements.  Peter,  James,  and 
John.  These  faithful  and  beloved  disci- 
ples, several  times  besides  this,  received 
marks  of  special  favor  (Mark  5 :  37  ; 
Matt.  26  :  37  ;  John  20  :  2  ;  Mark  16  :  7; 
1  Cor.  15:  7).  Three  persons  were 
sufficient  to  attest  the  truth  of  this 
wonderful  scene,  and  had  more  been 
present,  it  might  have  been  somewhat 
difficult  to  have  kept  it  secret.  Aiid 
bringeth  them,  i.  e.  they  went  at  his  in- 
vitation or  request.  The  same  verb  is 
used  of  the  taking  of  Jesus  by  the 
tempter  to  tlie  pinnacle  of  the  temple 
(Matt.  4 :  5),  and  shows  that  it  does 
not  there  necessarily  imply  physical 
compulsion,  as  many  expositors  inter- 
pret it.  Into  a  high  mountain.  Some 
think  that  Tabor  was  the  scene  of  the 
Transfiguration.  But  there  seems  to 
be  validity  in  the  objection  to  this,  that 
our  Lord  could  hardly  be  supposed  to 
have  taken  a  journey  into  Galilee,  to  be 
transfigured  on  Mount  Tabor,  and  then 
to  have  returned  to  the  region  of  Cesarea 
Philippi,  as  it  is  evident  he  must  have 
done  from  Mark  9  :  30.  It  appears  also 
that  he  rejoined  his  disciples  the  next  day 
(Luke  9  :  37)  after  the  transfiguration, 
which  would  have  been  impossible,  had 
he  been  transfigured  on  Mount  Tabor, 
and  his  disciples  remained  at  Cesarea 
Philippi.  Some,  to  avoid  this  latter 
difficulty,  argue  that  it  took  place  oa 


212 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


2  And  was  transfigured  before 
them  :  and  his  face  did  shine  as 


his  return  to  Galilee,  and  that  the 
mountain  was  one  of  those  bordering 
on  the  Lake.  But  this  is  irreconcilable 
with  Mark  as  above  quoted,  from  whose 
narrative  it  is  quite  clear,  that  this 
event  took  place,  while  they  were  in 
the  extreme  north  of  the  land.  It  is 
better,  therefore,  to  understand  it  of 
some  mountain  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood, although  its  identification  now 
is  out  of  the  question.  Apart  from 
the  others.  Our  Lord  often  retired  by 
himself  to  pray  and  meditate,  and  on 
such  occasions  he  frequently  ascended 
some  solitary  hill  or  mountain,  where  he 
would  be  least  liable  to  be  interrupted. 
It  appears  from  Luke  9  :  37,  that  they 
passed  at  least  one  whole  night  upon  the 
mountain,  and  as  they  probably  descend- 
ed as  soon  as  the  glorious  scene  had 
closed,  there  must  have  been  much 
time  spent  previously  in  prayer.  It  is 
quite  likely  that  the  transfiguration 
took  place  in  the  latter  hours  of  the 
night,  and  that  early  in  the  following 
morning,  they  returned  to  the'  multi- 
tude. It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  Luke 
represents  him  as  going  up  into  the 
mountain  to  pray,  and  that  while  en- 
gaged in  prayer,  the  transfiguration 
took  place.  According  to  the  same 
Evangelist,  the  Spirit  descended  upon 
him  on  the  banks  of  Jordan  while  he 
was  engaged  in  prayer.  Luke  3  :  21, 
22. 

2.  Was  transfigured.  No  substantial 
change  is  here  implied,  but  only  one 
of  outward  form  and  appearance. 
His  features  and  bodily  form  were 
the  same,  but  changed  to  ineffable 
glory  and  splendor.  This  appears  clear- 
ly from  Luke,  who  says  that  "  the 
fashion  (i.  e.  appearance)  of  his  counte- 
nance was  altered,  and  his  raiment  was 
white  and  glistering."  The  design  of 
this  glorious  investiture,  as  has  been 
remarked  (N.  on  16  :  28),  was  doubt- 
less to  confirm  the  fiiith  of  his  disciples, 
and  fortify  their  mind  against  the  pain- 
ful scenes  of  the  crucifixion,  which  were 
soon  to  follow.     To  these  beloved  dis- 


the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white 
as  the  light. 


ciples  was  vouchsafed  a  sign  as  it  were 
from  heaven,  vi  : -h  had  been  denied 
the  proud  and  unbelieving  Pharisees. 
The  highest  evidence  ever  addressed  to 
mortal  ears  was  given  to  them,  as  to 
John  the  Baptist  on  a  previous  occasion 
(3  :  17),  when  they  heard  a  voice  from 
the  most  excellent  glory  (2  Pet.  1  :  17) 
saying, "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 

1  am  well  pleased."  The  Afonderful  con- 
versation of  Christ  and  his  two  glorified 
servants  respecting  "  his  decease,  which 
he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem " 
(Luke  9  :  31),  must  have  enlightened 
them  as  to  the  true  object  of  our  Ke- 
deemer's  mission  into  this  world.  Al- 
though afterwards  they  were  still 
subject  to  doubts  and  perplexities  on 
this  point,  yet  the  effect  of  this  scene 
must  have  been  great  and  lasting.  Its 
remembrance  must  have  produced  in 
their  own  minds  and  those  of  the  other 
disciples,  to  whom  they  w^ere  permitted 
to  divulge  it  after  their  Lord's  resurrec- 
tion, the  most  cheering  views  of  the 
glory  of  Christ,  and  also  of  the  saints 
in  heaven.  Indeed  this  scene,  more 
than  any  other,  brings  down  heaven 
and  its  glories  to  earth,  and  gives  a 
foretaste  of  the  glory  and  blessedness  of 
its  celestial  inhabitants.  Olshausen  re- 
gards the  spiritual  life  of  Jesus,  as  ex- 
hibiting itself  in  a  process  of  develop- 
ment, his  humanity  receiving  only  by 
degrees  into  itself  the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead,  in  which  process  of  develop- 
ment, the  transfiguration  formed  a  stage. 
But  this  view  is  liable  to  be  misunder- 
stood, if  it  be  not  positively  objection- 
able on  the  score  of  truth.  Develop- 
ment in  spiritual  life  implies  progress, 
and  how  this  is  reconcilable  with  the 
sinless  nature  of  Jesus,  and  his  abundant 
supply  of  the  Spirit  (John  3  :  34),  is 
quite  beyond  our  comprehension.  We 
can  see  how  he  increased  in  wisdom 
(Luke  2  :  52),  for  he  had  a  human 
soul,  but  inasmuch  as  that  was  sinless 
from  his  very  birth,  and  as  in  him  dwelt 
the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  (Col. 

2  :  9),  we  do  not  see  how  development 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


213 


3  And  behold,  there  appeared 
unto  them  Moses  and  Elias  talk- 
ing with  him. 


or  progress  can  be  predicated  of  his 
spiritual  life.  Before  them,  i.  e.  in 
their  presence,  and  so  as  to  be  seen 
of  them.  And  his  face  did  shine  as  the 
sun.  It  not  only  had  the  sun's  excessive 
brightness,  but  emitted  dazzling  rays 
like  that  luminary.  His  raiment  was 
white  as  the  light ;  literally,  was  glittering 
or  radiant  white.  In  Mark  more  fully : 
"  his  raiment  became  shining,  exceeding 
white  as  snow,  so  as  no  fuller  on  earth 
can  white  them."  So  also  Luke  :  "his 
raiment  was  white  and  glistering,"  liter- 
ally, _/?as/tiM^  out  as  lightning .^  emitting 
dazzling  rays.  Language  could  not  ex- 
press a  greater  excess  of  glory,  than  here 
invested  our  Savior. 

3.  There  appeared  unto  them.  It 
was  no  phantasm  of  the  imagination, 
but  a  real  appearance,  visible  to  the 
natural  eye.  Moses  and  Elias.  As 
Christ  came  to  fulfil  the  law  (5  ;  17), 
and  by  his  death  to  magnify  it  and  make 
it  honorable  (Isa.  42  :  21),  there  was 
an  appropriateness  in  this  appearance 
of  Moses  the  lawgiver,  and  Elias  the 
zealous  reformer  and  restorer  of  the 
law.  Alford  notices  the  points  of  re- 
semblance between  these  two  saints,  in 
their  extraordinary  departure  from  this 
life,  their  supernatural  fast  of  forty 
days  and  forty  nights,  and  their  both 
having  been  in  the  holy  mount  in  the 
visions  of  God.  Luke  calls  them,  "men 
who  appeared  in  glory,"  by  which  it 
would  seem,  that  they  were  clad  in  the 
celestial  radiance  of  the  glorified  spirits 
in  heaven.  It  is  evident  from  this  pas- 
sage, as  well  as  from  other  portions  of 
God's  word,  that  saints  in  heaven  are 
known  and  distinguished  from  one 
another,  by  the  form  and  appearance  of 
their  glorified  bodies,  and,  for  aught 
which  may  be  advanced  to  the  con- 
trary, addressed  by  the  same  names 
which  they  bore  on  earth.  See  Luke 
16:  24.  As  these  two  glorified  saints 
had  never  been  seen  by  Peter  and 
his  companions,  they  probably  became 
known  on  this  occasion,  from  their  hav- 


4  Then  answered  Peter,  and 
said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  it  is  good 
for  us  to  be  here  :  if  thou  wilt, 


ing  been  addressed  by  name  in  their 
conversation  with  Jesus,  or  through 
some  immediate  act  of  his  revealing 
power.  Olshausen's  conjecture,  that 
their  names  were  made  known  by 
Jesus,  after  the  scene  had  ended,  is 
precluded  by  what  is  said  in  vei'se  4, 
showing  that  Peter  knew  at  the  time 
what  names  they  bore.  Talking  with  him. 
In  Luke  (9  :  31),  we  are  informed  of  the 
subject  of  their  conversation.  In  the 
death  of  Christ,  which  was  soon  to  take 
place  at  Jerusalem,  they,  in  common 
with  all  the  glorified  saints,  must  have 
felt  an  absorbing  interest.  Their  at- 
tainment of  heavenly  bliss,  from  the 
depths  of  sin  and  exposedness  to  eternal 
death,  .was  the  result  of  that  sacrifice 
which  was  about  to  be  made.  They 
knew  its  infinite  value,  and  there  were 
many  things  connected  with  it,  which 
they,  as  well  as  the  angels,  desired  to 
look  into  (see  1  Peter  1 :  10-12).  On  the 
mount  of  transfiguration,  they  were 
permitted  to  converse  with  him,  and 
learn  the  relations  of  his  sufferings 
and  death  to  that  law,  which,  while  on 
earth,  they  had  promulgated  and  de- 
feuded. 

4.  Then  answered  Peter.  It  appears 
from  Luke,  that  Peter  and  his  fellow- 
disciples,  as  the  hours  of  the  night 
passed  away,  being  overcome  with 
watchings  and  fotigue,  had  sunk  into 
a  deep  sleep.  But  when  they  awoke 
of  their  own  accord,  or  more  prob- 
ably, aroused  by  the  glorious  light 
which  flashed  upon  them,  they  saw 
this  wonderful  appearance,  and  list- 
ened to  the  conversation  which  was 
going  on.  As  the  two  men  were 
about  to  depart,  Peter,  through  fear 
and  amazement,  or  perliaps  from  his 
great  ecstasy,  not  knowing  what  he 
said  (Luke  9  :  33),  but  desirous  of  pro- 
longing this  wonderful  vision  and  lis 
enjoyment,  proposed  to  construct  three 
temporary  booths,  such  as  were  erected 
at  the  feast  of  tabernacles.  His  pur- 
pose  was  very  evident,    although  the 


214 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


let  US  make  here  three  taberna- 
cles ;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for 
Moses,  and  one  for  Elias. 

5  '  While  he  yet  spake,  behold, 
a  bright  cloud  overshadowed 
them  :  and  behold  a  voice  out  of 

ft2Pe.l:lT.    cCh.3:lT;  Ma.l:ll;  Lu.8:22, 


absurdity  of  the  idea,  that  such  celestial 
visitants  would  stand  in  need  of  booths 
constructed  with  human  hands,  can  only 
be  referred  to  the  extreme  bewilder- 
ment and  agitation  of  his  mind,  in  view 
of  this  overpowering  glory.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  Peter  did  not,  so  far  as  we 
know,  address  a  single  word  to  Moses 
and  Elias,  nor  do  these  saints  appear  to 
have  noticed  the  presence  of  the  disci- 
ples. Their  thoughts  and  conversation 
were  wholly  engrossed  with  him,  whom 
they  knew  to  be  their  divine  Redeemer, 
and  who  was  the  great  central  figure  in 
the  picture.  In  the  presence  of  Christ,  all 
created  intelligences  sink  into  insig- 
nificance. Three  tabernacles.  Tents  or 
booths  were  oftentimes  hastily  con- 
structed from  boughs  and  branches  of 
trees,  to  serve  as  a  temporary  ledging- 
place  for  the  benighted  traveller. 
Sometimes  they  were  made,  by  stretch- 
ing skins  or  canvas  over  poles  fastened 
to  upright  stakes  or  posts.  The  feast 
of  tabernacles  was  so  called  from  the 
booths  or  tents,  in  which  the  people, 
who  came  up  to  the  tabernacle  or  tem- 
ple on  that  annual  festival,  dwelt  for 
seven  days.  Alford  notices  the  re- 
markable coincidence  of  terms  in  2  Pet. 
1 :  14,  15,  where  he  uses  the  words, 
tabernacle  and  decease,  just  before  he 
alludes  to  the  transfiguration.  It  is 
very  evident  that  Peter,  in  his  epistles, 
had  a  vivid  recollection  of  this  portion 
of  our  Lord's  ministry,  as  may  be  seen 
by  comparing  Matt.  16:  23  with  1  Pet. 
2 :  7-8,  and  Matt.  16 :  26  with  1  Pet. 
1:  18. 

5.  While  he  yet  spake.  The  heavenly 
visitants  were  about  to  depart  as  Peter 
spake  (see  Luke  9  :  33).  Previously  to 
their  departure,  and  while  he  was  yet 
speaking,  a  bright  cloud  overshadow- 
ed them   (i.  e.   our  Lord,   Moses,   and 


the  cloud,  which  said,  '  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  "*  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased  ;   '  hear  ye  him. 

6  ■''And  when  the  disciples 
heard  it,  they  fell  on  their  face, 
and  were  sore  afraid. 

d  Is.  42 : 1.        «  De.  18  :  15, 19  ;  Ac.  3 :  22, 23. 

/2  Pe.  1 :  18. 

Elias),  from  which  issued  the  awful 
voice  of  God  the  Father ;  and  when 
they  recovered  from  the  terror  of 
the  scene,  which  almost  deprived 
them  of  their  senses  (see  v.  6),  and 
from  which  they  were  relieved  by  the 
kind  and  encouraging  tones  of  their 
Master,  the  glory  had  disappeared,  and 
Jesus  was  with  them  alone  as  before 
the  vision.  A  bright  cloud.  The  sum- 
mit of  the  mountain,  or  at  least  that 
portion  on  which  they  stood,  was  cover- 
ed with  ineffable  splendor,  like  that  of 
the  Shechinah.  It  was  called  a  cloud, 
because  it  appeared  as  a  cloud,  the  centre 
of  which,  as  Doddridge  well  remarks, 
"was  filled  and  illumined  with  glory, 
the  dazzling  and  insupportable  rays  of 
which  were  attempered  by  that  part 
of  the  cloudy  vail,  which  was  between 
it  and  them."  Overshadowed  them  with 
its  glorious  refulgence.  This  refers  of 
course  to  our  Lord,  Moses,  and  Elias. 
That  the  disciples  did  not  enter  into 
the  cloud  (Luke  9 :  34)  is  evident,  be- 
cause the  voice  which  they  heard  issued 
from  it,  as  appears  in  the  next  clause, 
a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  i.  e.  proceed- 
ing from  the  cloud.  This  was  none 
other  than  tlie  voice  of  God  (2  Pet. 
1 :  17).  This  is  mij  beloved  Son,  &c. 
Once  before  at  his  baptism,  and  once 
afterwards  (John  12:  28),  did  God  in  an 
audible  voice  bear  testimony  in  favor 
of  his  Son.  Hear  ye  him.  An  em- 
phatic declaration  that  the  teachings  of 
Jesus  were  to  take  pre-eminence  over 
those  of  Moses  and  the  prophets.  Com- 
pare Dent.  18  :  15  ;  Heb.  1 :  1,  2. 

6.  And  when  the  disciples  heard  it, 
i.  e.  the  voice  from  the  cloud.  Tliey 
fell  upon  their  face,  through  fear,  and 
perhaps  as  an  act  of  reverential  pros- 
tration in  presence  of  the  Deity.  Were 
sore    afraid.     It    was    an    universally 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


215 


7  And  Jesus  came  and  ^touched 
them,  and  said,  Arise,  and  be  not 
afraid. 

8  And  when  they  had  lifted  up 
their  eyes,  they  saw  no  man,  save 
Jesus  only. 

fir  Da.  8 :  18,  &  9 :  21,  &  10 :  10, 18. 

prevalent  opinion  ■with  the  ancient 
Jews,  that  no  one  could  see  God  and 
live.  Compare  Gen.  16  :  14,  where  the 
well  beside  which  Hagar  sat,  when  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  her, 
was  called  Beer-lahai-roi,  well  of  life 
of  vision ;  i.  e.  of  life  after  a  vision  of 
God.  See  also  Ex.  20:  19;  Judges 
13  :  22  ;  Isa.  6  :  5.  That  such  an  idea 
was  prevalent  also  among  the  ancient 
Romans,  may  be  gathered  from  Livy, 
Book  1 :  16.  Luke  says,  "they  feared 
when  they  entered  into  the  cloud,"  i.  e. 
when  Jesus  and  his  heavenly  visitants 
became   enveloped  in  its  splendor. 

7,  8.  And  Jesus  came  and  touched 
them.  In  Uke  manner  Daniel,  when 
faint  and  weak  from  the  overpowering 
vision,  which  he  saw  on  the  banks  of 
Iliddekel  (Dan.  10 :  8,  10),  was  touched 
by  a  hand  and  restored  to  strength. 
See  also  Rev.  1  :  17.  Arise^  &c.  They 
had  foUen  upon  their  faces  through  fear. 
\Mien  they  had  lifted  up  their  eyes. 
They  had  received  strength  and  confi- 
dence from  the  touch  of  Jesus  to  rise 
up,  and  thus  reassured,  they  looked 
around  and  saw  no  man  (i.  e.  neither  of 
the  two  men  who  had  talked  with 
Jesus)  save  Jesus  only.  Thus  closes 
one  of  the  sublimest  scenes,  upon 
which  the  eye  of  man  was  ever  per- 
mitted to  gaze.  One  cannot  but  ad- 
mire the  simple,  unadorned  language 
in  which  it  is  related,  so  different  from 
the  style,  in  which  such  a  wonderful 
occurrence  would  have  been  penned  by 
uninspired  writers. 

9.  And  as  they  came  down;  literally, 
while  they  were  coming  down  from  the 
mountain.  This,  as  has  been  remarked 
(N".  on  V.  1),  was  probably  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning.  Tell  the  vision,  &c. 
It  would  have  been  a  premature  dis- 
closure before  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 


9  And  as  they  came  down  from 
the  mountain,  ''  Jesus  charged 
them,  saying,  Tell  the  vision  to  no 
man,  until  the  Son  of  man  be  risen 
again  from  the  dead. 

10  And  his  disciples  asked  him, 

hGh.  16 :  20  ;  Ma.  8:  30,  &9:  9. 

The  minds  of  the  disciples  in  general 
were  not  yet  prepared  to  receive  it. 
Perhaps  it  would  have  seemed  incredi- 
ble to  some,  until  they  had  been  pre- 
pared for  so  wondrous  a  revelation  of 
the  unseen  world,  by  the  crowning 
proof  of  their  Lord's  divine  mission  and 
character,  in  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  It  would  also  have  tended  to 
exasperate  more  highly  the  enemies  of 
Jesus,  and  thus  have  impeded  his  min- 
istry, if  not  brought  it  to  a  premature 
close.  Other  reasons  doubtless  were 
known  to  Jesus,  for  keeping  his  trans- 
figuration secret  for  a  time.  Vision, 
i.  e.  the  things  which  they  saw.  So  it 
is  expressly  stated  by  Mark  (9  :  9), 
which  shows  that  it  was  not  a  mere 
vision,  but  a  reality.  The  word  vision 
is  often  taken  in  the  general  sense  of, 
that  which  is  revealed  to  the  eye,  in  con- 
tradistinction from  that  which  is  made 
known  in  words.  Here  we  may  allude 
again  to  what  Luke  says  (9  :  32),  that 
it  was  when  they  were  awakened  out 
of  sleep,  that  they  saw  his  glory.  It 
was  no  dream  or  phantasy  of  the  im- 
agination, therefore,  but  something  upon 
which  they  looked  in  a  state  of  entire 
wakefulness,  and  in  the  active  exercise 
of  all  their  faculties.  Until  the  Son  of 
ma7i,  &c.  The  repetition  of  so  strange 
and  unheard  of  a  thing,  as  one's  rising 
from  the  dead,  appears  to  have  amazed 
them,  and  given  rise  to  much  thought 
and  discussion  as  to  what  it  meant.  See 
Mark  9 :  10.  Perhaps  a  part  of  the 
conversation  to  which  they  had  listened 
on  the  Mount,  had  reference  to  that 
subject.  The  general  resurrection  was 
a  doctrine  of  their  belief,  but  they  could 
not  comprehend  what  Jesus  meant  by 
saying  on  a  previous  occasion  (16  :  21), 
that  he  should  rise  on  the  third  duy 
after  his  decease,  and    now  directing 


216 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


saying,  '"Why  then  say  the  scribes, 
that  Elias  must  first  come  ? 

11  And  Jesus  answei'cd  and 
said  uuto  them,  Elias  truly  shall 

i  Mai.  4:5;  ch.  11 :  14 ;  Ma.  9  :  11. 

them  not  to  disclose  the  vision  they  had 
just  seen,  until  after  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  We  who  are  familiar 
with  that  event  in  the  light  of  its  in- 
spired history,  can  have  little  concep- 
tion, how  strangely  such  an  annunci- 
ation must  have  fallen  upon  the  disci- 
ples' ears.  Fro7n  tlie  dead.  See  N.  on 
14:  2. 

10.  It  appears  that  the  disciples, 
while  on  their  way  back,  took  occasion 
from  having  seen  Elias,  to  propose  a 
question,  in  respect  to  which  they  were 
now  in  a  state  of  perplexity.  The  train 
of  thought  is  this :  Elias  has  come  down 
to  earth  and  we  have  seen  him.  The 
prophecy  of  his  coming  (Mai.  4  :  5)  is 
now  fulfilled.  But  how  then  is  it  con- 
sistent with  this  fact,  that  in  the  pre- 
diction, his  coming  was  to  precede  that 
of  the  Messiah  ?  This  is  the  point  of 
the  question,  and  in  the  reconciliation 
of  the  prediction  with  its  accomplish- 
ment, as  they  beheved,  on  the  Mount 
of  Transfiguration,  lay  the  difficulty 
under  which  their  mind  was  now  labor- 
ing. Some  critics  give  it,  however, 
this  turn :  We  are  now  satisfied  beyond 
a  doubt  of  thy  Messiahship.  But 
Elias  has  not  yet  appeared  to  our  na- 
tion, as  the  prediction  of  his  coming  is 
interpreted  by  the  scribes  to  teach. 
How  is  this  ?  Are  they  mistaken  in 
their  exposition  of  the  prophecy  ?  This 
exposition  is  based  on  their  belief  that 
Elias  was  to  abide  for  a  time  on  the 
earth,  whereas  on  the  Mount  he  had 
only  staid  a  few  hours,  and  then  ascend- 
ed again  to  heaven,  which  they  thought 
was  not  long  enough  to  satisfy  the 
terms  of  the  prediction.  But  this  view 
seems  to  overlook  that  point  in  the 
question,  which  seems  to  be  most  prom- 
inent, "  must  first  come."  On  this 
account,  the  former  interpretation  is  to 
be  preferred.  Why  say  the  scribes? 
What  grounds  have  they  for  saying? 


first  come,  and  *restore  all  things : 

12   'But  I   say  unto  you,  that 

Elias  is  come  already,  and  they 

knew  him   not,  but  '"have  done 

i- Mai.  4:6;  Lu.  1 :  16, 17 ;  Ac. 3 :  21.    ICh.U: 
14  ;  Ma.  9  :  12, 13.       m  Ch.  14 : 3, 10. 


Ifust  first  come,  i.  e.  must  precede  the 
Messiah. 

11.  Our  Lord,  with  great  kindness 
and  condescension,  at  once  removes 
the  difficulty  under  which  their  mind 
was  thus  laboring.  Elias  truly  shall 
first  come,  as  was  predicted.  The  future 
tense  is  here  employed  in  reference  to 
the  fulfillment  of  the  original  prediction 
in  Malachi,  and  not  as  designating  some- 
thing still  in  the  future,  a  personal 
coming  of  Elias,  before  the  second 
and  final  appearance  of  our  Lord,  which 
Olshausen  and  Alford  erroneously  think 
to  be  the  real  prediction,  of  which 
John's  appearance  in  the  Spirit  of 
Elias  was  only  a  partial  fulfillment. 
This  use  of  the  future,  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  time  in  which  the  predic- 
tion was  uttered,  is  evident  from  the 
following  context.  And  restore  all 
things,  i.  e.  act  as  a  general  reibrmer, 
and  prepare  the  mind  of  the  people  to 
receive  the  Messiah.  The  word  restore 
is  here  used  of  the  re-establishment  of 
the  people  of  Israel  to  the  order,  pros- 
perity, and  happiness,  which,  as  a  type 
of  the  Messianic  times,  they  had  enjoy- 
ed in  the  days  of  the  theocracy,  and 
especially  during  the  reign  of  David. 
It  was  erroneously  regarded,  however, 
as  a  temporal  rather  than  a  spiritual 
restoration.  All  things,  i.  e.  the  moral 
condition  of  things,  to  which  the  pro- 
phecy contrary  to  the  general  belief  re- 
ferred. 

12.  Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  show- 
that  the  prophecy  had  been  truly  and 
fully  accomplished.  Elias  has  come  al- 
ready. He  referred  so  evidently  to 
John  the  Baptist,  that  the  discifiles  at 
once  took  his  meaning  (see  v.  13).  And 
they  knew  him  not.  They  did  not  re- 
ceive or  recognize  him  as  the  predicted 
Elias.  Their  minds  were  so  blinded 
and  perverted  by  prejudice,  that  they 
did  not  discern  his  true  office  and  mis- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVn. 


217 


unto  him  whatsoever  they  listed. 
Likewise  "  shall  also  the  Sou  of 
man  suffer  of  them. 

13  "Then  the  disciples  under- 
stood that  he  spake  unto  them  of 
John  the  Baptist. 

n  Ch.  16 :  21.        o  Ch.  11 :  14. 


sion.  This  was  particularly  true  of  the 
cliief  men  of  the  nation.  Many  of  the 
common  people  believed  John  to  be  a 
prophet,  although  very  few  of  them 
even,  had  a  clear  view  of  the  nature  of 
his  mission.  Have  done  unto  him,  &c. 
They  hated  him  as  a  bold,  uncompromi- 
sing reformer,  and  effected  his  death. 
Herod  was  the  instrument  of  this,  but 
the  act  is  charged  upon  the  nation, 
both  because  it  was  done  by  the  civil 
authority,  and  because  the  people  in 
general,  especially  the  priests  and  rulers, 
entertained  towards  him  a  deadly  ha- 
tred, which  only  waited  some  conve- 
nient opportunity  to  eifect  his  death. 
Likewise  shall  also  the  Son  of  man,  &c. 
Tlieir  treatment  of  the  Forerunner  was 
a  clear  indication  of  what  they  would 
do  to  our  Savior.  There  is  no  obscurity 
in  this  passage  thus  explained.  It  is 
0  ily  perplexing  to  those  who  believe  in 
a  future  and  literal  appearance  of  Elias 
ou  earth,  which  notion  has  no  support 
either  from  this  passage,  or  from  the 
original  prophecy  in  Malachi. 

14-21.  The  Healing  of  a  Demoniac, 
WHOM  THE  Disciples  could  not  heal. 
Region  of  Ccesarea  Philippi.  Mark  9  ; 
14-29  ;  Luke  9 :  37-43. 

14.  And  when  they  were  come,  &c. 
It  appears  from  Mark  (9  :  14-16),  that 
the  scribes,  taking  advantage  of  his  ab- 
sence, were  troubhng  his  disciples  with 
puzzling  questions  and  sophistical  ar- 
guments, a  great  multitude  having  ga- 
thered around  them.  They  were  un- 
doubtedly endeavoring  to  shake  their 
faith  in  Jesus,  by  advancing  objections 
to  his  Messiahship.  Perhaps  they  were 
also  endeavoring  to  find  some  ground 
of  accusation  against  him,  in  what 
might  fall  from  the  disciples'  Hps.  At 
this  time  Jesus  was  seen  approaching  in  i 
the  distance,  and  the  multitude  left  the  | 
Vol,  I— 10 


14  IT  ''  And  when  they  were 
come  to  the  multitude,  there  came 
to  him  a  certain  man  kneeling 
down  to  him,  and  saying, 

15  Lord,  have  mercy  on  my 
son  ;  for  he  is  lunatic,  and  sore 

p  Ma.  9  :  14  ;  Lu.  9 :  37. 

scribes,  and  running  to  meet  him,  sa- 
luted him.  When  he  came  to  his  dis- 
ciples, with  a  holy  indignation  at  the 
hypocritical  and  artful  designs  of  the 
scribes,  he  asks,  in  a  tone  of  authority 
and  reproof,  why  they  thus  questioned 
with  his  disciples.  Either  through  con- 
scious guilt  and  mental  confusion  at  his 
sudden  and  unlooked  for  appearance, 
or  by  the  interruption  of  the  father  of 
the  lunatic,  they  seem  to  have  made 
no  reply.  These  incidents,  which  are 
found  only  in  Mark,  should  be  read,  in 
order  to  keep  the  thread  of  the  nar- 
rative before  the  mind.  Tliere  came  to 
him.  In  his  parental  anguish,  he  first 
cried  to  Jesus  from  a  distance  (Luke  9  : 
38),  but  now  he  comes  into  his  imme- 
diate presence,  and  kneeling  prefers 
his  request.  It  must  not  be  supposed 
that  he  kneeled  in  religious  adoration, 
but  as  an  earnest,  humble  suppliant. 
His  frame  of  mind  was,  however,  one 
of  humble  faith  and  reliance  on  the 
ability  and  willingness  of  Jesus  to  heal 
his  son  (see  Mark  9  :  24). 

15.  My  son.  Luke  says  that  he  was 
his  only  child.  He  is  a  Iwiatic  ;  lite- 
rally, moon-struck.  See  N.  on  4  :  24. 
This  disease,  as  here  developed,  was 
not  inconsistent  with  the  alleged  de- 
moniacal influence.  And  sore  vexed; 
literally,  suffers  badly.  It  was  a  case  of 
extreme  suffering,  for  not  only  was  he 
subject  to  these  violent  fits,  but,  ac- 
cording to  Mark,  was  also  dumb.  Often- 
times he  falleth,  &c.  These  sudden  fits 
were  constantly  endangering  his  life, 
in  the  way  here  mentioned.  In  the 
fuller  account  of  Mark  and  Luke,  he  is 
represented,  while  in  the  fit,  as  foaming 
at  the  mouth,  gnashing  with  his  teeth, 
and  being  torn  and  bruised  by  the  vio- 
lence to  which  he  was  excited  by  the 
evil  spirit  within.     When  brought  into 


218 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


vexed  :  for  ofttimes  he  falletli  in- 
to the  fii'e,  and  oft  into  the  water. 

16  And  I  brought  him  to  thy 
disciples,  and  they  could  not  cure 
him. 

17  Then  Jesus  answered  and 
said,  0  faithless  and  perverse  ge- 


the  presence  of  Jesus  (see  v.  20),  he 
was  seized  with  one  of  these  sudden 
and  violent  paroxysms,  and  so  dreadful 
were  his  sulferhigs,  that  our  Lord  was 
amazed,  and  inquired  the  length  of 
time,  in  which  he  had  been  thus  af- 
flicted.    See  Mark  9  :  20-23. 

16.  A7id  I  brought  him,  &c.  Re- 
ference is  had  to  the  apostles  who  had 
been  left  behind,  including  also  his  other 
disciples  and  followers.  Aiid  they  could 
not  cure  him.  This  resulted  from  their 
unbeHef  (see  v.  20).  They,  doubtless, 
oftentimes  adjured  the  spirit  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come  out  of 
him,  but  without  success.  The  case 
seemed  to  them  s-o  desperate,  that  their 
faith  in  being  able  to  effect  a  cure  was 
weak,  and  hence  they  were  unsuccess- 
ful. Other  reasons  also  for  their 
weakness  of  faith  are  referred  to  in 
N.  on  V.  21. 

17.  0  faithless  and  perverse  genera' 
Hon.  There  has  been  much  doubt  as 
to  whom  these  words  were  addressed. 
Origen  refers  them  to  the  disciples 
alone.  Their  opinion  seems  entitled  to 
the  most  weight,  who,  with  Chrysostom, 
regard  our  Lord  as  addressing  the 
whole  multitude.  There  were,  doubt- 
less, many  circumstances  attending  the 
efforts  of  the  disciples  to  cast  out  the 
demon,  which  Jesus  well  knew,  but  of 
which  we  are  not  informed.  Some  of 
these  we  may  conjecture.  The  dis- 
ciples shared  his  rebuke  for  their  want  of 
faith.  The  scribes,  no  doubt,  rejoiced 
in  their  failure  to  eject  the  evil  spirit, 
and  pronounced  them  all  impostors,  ar- 
guing, as  Calvin  in  substance  remarks, 
from  the  impotence  of  the  disciples  to 
the  impotence  of  their  Master.  It  may 
have  been  upon  this  very  subject,  that 
they  were  wrangling  with  the  disciples, 
when  Jesus  came  down  from  the  mount. 


neration,  how  long  shall  I  be 
with  you  ?  how  long  shall  I  sufi'er 
you  ?  bring  hiin  hither  to  me. 

18  And  Jesus  rebuked  the  de- 
vil; and  he  departed  out  of  him : 
and  the  child  was  cured  from  that 
very  hour. 


We  might  conjecture  this  from  the 
Savior's  question  to  the  scribes  (Mark 
9:  14)  having  been  answered  by  the 
father,  in  the  relation  of  the  unsuc- 
cessful attempt,  which  had  been  made 
by  the  disciples  to  cure  his  son.  The 
scribes  were  therefore  rebuked,  and 
the  whole  multitude,  so  far  as  they  sym- 
pathized with  them  in  exulting  over 
the  disciples'  want  of  success.  The 
<i\ni\\&i  faithless,  is  thought  to  apply  to 
the  disciples,  and  perverse  (literally, 
crooked),  to  the  scribes.  So  of  the 
next  clauses,  how  long  (literally,  until 
when)  shall  I  be  with  you?  how  long 
shall  I  suffer  you?  the  former  is  in  like 
manner  to  be  referred  to  the  disciples, 
the  latter  to  the  scribes.  Be  with  you. 
As  though  he  had  said :  have  I  not  been 
with  you  long  enough  to  teach  you,  that 
in  my  name  you  can  do  all  things, 
however  difficult  or  even  impossible 
they  may  seem  to  be  ?  Suffer  you,  i  e. 
bear  with  your  unbelief  and  hardness  of 
heart.  Bring  him  hither.  What  con- 
fidence and  dignity  on  the  part  of 
Christ,  do  these  words  evince. 

18.  And  Jesus  rebuked  the  devil  for 
his  malignant  effort  to  destroy  the 
child.  The  reader  should  turn  to  Mark 
9 :  20-28,  in  which  will  be  found  a 
more  circumstantial  account  of  this 
cure,  which,  in  many  particulars,  was 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  miracles  of 
our  Lord,  and  worthily  followed  his 
glorious  transfiguration.  From  that  very 
hour.     See  N.  on  9  :  22. 

19.  Apart,  "into  the  house,"  Mark. 
Why  couldnot  we,  &c.  They  felt  morti- 
fied and  distressed  at  their  failure,  and 
therefore  took  the  first  opportunity  to 
learn  the  cause  of  it. 

20.  Because  of  your  unbelief.  See  N. 
on  V.  16.  Their  distrust  in  the  promise 
of  Christ,  who  had  given  them  power 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


219 


19  Then  came  the  disciples  to 
Jesus  apart,  and  said,  why  could 
not  we  cast  him  out  ? 

20  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Because  of  your  unbelief:  for 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  *  If  ye  have 
faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed, 

oCh.  21:21;  Ma.  11 :  23  ;  Lu.  17:6:  lCo.l2: 
9,  &  13 :  2. 

over  all  unclean  spirits  (10:  1-8),  was 
very  wrong  and  unseasonable,  for  then, 
if  ever,  in  the  presence  of  the  cavilling 
scribes,  they  ought  not  to  have  suffered 
their  faith  to  waver,  and  thus  brought 
dishonor  upon  theirMaster  and  his  cause. 
Faith  was  demanded  of  them  as  a  ne- 
cessary condition,  on  which  power  was 
given  them  to  work  miracles.  For 
verily,  &c.  An  illustration  of  the  power 
of  faith  is  here  introduced,  so  incredible, 
however  to  the  natural  heart,  that 
Jesus  confirms  it  by  verily,  his  usual 
mode  of  affirmation  (see  N.  on  5 :  18). 
As  a  grain  of  mustard  seed.  A  pro- 
verbial expression,  denoting  in  the  least 
degree  or  quantity.  So  to  retnove  moun- 
tains was  a  form  of  expression,  em- 
ployed to  denote  the  performance  of  a 
thing,  so  great  as  to  be  apparently  im- 
possible. The  Romans  expressed  the 
idea  of  wild  and  hyperbolical  promises, 
by  the  phrase  to  promise  mountains 
(see  Sallust,  Cat.  23,  §  3).  Unto  this 
mountain.  It  is  thought  that  he  point- 
ed to  the  mountain  from  which  he  had 
just  descended,  and  which,  being  high 
(see  V.  1),  could  be  easily  seen  from  the 
place  where  they  then  were.  It  was, 
undoubtedly,  some  mountain  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood.  Be  thou  re- 
moved, &c.  On  two  other  occasions, 
our  Lord  repeated  this  sentiment ;  once 
by  the  removal  of  a  mountain  into  the 
sea  (21:21;  Mark  11:23),  and  at 
another  time,  by  the  removal  of  a 
sycamine  tree  into  the  sea  (Luke  17 :  6). 
In  this  case,  while  repeating  the  words 
to  yonder  place  (literally,  there),  he  pro- 
baialy  pointed  in  the  direction  of  the 
sea,  thus  rendering  the  expression  defi- 
nite to  the  disciples.  And  nothing  shall 
he  impossible  to  you.  This  enlarges  the 
promise  of    miraculous    power    to   its 


ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain, 
Remove  hence  to  yonder  place ; 
and  it  shall  remove  :  and  nothing 
shall  be  impossible  unto  you. 

21  Howbeit  this  kind  goeth 
not  out  but  by  prayer  and  fast- 
ing. 


widest  extent.  The  disciples,  however, 
had  no  license  from  this  promise  to  at- 
tempt the  performance  of  any  miracle, 
which  did  not  tend  directly  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  advancement  of  the 
cause  of  truth  on  earth. 

21.  This  kind,  i.  e.  this  class  of  be- 
ings, viz.  demons.  Not  as  it  is  often 
interpreted,  this  kind  of  demons,  as 
though  it  were  harder  or  required  more 
faith,  fasting,  and  prayer,  to  expel  some 
than  others.  There  are  undoubtedly 
orders  in  the  evil  hierarchies,  as  well  as 
in  the  good,  but  it  is  as  easy  for  divine 
power,  acting  through  human  agency, 
to  cast  out  and  bind  Beelzebub  himself, 
as  one  of  his  inferior  demons.  Nor 
does  our  Lord  require  different  degrees 
of  faith,  and  a  different  preparation  of 
heart,  to  cast  out  demons  of  dift'crcnt 
malignity  and  power.  He  demands  at 
all  times,  and  on  all  occasions,  the 
fullest  and  most  implicit  trust  in  him- 
self, and  makes  no  distinction  between 
great  and  small  miracles,  which,  in  re- 
ference to  the  divine  power  exerted  in 
their  performance,  are  all  the  same.  A 
general  truth,  however,  of  great  im- 
portance is  taught  in  this  passage.  In 
the  absence  of  their  Lord,  the  disciples 
had  become  so  engrossed  with  the  mul- 
titude, who  in  connection  with  the 
scribes  were  plying  them  with  ques- 
tions, and  drawing  them  into  discus- 
sions, that  they  neglected  their  seasons 
of  prayer  and  self-abasement.  They 
were  therefore  unfitted  for  the  work  of 
expelling  the  demon.  Their  faith  failed 
them,  for  this  grace  is  kept  strong  and 
active,  only  by  the  exercise  of  prayer 
and  self-renunciation.  Prayer  and  fast- 
ing are  therefore  insisted  upon  by 
Christ,  as  an  essential  prerequisite  to 
that  faith,  by  which  only  can  demons  be 


220 


MATTHEW. 


[A.D.  32. 


22  1"  '  And  while  they  abode 
in  Galilee,  Jesus  s^d  unto  them, 
The  Son  of  man  shall  be  betrayed 
into  the  hands  of  men  : 

23  And  they  shall  kill  him,  and 

r  Ch.  16 :  21,  &20: 17 ;  Ma.  8 :  31,  & 9  :  80, 31,  & 
10 :  33  ;  Lu.  9 :  22, 44,  &  18 :  31,  &  24 :  6,  T. 


expelled.  This  kind  goeth  not  out  (is 
not  dispossessed  from  men)  but  by  prayer 
and  fasting,  which  you,  my  disciples, 
have  neglected  to  observe  during  my 
absence.  This  seems  to  be  the  obvious 
sense  of  the  passage.  Olshausen  refers 
this  in  part  to  the  person  cured,  who 
had,  by  his  sins  of  impurity,  plunged 
himself  into  this  nervous  disorder  (but 
see  Mark  9  :  21,  "from  a  child"),  and 
therefore  required  a  wise  treatment. 
But  not  to  speak  of  other  objections, 
what  had  this  to  do  with  the  question 
of  the  apostles,  "  Why  could  not  we 
cast  him  out  ?  "  the  answer  to  which,  on 
Olshausen's  view,  should  have  been,  not 
their  want  of  faith,  but  ignorance  of 
the  nature  of  the  disease,  and  kind  of 
treatment  to  be  enjoined. 

'2"2,  '23.  Jesus  again  foretells  his 
OWN  Death  and  Resurrection.  Gali- 
lee.    Mark  9  :  30-32  ;  Luke  9  :  43-45. 

22,  23.  And  while  they  abode,  &c. 
Wo  find  in  Mark  9  :  30,  that  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  departed  thence  (i.  e.  from 
the  region  of  Csesarea  Philippi),  and 
passed  through  Galilee  (i.  e.  the  upper 
portion),  on  his  way  through  Caper- 
naum. It  appears  also  from  Mark,  that 
he  made  this  journey  as  privately  as  pos- 
sible, in  order  that  he  might  have  op- 
portunity to  instruct  his  disciples  more 
fully,  respecting  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion. While  they  abode.  A  better 
rendering  would  here  be,  while  they 
were  passing  along  on  their  way  from 
Cffisarea  Philippi  to  Capernaum.  Thus 
the  narration  harmonizes  with  that  of 
Mark,  and  also  with  Matthew  himself, 
who,  in  V.  24,  represents  them  as  hav- 
ing come  to  Capernaum.  The  So7i  of 
man,  &c.  Our  Lord  here  plainly  fore- 
tells his  own  death  and  resurrection, 
and  thus  removes  from  the  minds  of  his 
followers  any  lingering  hope,  that  what 
he  had  previously  said  (16  :  21),  might 


the  third  day  he  shall  be  raised 
again.  And  they  were  exceeding 
sorry. 

24   1"    And   'when  they  were 
come  to  Capernaum,  they  that  re- 

8  Ma.  9 :  33. 


have  arisen  from  despondency  and 
gloomy  forebodings,  rather  than  from  a 
future  reality.  Shall  be  betrayed;  lite- 
rally, shall  be  delivered  up.  See  N.  on 
10:4.  Of  men.  There  is  great  pathos 
in  this  expression,  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  to  redeem  sinful  men,  our 
blessed  Savior  came  down  from  heaven 
to  suffer  and  die.  That  the  persons  he 
came  to  redeem  should  be  his  murder- 
ers, must  have  struck  all  holy  beings 
with  amazement.  Were  exceeding 
sorry.  Something  more  than  mere 
sympathy  with  their  Master's  sufferings 
is  here  implied.  All  their  expectations 
of  a  temporal,  reigning,  victorious  Mes- 
siah were  now  disappointed.  There 
may  have  been  some  lingering  hope, 
that  in  some  mysterious  way  he  would 
yet  triumph  over  his  enemies,  but  the 
future  was  henceforth  dark  to  them, 
until  they  were  enlightened  by  the 
Spirit,  as  to  the  real  nature  of  Christ's 
mission  and  kingdom.  Mark  and  Luke 
both  say,  that  they  did  not  understand 
the  saying,  and  were  afraid  to  ask  him 
for  a  more  full  explanation.  This  does 
not  imply  any  doubt  as  to  the  truth  of 
his  declaration  respecting  his  death,  but 
only  that  they  could  not  reconcile  it 
with  their  pi-econceived  notions  of  the 
Messiah,  which  personage  they  now 
knew  Jesus  to  be.  It  is  worthy  of  note, 
that  henceforth  they  seem  to  have 
stood  in  awe  of  Jesus,  and  been  im- 
pressed with  the  mystery  of  his  cha- 
racter and  mission,  to  a  greater  degree 
than  before  (see  Mark  10  :  32). 

24—27.  Tribute  for  the  Temple 
Service  demanded  of  Christ.  Caper- 
naum. 

24.  Hiey  that  received  the  tribute 
money ;  literally,  the  receivers  of  the 
didrachmas.  The  didrachma  or  double 
drachma  was  a  silver  coin,  of  the  value 
of  two  Attic  drachmas,  as  its  name  4m- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


221 


ceived  tribute-money,  came  to 
Peter,  and  said.  Doth  not  your 
master  pay  tribute  ? 

25  He  saith,  Yes.  And  when 
he  was  come  into  the  house,  Je- 
sus prevented  him,  saying,  What 
thinkest  thou,  Simon  ?  of  whom 
do  the  kings  of  the  earth  take 


ports,  or  a  Jewish  half-shekel,  equal  to 
about  30  cents  of  our  money.  It  was  a 
yearly  tax  to  support  the  temple  wor- 
ship, paid  by  every  Jew,  and  not  as  the 
word  tribute  might  mislead  some  to 
suppose,  a  civil  tax  or  impost  paid  to 
the  Romans.  Came  to  Peter  as  the 
oldest  and  leading  apostle.  Doth  not 
your  master,  &c.  This  temple  tribute 
was  voluntary,  although  so  established 
by  long  custom  that  it  was  almost  uni- 
versally paid.  In  the  time  of  Nehemiah 
(see  Neh.  10  :  32),  this  tribute  was  the 
third  part  of  a  shekel.  The  question  is 
shaped,  as  if  it  were  taken  for  granted, 
that  a  religious  teacher  of  the  charac- 
ter and  pretensions  of  Jesus,  would 
not  overlook  so  important  a  duty,  as 
helping  to  support  the  temple  service. 
Peter,  not  willing  that  his  Master  should 
forfeit  the  good  opinion  here  enter- 
tained of  him,  promptly  replied  in  the 
affirmative.  Many  interpreters  think 
that  this  was  rashly  spoken  by  Peter, 
and  that  in  the  subsequent  conversation, 
a  mild  rebuke  was  administered  to  him 
by  his  Master.  Pay  tribute ;  literally, 
the  didrachinas. 

25.  He  saith.  Yes.  Either  our  Lord 
had  paid  this  tribute  on  a  previous  oc- 
casion, or  Peter  assumed  that  he  would 
do  so,  from  his  observance  of  all  reli- 
gious usages  and  duties.  Into  the  house, 
where  Jesus  had  already  gone,  while 
Peter  was  conversing  with  the  tax- 
receiver.  Some  have  singularly  referred 
this  to  Jesus,  as  the  one  who  went  into 
the  house.  But  the  original  does  not 
at  all  permit  this.  Jesus  prevented  him, 
i.  e.  anticipated  him  in  speaking.  This 
shows  that  he  knew  well  what  lay  upon 
Peter's  mind.  Proofs  and  illustrations 
of  his  omniscience  are  thus  to  be  found, 
in  many  of  the  incidents  of  his  public 


custom  or  tribute  ?  of  their  own 
children,  or  of  strangers? 

26  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Of 
strangers.  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
Then  are  the  children  free. 

27  Notwithstanding,  lest  we 
should  offend  them,  go  thou  to 
the  sea,   and  cast  an  hook,  and 

life.  What  thinkest  thou  ?  What  do  you 
think  of  the  question  which  I  am  about 
to  propose,  in  its  bearings  upon  the 
payment  of  the  tribute-money  ?  Kings 
of  the  earth,  as  opposed  to  the  idea 
which  underlies  this  whole  passage,  that 
God,  the  King  and  Governor  of  all,  may 
on  like  principles  exempt  his  Son  from 
the  payment  of  tribute  to  support  his 
temple  worship.  Of  their  oivn  children, 
i.  e.  members  of  their  own  family.  Or 
of  strangers,  i.  e.  those  of  the  people 
not  belonging  to  their  own  family. 

26.  Peter's  reply,  that  earthly  mon- 
archs  exacted  tribute  of  strangers  or 
persons  out  of  their  family,  established 
the  truth  of  Jesus'  inference.  J7ie7i  are 
the  children  free;  literally,  then  the  chil- 
dren at  least  (whatever  may  be  true  of 
others)  are  free.  The  argument  was 
left  to  be  mentally  filled  up,  but  yet 
was  conducted  to  such  a  point,  that 
Peter  could  be  at  no  loss,  as  to  the  in- 
ference which  he  was  to  draw,  that 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  in  whose  honor 
the  temple  was  erected,  was  wholly  free 
from  any  moral  obligation  to  pay  for 
the  support  of  its  worship.  This  ex- 
planation is  based  on  the  well-estab- 
lished fact,  that  this  was  a  religious,  and 
not  a  civil  tax.  Had  it  been  the  latter, 
the  illustration  would  not  have  been  in 
point. 

27.  Lest  we  should  offend  them,  or  put 
a  stumbling-block  in  their  way,  by  seem- 
ing to  undervalue  the  temple  worship, 
and  thus  needlessly  prejudice  them 
against  the  truths  of  the  gospel.  Our 
Lord  includes  Peter  with  himself,  be- 
cause he  was  of  his  company,  and  be- 
cause the  time  had  not  come,  when  the 
distinction  was  to  be  openly  made  be- 
tween Jesus  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God    (John    1  :  14,    18;  3:   16),  and 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


take  up  the  fish  that  first  cometh 
up ;  aud  when  thou  hast  opened 
his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  piece 
of  money :  that  take,  and  give 
unto  them  for  me  and  thee. 


those  who  were  God's  children  by  adop- 
tion (Rom.  8:15;  Gal.  4:4;  Eph.  1  :  5). 
To  the  sea  of  Gahlee,  on  the  shore  of 
which  was  situated  Capernaum.  Take  up 
the  Jish  (in  thy  hand)  which  first  cometh 
up^  i.  e.  is  brought  up  on  the  hook. 
Trench  translates :  Draw  up  with  thy  line, 
the  fish  that  first  ascends  from  the  deep 
waters  to  thy  hook.  But  it  was  mani- 
festly beyond  the  power  of  Peter,  to 
make  choice  what  fish  he  should  draw 
up  on  his  hook.  The  direction  is  evi- 
dently that  he  was  to  take  in  his  hand, 
and  ojjcn  the  mouth  of  the  first  one  he 
drew  up,  whether  it  were  a  large  or 
small  fish,  or  of  what  kind  soever  it 
might  be.  Tliou  shalt  find,  he.  It  is 
probable  that  the  fish  had  swallowed 
this  piece  of  money,  although  the  same 
Being  whose  omniscient  eye  saw  it  in 
the  fish's  mouth,  could  easily  have 
created  it,  had  it  been  necessary.  When 
things,  however,  can  be  explained  other- 
wise, it  is  not  well  to  nmltiply  miracles. 
Christ's  omnipresence  and  power,  as 
well  as  his  omniscience,  are  strikingly 
manifest,  in  that  while  he  himself  was  at 
a  distance,  he  caused  this  particular  fish 
to  approach  the  hook  and  be  drawn  up. 
For  me  and  thee.  The  piece  of  money 
was  a  stater.,  or  four  drachmas,  the  sum 
necessary  to  pay  the  tax  of  Peter  and 
his  Master.  The  word  translated  /or, 
is  literally  in  the  place  ofi  and  conforms 
to  its  being  the  redemption  money,  paid 
for  a  person,  according  to  the  direction 
in  Ex.  30  :  12. 

This  chapter  contains  some  of  the 
most  remarkable  incidents  in  our  Sa- 
vior's life.  The  transfiguration,  in 
which  the  curtains  of  the  hcavenlj' 
world  are  drawn  aside,  and  we  are 
permitted  to  see  the  glory  of  the  di- 
vine Redeemer  and  his  chosen  saints — 
the  benevolence  and  power  manifested 
in  the  cure  of  the  demoniac — the  full 
and  exphcit  prediction  of  bis  sufferings 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AT  "the  same  time  came  the 
disciples  unto  Jesus,  saying, 
Who  is  the  greatest  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ? 

a  Ma.  9  :  33 ;  Lu.  9  :  46,  &  22  :  24. 


and  death — his  divine  attributes  mani- 
fested in  providing  the  tribute  money, 
are  all  to  be  regarded  as  developing 
some  of  the  most  interesting  features 
in  his  whole  history. 

CHAP.  XVIII. 

1-35.  Contention  among  the  Dis- 
ciples WHO  should  be  the  greatest. 
Jesus  inculcates  humility,  forbear- 
ance, AND  brotherly  LOVE.  Caper- 
naum. Mark  9  :  33-50  ;  Luke  9  :  46- 
50. 

1.  At  the  same  time,  &c.  This  con- 
versation is  introduced  in  Mark  (9  :  38, 
34)  by  an  inquiry  of  Jesus,  as  to  what 
his  disciples  had  disputed  upon  by  the 
way.  They  at  first  held  their  peace, 
probably  through  shame,  for  they  had 
been  warmly  discussing  the  question, 
who  should  be  greatest  in  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah,  which,  as  they  un- 
derstood our  Lord's  words  (16  :  28), 
was  soon  to  be  established.  Finding, 
however,  that  nothing  could  be  con- 
cealed from  Christ,  they  boldly  pro- 
pose the  question  as  recorded  here  by 
Matthew,  who  is  the  greatest  ;  literally, 
who  then  is  greatest,  &c.  The  par- 
ticle then,  unfortunately  omitted  in  our 
common  version,  shows  that  the  ques- 
tion in  Matthew  grew  out  of  just  such 
an  incident  or  conversation,  as  is  fully 
narrated  in  Mark,  and  partially  so  in 
Luke.  Jesus  had  so  recently,  and  in 
so  impressive  a  manner,  foretold  his 
own  sufferings  and  death,  and  had  laid 
down  such  self-denying  conditions  of 
their  discipleship,  that  it  seems  sur- 
passing strange,  that  they  should 
have  admitted  such  thoughts  into  their 
mind.  It  can  only  be  accounted  for  in 
their  low  and  imperfect  views  of  the 
nature  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  what 
was  required  of  them  to  be  his  fol- 
lowers. There  was  also  yet  much  car- 
nality in  their  views  of  the  great  object 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


223 


2  And  Jesus  called  a  little 
child  unto  him,  and  set  him  in 
the  midst  of  them, 

3  And  said.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  'Except  ye  be  converted,  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 


&Ps.  131 :  2;  ch.  19  :  14;  Ma.  10  :  14;  Lu.  18: 
16;  1  Co.  14:20;  lPe.2:2. 

and  purpose  of  life.  As  to  what  gave 
rise  to  the  dispute,  we  can  only  con- 
jecture. The  most  probable  supposi- 
tion is  the  preference  shown  to  the  three 
dis/iples,  who  accompanied  him  to  the 
mount  of  Transfiguration,  which  may 
have  excited  their  pride  and  expecta- 
tion of  future  honors,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  envy  of  those  less  favored.  Is 
greatest ;  literally,  the  greater,  in  dig- 
nity and  authority. 

2.  And  Jesus  called,  &c.  He  had 
previously  assumed  the  sitting  posture 
of  teacher,  and  called  around  him  the 
Twelve  (see  Mark  9  :  35).  He  was  now 
about  to  teach  an  important  lesson,  and 
he  wished  all  to  hear.  A  little  child 
that  happened  to  be  playing  near,  fur- 
n'shed  an  appropriate  and  expressive 
symbol  of  that  humility  and  absence 
of  ambition  and  worldly-mindedness, 
which  he  wished  to  inculcate  upon 
his  disciples. 

3.  Be  converted,  i.  e.  changed  in  dis- 
po4tion,  and  turned  away  from  ambi- 
tious rivalry.  This  term,  which  is 
often  used  to  denote  regeneration,  is 
taken  here  in  a  more  progressive  and 
general  sense,  of  the  amendment  of 
one's  life  and  conduct,  for  it  cannot  be 
supposed  that  the  apostles  were  yet 
unconverted  men.  As  little  children 
(literally,  as  the  little  children  repre- 
sented by  the  one  referred  to  in  v.  2), 
in  the  graces  of  humility,  ingenuous- 
ness, freedom  from  pride,  ambition, 
and  a  worldly  spirit.  Ye  shall  not  (an 
intensive  negative  not  at  all)  enter,  &c. 
Not  to  speak  of  having  the  pre-eminence 
sought  for,  ye  shall  not  be  permitted 
even  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
What  a  blow  to  all  their  ambitious  aims 
and  aspirations. 


4  "  Whosoever  therefore  shall 
humble  himself  as  this  little 
child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

5  And  "^  whoso  shall  receive  one 
such  little  child  in  my  name  re- 
eeiveth  me. 

6  '  But  whoso  shall  offend  one 

c  Ch.  20  :  27,  &  23  :  11.      d  Ch.  10  :  42 ;  Lu.  9  : 
48.        e  Ma.  9:42;  Lu.  17  : 1,  2. 


4.  Shall  humble  himself,  &c.  Tins 
does  not  imply  that  the  little  child  had 
humbled  itself,  as  was  required  of 
Christ's  disciples.  The  sentiment  is 
this :  shall  humble  himself  (and  be- 
come) as  this  little  child.  The  child 
was  to  be  the  pattern  of  humiliation, 
but  not  of  the  process  by  which  it  was 
to  be  effected.  Greatest  in  the  king- 
dom, i.  e.  he  will  reach  the  highest  seat 
of  happiness  and  glory.  It  is  implied 
clearly  in  1  Cor.  15  :  39-41,  that  there 
are  grades  of  glory  and  bhss  among  the 
redeemed  spirits  in  heaven,  and  we  are 
here  taught  by  our  Lord,  on  what  such 
distinctions  will  be  founded.  Not  dis- 
tinguished mental  ability,  or  great 
theological  attainments,  but  the  pos- 
session of  a  meek  and  humble  spirit, 
will  be  the  passport  to  distinction  in 
heaven. 

5.  Shall  receive,  &c.  See  N.  on  10  : 
40.  0?ie  such  little  child,  i.  e.  one  who 
has  thus  humbled  himself  as  denoted  in 
V.  4.  Alford  understands  the  term,  as 
embracing  both  actual  and  spiritual 
children,  but  in  this  verse,  the  expres- 
sion refers  solely  to  such  as  have  a 
meek  and  child-like  spirit.  The  collo- 
cation of  the  original  is  very  emphatic, 
such  a  little  child,  one  even.  Many 
who  are  forward  to  do  deeds  of  benevo- 
lence on  a  great  scale,  would,  per- 
haps, require  no  small  enlargement  of 
their  faith  and  love,  to  seek  out  and 
assist  some  poor,  humble,  and  des- 
pised "  little  one,"  in  the  spirit  en- 
joined by  this  passage.  Receiveth  me. 
The  reference  is  here  more  general 
than  in  10  :  40  (on  which  see  N.),  em- 
bracing not  only  all  Christ's  ministers, 
but  every  private  disciple  who  mani- 
fests this  spirit  of  humihty. 


224 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


of  these  little  ones  winch  believe 
in  nic,  it  were  better  for  him  that 
a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  ihat  he  were  drowned 
in  the  depth  of  the  sea. 

7  1'  Wo  unto  the  world  because 
of  offences  !  for  ^  it  must  needs 
be  that  offences  come ;  but  "  wo 
to  that  man  by  whom  the  offence 
cometh  ! 

/Lu.  17:l;lCo.ll:19.        grCh.  26:21. 

7.  Between  the  preceding  verse  and 
this,  Maik  9  :  38-41,  and  Luke  9  :  49, 
50,  are  to  be  read,  where  we  are  told  that 
John  informed  liis  Master,  that  they  had 
forbidden  a  man's  casting  out  devils  in 
his  name,  because  he  did  not  follow 
them.  This  interruption,  however,  did 
not  divert  our  Lord  from  pursuing  the 
lesson  of  instruction  in  reference  to  hu- 
mility, forbearance,  and  brotherly  love, 
which  he  was  teaching  his  disciples. 
Shall  offend.  See  N.  on  5  :  29.  It 
is  not  improbable  that  the  dispute 
in  regard  to  pre-eminence  (Mark  9 :  33) 
had  been  conducted  in  such  a  manner, 
as  to  excite  angry  feelings,  and  give 
offence,  and  hence  our  Lord  took  oc- 
casion to  caution  against  giving  of- 
fences, and  to  enforce  the  duty  of  seek- 
ing reconciliation  with  an  offended 
brother.  One  of  these  little  07ies,  &c. 
Reference  is  had  to  such  as  possess  the 
humility  and  child-like  spirit  which  he 
is  commending.  This  is  evident  from 
the  scope  of  the  passage,  as  well  as 
from  the  words,  which  believe  in  ?ne, 
which  show  that  spiritual  children  or 
little  ones  are  referred  to.  It  were  better 
for  him ;  literally,  it  ^vere  profitable  to 
him.  As  the  expression  evidently  im- 
plies a  comparison,  the  common  transla- 
tion is  a  good  one.  A  millstone  ;  lite- 
rally, a  stone  turned  by  an  ass.  Hand- 
mills  were  in  common  use,  turned  by 
two  females,  usually  maid-servants  of 
the  lowest  station,  who  sat  or  knelt  at 
their  work  opposite  to  each  other, 
each  taking  hold  of  the  handle,  and 
impelling  the  upper  stone  half  way 
around,  or   both  turning  it  around  to- 


8  ^  Wherefore  if  thy  hand  or 
thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut  them  off, 
and  cast  the7n  from  thee  :  it  is 
better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life 
halt  or  maimed,  rather  than  hav- 
ing two  hands  or  two  feet,  to  be 
cast  into  everlasting  fire. 

9  And  if  thine  eye  offend  thee, 
pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from 
thee  :  it  is  better  for  thee  to  en- 

hCh.5:  29,  80 ;  Ma.  9  :  4-3, 45. 


gether.  But  large  mills  were  turned 
by  an  ass,  and  hence  the  upper  stone 
of  such  mills  was  designated  an  ass- 
viillsto7ie.  The  great  size  of  these 
stones  gave  rise  to  the  proverbial  ex- 
pression here  made  use  of,  to  denote 
complete  and  irremediable  destruction. 
As  there  could  be  no  escape  from  death, 
to  one  plunged  into  the  depths  of  the 
sea,  with  such  an  enormous  stone  at- 
tached to  his  neck,  so  irretrievable  ruin, 
of  a  far  more  dreadful  kind,  would 
come  upon  one,  who  should  offend  or 
cause  to  fall  into  sin  one  of  the  hum- 
blest of  Christ's  children.  In  the  depth 
of  the  sea  ;  literally,  in  the  high  or 
main  sea  of  the  sea,  an  expression  of 
great  intensity,  signifying  the  very 
centre  or  deepest  portion  of  the  sea. 
The  general  idea  of  this  passage  is, 
that  a  man  had  better  suffer  the 
most  dreadful  death,  than  to  live  on, 
to  commit  the  sin  of  offending  one 
of  Christ's  little  ones.  It  is  not  ne- 
cessary to  give  point  to  this  illustra- 
tion, to  suppose  that  punishment  by 
drowning  was  really  inflicted  by  the 
Jews.  The  fact  that  it  was  a  Roman, 
as  well  as  Macedonian  punishment,  is 
sufficient  to  have  given  rise  to  the  pro- 
verb. 

7.  Woe  unto  the  world.  The  word 
world  is  here  used,  as  in  5 :  14,  to  de- 
note the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  men, 
mankind.  Offences,  occasions,  entice- 
ments, and  allurements  to  sin,  including, 
of  course,  indignities  and  affronts  (see 
N.  on  V.  6).  These  might  arise  from 
persecutions,  or  more  subtle  and  insidi- 
ous efforts  to  lead  believers  away  from 


A.  D.  32.]  CHAPTER  XVIL 

ter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather 
than  having  two  eyes,  to  be  cast 
into  hell-fire. 


225 


the  truth.  It  must  needs  be,  i.  e.  the 
prevalence  of  corrupting  influences  and 
temptations  to  apostatize  from  Christ, 
or  fall  into  sins  of  less  magnitude,  was 
to  be  expected,  and  would  almost  cer- 
tainly take  place.  There  was  no  neces- 
sity for  this,other  than  in  the  wickedness 
and  natural  enmity  to  truth,  which  have 
possession  of  the  carnal  heart.  Woe  to 
that  man,  &c.  It  is  a  sin  of  great  magni- 
tude, and  to  be  followed  by  fearful  pun- 
ishment, to  be  the  voluntary  cause  or  oc- 
casion of  the  apostasy  or  falling  away 
into  sin  of  one  of  Christ's  followers.  As 
he  who  is  instrumental  in  the  salvation 
of  a  fellow  sinner,  enhances  his  own 
glory  and  bliss  in  heaven  (Dan.  12  :  3), 
so  on  the  contrary,  one  who  conspires 
to  eifect  the  ruin  of  another,  brings  in- 
creased condemnation  upon  himself. 

8,  9.  These  verses  are  a  slightly 
varied  repetition  of  5  :  29,  30,  on  which 
see  Notes.  Our  Lord  here  lays  down 
the  principle,  that  the  best  way  to  avoid 
the  sin  and  condemnation  of  being 
stumbling-blocks  to  others,  is  to  re- 
move every  cause  of  offence  in  one's 
self.  It  is  better  for  thee  ;  literally,  it  is 
ffood  for  thee  to  enter — rather  than,  &c. 
The  force  of  the  comparison  is  not  dimi- 
nished but  rendered  more  emphatic,  in 
its  expression,  by  the  positive  form  of 
the  adjective.  In  5  :  29,  "  it  is  profit- 
able for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members 
should  perish."  The  sentiment  is  the 
same  in  both  places.  It  is  not  taught 
here  that  the  glorified  bodies  of  those 
in  heaven,  will  be  mutilated  or  deficient 
in  any  of  their  members.  The  sense 
is,  that  if  such  a  thing  were  true,  a  maim- 
ed body  in  heaven  is  far  preferable  to 
a  body,  perfect  and  whole  in  all  its  parts, 
and  yet  shut  up  to  the  torments  of  hell. 
The  members  of  the  body  here  spoken 
of,  figuratively  represent  the  various 
forms  of  sin  and  self-indulgence  which 
are  to  be  renounced.  Heaven  without 
these  is  to  be  preferred  to  their  unre- 
strained indulgence  in  the  world  of 
torment.  Everlasting  fire.  That  the 
usual  acceptation  of  the  word  everlost- 
VoL.  I.— 10* 


10  Take  heed  that  ye  despise 
not  one  of  these  little  ones :  for  I 
say    unto    you,    that    in    heaven 

inff,  to  denote  endless  duration,  is 
correct,  appears  clearly  from  the 
varied  expression,  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage in  Mark  (9  :  43,  44),"  into  hell,  into 
the  fire  which  shall  never  be  quenched, 
where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the 
fire  is  not  quenched."  The  yvovd aionio7i, 
translated  everlasting,  is  used  in  the 
great  majority  of  instances  in  the  New 
Testament,  of  God,  of  the  unseen  and 
future  world,  of  the  perpetuity  of  Christ's 
kingdom  (2  Pet.  1  :  11),  of  the  happi- 
ness of  the  saints  in  heaven,  and  of 
eternal  life.  In  a  few  instances,  it  is 
employed  of  the  punishment  of  the 
wicked.  It  is  very  clear,  that  we  have 
no  right  to  limit  its  signification  in  these 
latter  instances,  to  denote  finite  dura- 
tion, while  in  so  great  a  number  of 
instances,  we  are  obliged  by  the  nature 
of  the  subject,  to  give  it  the  meaning  of 
endless  duration  (see  more  fully  N.  on 
25  :  46).  The  adherence  to  its  usual 
signification,  becomes  still  more  the 
duty  of  the  expositor  of  God's  word, 
finding,  as  he  does,  so  many  forms  of 
expression,  which  place  the  eternity  of 
future  punishment  beyond  all  doubt  or 
question.  With  one  eye  ;  original,  o»/<- 
eyed. 

10.  Take  heed,  &c.  Our  Lord  here 
resumes  the  train  of  instruction,  which 
had  been  partially  interrupted  by  vs. 
7-9.  His  warning  is  now  directed 
against  pride,  and  a  contemptuous  de- 
meanor towards  his  followers,  whose 
humility,  meekness,  and  lowliness  of 
heart  are  represented  by  the  phrase, 
"  little  ones,"  drawn  from  the  illustration 
of  the  little  child,  with  which  Jesus  com 
menced  his  discourse.  Alford  thinks  that 
children  are  included  in  the  term  "  little 
ones,"  as  being  in  fact  the  only  disci- 
ples, in  the  external  form  of  the  church, 
who  are  sure  to  be  that  in  reality,  which 
their  baptism  has  put  upon  them.  But 
it  is  far  better  to  refer  the  expression 
to  the  same  class  of  humble  believers, 
spoken  of  in  v.  6,  where  the  words, 
"thatbeheve  in  me,"  limit  it  to  actual 
beUevers  in  Christ.     Despise  ;  literally, 


226 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


'their  angels  do  always  *  behold 
the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven. 

11  '  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come 
to  save  that  which  was  lost. 

iPs.34:T;  Zee.  13:7;  He.  1:14.        ;5;Es.  1: 
14  ;  Lu.  1 :  19. 


look  down  upon,  treat  with  haughty  de- 
meanor. In  heaven,  belong.?  to  the 
words  their  angels  in  the  sense,  their 
angels  ivhen  iri  heaven  (i.  e.  when  not 
sent  to  other  parts  of  the  universe  to 
do  God's  will  .and  pleasure)  do  always 
behold,  &c.  This  stands  as  a  reason, 
why  Christ's  little  ones  are  not  to  be 
despised  or  thought  lightly  of.  The 
Jews  supposed  that  every  good  man,  at 
least,  had  his  guardian  angel.  Whether 
in  its  fullest  extent  this  be  true  or  not, 
we  are  warranted  from  God's  word  in 
believing,  that  angels  not  only  take  a 
lively  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to 
human  salvation,  but  are  oftentimes 
the  special  guardians  and  attendants  of 
those  who  are  beloved  of  God.  Com- 
pare Ps.  34  :  7  ;  91  :  11  ;  Gen.  32  :  1  ; 
Heb.  1  :  14.  The  angels  that  watch 
over  the  humble  followers  of  Christ  are 
said  to  be  presence  angels  (see  Luke  1 : 
19),  i.  e.  angels  of  the  highest  dignity, 
the  imagery  being  borrowed  from  Ori- 
ental courts,  where  the  highest  in  rank 
and  authority  stand  nearest  to  the 
king,  and  are  permitted  to  see  his  face. 
See  1  Kings  10  :  8  ;  Prov.  22  :  19  ; 
Dan.  1:5;  Luke  21  :  36. 

11.  J^or  the  Son  of  man,  &c.  This 
is  a  second  and  more  cogent  reason, 
why  the  humblest  of  Christ's  family  are 
not  to  be  despised.  The  inestimable 
ransom  paid  for  their  salvation,  in  the 
death  of  Him  who  came  to  save  that 
which  was  lost,  renders  them  objects  of 
his  highest  love,  and  therefore  they  are 
not  to  be  held  in  disesteem  by  any. 
This  admonition  strikes  at  the  very 
root  of  those  grades  and  distinctions, 
too  often  found  in  the  churches  of 
Christ,  which  are  based,  not  so  much 
on  attainments  in  piety  and  personal 
worth,  as  upon  the  position  in  society, 
which  wealth  and  family  connections 
enable  their  possessor  to  take.     In  the 


12  How  think  ye  ?  if  a  man 
have  "  an  hundred  sheep,  and  one 
of  them  be  gone  astray,  doth  he 
not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine,  and 
goeth     into    the    mountains,   and 

i Lu.  9 :  56,  &  19  :  10;  Jno.  3  :  IT,  &  12  :  47. 
m  Lu.  15  : 4. 

kingdom  of  Christ  he  is  greatest,  who 
has  made  the  highest  attainments  in 
the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  whatever  may 
be  his  worldly  condition.  Alford  cites 
Steir's  beautiful  thought :  "  Here  is 
Jacob's  ladder  planted  before  our  eyes : 
beneath  are  the  little  ones ;  then  their 
angels ;  then  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven, 
in  whom  alone  man  is  exalted  above 
angels,  who  as  the  Great  Angel  of 
the  covenant,  cometh  from  the  pres- 
ence and  bosom  of  the  Father;  and 
above  Him  again  (v.  14)  the  Father 
himself  and  his  good  pleasure." 

12.  The  train  of  reasoning  is  this: 
The  high  estimation  in  which  my  Fa- 
ther (see  v.  14)  holds  the  humblest  of 
the  redeemed  ones,  is  seen  in  the  joy 
which  he  feels  at  their  recovery  from 
ruin,  and  his  unwillingness  that  any  of 
them  should  perish.  His  joy  is  like 
that  which  is  felt  by  a  tender-hearted 
and  faithful  shepherd,  who  anxiously 
seeks  after  a  lost  sheep,  even  for  the 
time  being  deserting  the  main  flock,  in 
his  search  for  the  straying  animal.  This 
argument  and  illustration  furnishes  the 
third  and  last  reason,  why  the  most 
lowly  member  of  Christ's  family  is  to 
be  regarded  with  love  and  respect. 
This  illustration  is  found  in  a  more  ex- 
panded form  in  Luke  15  :  4-6.  How 
think  ye  ?  What  is  your  opinion  of 
this  illustration  to  which  I  am  about 
to  call  your  attention?  A  hundred 
sheep.  A  round  number  here  used  for 
the  sake  of  illustration.  Be  gone  astray. 
In  the  case  of  a  large  flock,  instances 
like  the  one  here  mentioned,  were  of  no 
uncommon  occurrence.  Tlie  ninety  and 
nine.  Although  these  were  all  safe,  yet 
to  restore  the  lost  one  to  the  fold,  they 
were  all  temporarily  deserted,  as  though 
comparatively  of  no  worth  or  account. 
This  renders  the  illustration  more  per- 
tinent and  striking.    See  Luke  15  :  4—7. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


227 


seeketh  that  which  is  gone  astray  ? 
13  And  if  so  be  that  he  find  it, 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  rejoiceth 
more  of  that  sheep.,  than  of  the 
ninety  and  nine  which  went  not 
astray. 


Into  the  mountains.  Alford  and  others 
construct  these  words  with  the  prece- 
ding clause,  in  the  sense  :  doth  he  not 
leave  the  ninety  and  nine  (to  wander)  Mt 
the  inountain  ?  This  seems  to  accord 
better  with  Luke  (15  :  4),  than  the  com- 
mon construction  and  translation,  jet 
the  idea  that  the  shepherd  returned  to 
the  mountain  or  hill,  on  which  his  flock 
had  been  pasturing,  and  where  he  sup- 
posed the  stray  sheep  yet  to  be,  is  so 
natural  and  beautiful,  that  the  common 
translation  seems  preferable,  especially 
as  it  meets  equally  well  the  wants  of  the 
original. 

13,  14.  And  if  so  he,  &c.  The  form 
of  the  expression  indicates,  that  such  a 
search  was  oftentimes  unsuccessful.  Of 
that  sheep,  i.  e.  on  account  of  having 
found  it.  Than  of  the  ninety  and  nine, 
&c.  Not  that  the  lost  sheep  was  more 
valuable  than  all  the  rest  or  any  one  of 
them,  but  because  the  interest  previous- 
ly shared  among  all,  was  now  so  con- 
centrated upon  the  lost  one,  that  all 
concern  for  the  others  seemed  to  have 
passed  away  from  the  mind.  How  na- 
tural this  is,  all  know  who  have  lost 
some  highly-prized  article.  Even  so  it 
is  not  the  will,  &c.  Of  what  surpass- 
ing beauty  and  force  is  this  application 
of  the  simile.  Will  is  here  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  of  purpose,  and  not  of 
wish  or  good  pleasure.  It  is  not  God's 
purpose  that  any  of  his  spiritual  chil- 
dren should  perish  (see  John  10 :  27-29), 
and  hence  men  are  to  take  heed  that 
they  despise  them  not.  Your  Father. 
In  V.  10,  my  Father,  for  as  Alford  well 
remarks,  there  the  dignity  of  the  little 
ones  was  asserted,  but  here  the  motive 
directly  acting  on  the  conscience  of  the 
Christian   is  urged. 

15.  Our  Lord  now  enjoins  upon  his 
followers  the  duty  of  mutual  forbear- 


14  Even  so  it  is  not  the  will 
of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
that  one  of  these  little  ones  should 
perish. 

15  ^  Moreover,  "  if  thy  brother 
shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and 

wLe.  19:  IT;  Lu.  IT  :  3. 


ance  and  forgiveness.  In  the  preceding 
context,  he  cautions  against  giving 
offence  to  others,  here  he  proceeds  to 
speak  of  the  course  to  be  pursued  when 
an  offence  has  been  received  from  a 
Christian  brother.  Tlie  word  offences 
employed  in  v.  7,  and  continued  in  the 
verb  offend,  in  vs.  8,  9,  here  gives  place 
to  the  expression  shall  trespass,  denot- 
ing a  more  special  and  active  form  of 
injury  inflicted  upon  a  brother,  the 
transition  being  rendered  easy  and  na- 
tural by  the  direction  in  v.  10,  not  to 
despise  or  look  down  upon  one  of 
Christ's  little  ones.  In  conformity 
with  the  rules  here  given,  evangelical 
churches  adjust  difficulties  between 
brethren,  reclaim  offenders,  and  admin- 
ister such  discipline,  as  may  be  necessary 
to  the  peace  and  purity  of  the  church. 
Were  the  steps  here  laid  down,  espe- 
ciaUy  the  first,  faithfully  observed, 
there  would  be  far  less  of  those  dissen- 
sions and  heart-burnings,  which  often 
rend  churches  asvmder,  and  bring  re- 
proach upon  the  cause  of  Christ.  More- 
over. The  connective  used  here  is  the 
common  btd,  and  also,  marking  a  transi- 
tion to  another  branch  of  the  subject. 
Some  expositors  think  that  this  portion 
of  our  Lord's  discourse  was  spoken  at 
another  time.  But  the  gradation  from 
an  offending  (vs.  7-14)  to  an  offended 
brother  is  very  natural  (see  above),  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  being  a 
continuation  of  the  same  conversation, 
which  grew  out  of  the  dispute  of  the 
disciples  who  should  be  the  greatest.  Thy 
brother,  i.  e.  Christian  brother.  Shall 
trespass  against  thee,  i.  e.  do  thee  wrong 
or  give  offence  to  thee.  Tell  him  his 
fault ;  literally,  reprove  or  admonish 
him.  The  word  is  often  used  in  the 
sense  of  to  refute,  convince  of  urrong 
by  expostulation,   examining,  or    qucs- 


228 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


tell  him  his  fault  between  thee 
and  him  alone  :  if  he  shall  hear 
thee,  "  thou  hast  gained  thy 
brother. 

16  But  if  he  will  not  hear  ihee, 
then  take  with  thee  one  or  two 
more,  that  in  ^  the  mouth  of  two 

o  Ja.5:  20;  1  Pe.  3:1.        «De.  17:  6,  &  19: 
15;  Jno.8: 17;  2  Co.  13:1;  He.  10:28. 


tioning.  The  propriety  of  its  use  here, 
in  this  first  step  to  reclaim  an  offending 
brother,  is  obvious  and  striking.  It 
well  denotes  the  kind  and  friendly  spirit 
with  which  the  reproof  was  to  be  ad- 
ministered, and  the  willingness  to  hear 
any  explanation,  which  might  serve  to 
extenuate  the  offence.  Between  him 
and  thee  alone.  A  very  important 
direction,  but  how  often  neglected.  A 
mission  of  peace  and  reconciliation,  if 
undertaken  alone,  and  in  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  would  almost  always  prove  suc- 
cessful iu  reclaiming  an  erring  Christian 
brother.  But  in  proportion  as  pub- 
licity is  given  to  the  offence  or  ground 
of  difficulty,  the  probability  of  an  ad- 
justment on  Christian  principles  dimin- 
ishes. If  he  shall  hear  thee.,  i.  e.  give 
heed  to  your  reproof,  as  becometh  a 
follower  of  Christ.  ITiou  hast  gained, 
&c.  Thou  hast  brought  thy  brother 
back  to  duty,  and  gained  him  for  the 
service  of  Christ  and  for  thyself.  The 
word  rendered  hast  gained,  is  a  com- 
mercial term,  denoting  the  acquisition 
of  gain  as  opposed  to  loss,  and  its  use 
here  implies,  that  unless  the  brother 
had  been  thus  faithfully  and  kindly  dealt 
with,  he  would  have  been  lost  to  Christ 
and  his  church. 

Iti.  If  he  will  not  hear  thee,  i.  e.  will 
not  listen  to  your  expostulations  and  re- 
proof. Ojie  or  two  more  of  the  brethren. 
The  reason  is  given  in  the  next  clause, 
that  in  the  mouth,  &c.  See  Deut.  19  : 
15.  The  presence  of  these  brethren 
Avould  not  only  give  weight  to  the 
etforts  made  to  reclaim  the  offend- 
er, but  furnish  the  church  with 
reliable  testimony,  on  which  to  base 
subsequent  action,  if  found  necessary. 
If  the   difficulty,  however,  was  harmo- 


or  three  witnesses  every  word  may 
be  established. 

17  And  if  he  shall  neglect  to 
hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church  : 
but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the 
church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an 
'  heathen  man  and  a  publican. 

gKo.  16:17;    lCo.5:9;    2Th.  3:6,U; 
2  Jo.  10. 

niously  adjusted,  no  publicity  was  to  be 
given  to  the  affair. 

17.  If  he  shall  neglect  to  hear,  i.  e. 
refuse  to  Hsten  to  their  remonstrances 
or  exhortations,  and  prove  incorrigible. 
The  word  rendered  shall  neglect,  is  a 
much  stronger  expression  than  that 
employed  in  v.  1(>,  having  the  addi- 
tional idea  of  wilful  obstinacy,  and  tak- 
ing no  heed  to  what  was  said.  2HI  it 
to  the  church.  The  word  church  has  here 
its  primary  meaning,  a  congregation 
or  assembly,  convened  in  the  synagogue 
for  worship.  But  as  the  direction 
runs  into  after  times,  it  is  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  of  a  congregation  of  be- 
lievers, which  at  first  was  only  one,  but 
as  Christianity  spread  from  one  coun- 
try to  another,  became  numerous  and 
local.  The  use  of  the  article  denotes 
the  particular  church  to  whicii  the  par- 
ties belonged.  The  design  of  this  step 
in  the  process  of  discipline,  was  to  unite 
the  efforts  and  prayers  of  the  whole 
church  to  reclaim  the  erring  member. 
But  if ;  literally,  but  if  also.  There  is 
a  gradation  in  the  efforts  to  reclaim 
him,  and  in  his  perverseness  in  refusing 
to  give  the  required  satisfaction.  Let 
him  be  unto  thee,  &c.  Let  him  be  ac- 
counted unworthy  of  intercourse,  as 
the  Jews  regarded  heathens  and  pub- 
licans. This  direction  does  not  imply 
that  the  excommunicated  person  is  not 
to  be  spoken  to,  or  that  no  worldly  busi- 
ness is  to  be  transacted  with  him,  but 
simply,  that  all  intimate  and  fraternal 
intercourse  with  him  is  to  cease,  until 
he  repents,  and  renders  himself  by 
God's  grace,  worthy  of  being  received 
again  into  Christian  fellowship.  Com- 
pare 1  Cor.  3  :  4,  6,  11  ;  2  Cor.  2  :  6, 
n  ;  2  Thess.  3  :  14,  16. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII, 


229 


18  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
•■  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on 
earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven; 
and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven. 

19  '  Again  I  say  unto  you, 
That  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  on 

r  Ch.  16  :  19 :  Jno.  20  :  23 ;  1  Co.  5  :  4. 


18.  In  this  verse  our  Lord  commits 
to  his  church  the  power  to  administer 
discipline,  and  to  inflict  or  remit  such 
penalties,  as  may  be  deemed  proper 
and  suitable.  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind, 
&c.  Your  judicial  acts,  so  far  as  found- 
ed on  correct  principles  and  rightly  ap- 
plied, shall  be  ratiJied  in  heaven,  and 
be  of  binding  authority  and  obligation. 
Some  commentators  limit  this  to  the 
discipline  administered  by  the  apostles, 
■Hho  acted  under  the  immediate  guid- 
ance 01  the  Spirit,  and  therefore  could 
not  err.  But  while  this  promise  was  pri- 
marily addressed  to  them,  it  cannot  be 
doubted,  that  it,  as  well  as  the  formula 
of  discipline  in  vs.  15-lY,  was  given 
to  the  church  through  all  time.  With 
the  qualification  above  given,  and 
doubtless  implied  by  our  Lord,  the 
promise  that  the  acts  of  the  church  on 
earth  shall  be  ratified  in  heaven,  may 
be  safely  considered  as  referring  to 
Christian  churches  in  every  age.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that,  however  this  may 
be  regarded,  whether  as  addressed  to  the 
apostles  only,  or  to  the  church  in  gen- 
eral, it  destroys  all  claim  to  the  supre- 
macy which  is  sought  to  be  conferred 
on  Peter,  because  of  these  words  being 
once  (16  :  19)  addressed  to  him.  Here 
the  promise  is  given  to  all  the  apostles, 
if  not  virtually  to  all  Christ's  ministers 
in  every   age. 

19.7/"  two  of  you  shall  agree ;  literally, 
shall  agree  in  sound,  be  symphonious, 
referring  primarily  to  musical  harmony, 
and  then  to  the  union  of  sentiment  and 
action  of  those  who  harmonize  thorough- 
ly in  their  views.  This  verse  teaches 
that  there  must  be  united  prayer  and 
harmonious  action,  in  the  administra- 
tion of  discipline  such  as  will  be  ratified 
in  heaven.     The  words,  if  two  of  you, 


earth  as  touching  any  thing  that 
they  shall  ask,  '  it  shall  be  done 
for  them  of  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven. 

20  For  where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  my  name, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them. 

sCh.5:24.        «  IJo.  3:  22,  &  5:14. 


shows  that  excommunication  is  not  to 
be  administered  by  a  single  individual, 
but  must  be  the  result  of  the  combined 
wisdom  of  at  least  two  of  the  apostles, 
for  the  language  here  made  use  of  con- 
forms to  the  fact,  that  he  was  address- 
ing the  Twelve,  who  were  to  establish, 
organize,  and  govern  the  church  after 
his  ascension.  It  is  supposed  that 
while  engaged  in  the  solenm  and  im- 
portant duty  of  administering  reproof, 
correction,  and  discipline,  they  would 
seek  wisdom  from  above,  and  our  Lord 
here  promises  that  their  request,  if 
preferred  in  united  prayer,  shall  be 
granted  of  his  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
ven. It  is  evident  that  the  promise 
here  made,  must  be  restricted  to  the 
subject,  on  which  our  Lord  was  ad- 
dressing the  apostles,  and  not  taken  in 
a  broad,  unqualified  sense  of  every 
thing  on  which  they  should  agree  in 
prayer.  James  and  John  used  almost 
these  very  words  (Mark  10  :  35),  in  a 
request  of  so  carnal  a  nature,  that  it  was 
rebuked  by  their  Master.  What  is 
asked  for  must  be  in  accordance  with 
the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  inspiring,  excit- 
ing, and  calling  forth  the  petition,  and 
rendering  it  acceptable  in  the  sight  of 
God.  See  N.  on  7  :  7.  It  may  be  re- 
marked further,  that  although  this  pro- 
mise was  made  primarily  to  the  apostles, 
yet  it  must  be  regarded  as  made  also  to 
all  the  ministers  of  Christ,  engaged  in 
promoting  the  peace  and  purity  of  the 
churches  committed  to  their  care,  and 
also  to  all  churches  and  church  judica- 
tories, in  the  administration  of  govern- 
ment and  discipline. 

20.  Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  give  a 
more  general  promise  of  his  presence  in 
his  church  on  earth,  confirmatory  of 
that  made  in  the  preceding  verse.     For 


230 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


21  T  Then  came  Peter  to  him, 
and  said,  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my 
brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  for- 
give him  ?  "  till  seven  times  ? 

u  Lu.  17  :  4. 

where  two  or  three,  &c.  The  general 
sentiment  is  :  I  am  always  in  the  midst 
of  the  assemblies  of  my  people,  even 
where  only  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together.  How  much  more  then  will 
my  presence  be  with  the  church,  in  her 
solemn  duty  of  administering  disci- 
pline, and  maintaining  the  purity  and 
peace  of  her  members.  Two  or  three. 
An  expression  denoting  a  very  few.  In 
my  name,  i.  e.  in  my  service  and  wor- 
ship. In  the  midst  of  them,  to  inspire 
their  prayers,  give  them  wisdom, 
and  guide  them  in  the  discharge  of 
dutj'.  This  verse  sweeps  away  all 
claims  to  ecclesiastical  supremacy,  and 
places  the  little  gathering  of  two  or 
three  disciples,  inspired  with  the  love  of 
Christ,  upon  an  equal  footing  with  the 
most  august  council  which  ever  con- 
vened within  the  walls  of  a  cathedral. 
Such  councils  are  useful  in  settling  and 
determining  doctrines,  duties,  and 
modes  of  discipline  in  the  church,  but 
have  no  power,  independent  of  that 
which  arises  from  the  presence  of 
Christ,  promised  alike  to  the  assem- 
blage in  his  name,  of  such  august  bodies, 
or  of  a  few  obscure  and  humble  Chris- 
tians. 

21,  22.  Thus  far  in  this  discourse,  our 
Lord  had  not  spoken  particularly  of  the 
duty  of  forgiveness,  yet  it  is  implied  in 
the  reconciliation  referred  to  in  v.  15. 
Peter,  therefore,  recurs  to  this,  and 
inquires  respecting  the  limits  of  for- 
giveness. ITien  ca7ne  Peter,  &c.  He 
drew  nearer  to  him  in  order  to  make  the 
inquiry.  2111  seven  times  ?  The  Jewish 
Rabbins,  from  Amos  1  :  3,  6,  9,  &c., 
limited  forgiveness  to  three  times.  Peter 
used  seven,  either  as  a  perfect  or  com- 
plete number,  or  from  a  recollection  of 
Prov.  24:  16.  He,  doubtless,  thought 
that  he  had  reached  the  mark,  if  he 
had  not  gone  beyond  it,  in  employing 
this  full  round  number.  How  great 
must    have   been   his  surprise   at   the 


22  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say 
not  unto  thee,  Until  seven  times  : 
■"  but,  Until  seventy  times  seven. 

23  Therefore  is  the  kingdom 

asCh.  6:14;  Ma.  11:25;   Col.  3:13. 

reply  of  Jesus.  /  say  not  unto  thee. 
This  is  not  my  direction.  I  affix  no 
such  limitation  to  the  duty  of  forgive- 
ness. Seventy  times  seven.  As  "  two 
or  three  "  in  v.  20,  was  put  for  a  very 
small,  indefinite  number,  so  "seventy 
times  seven "  is  employed  here  to  ex- 
press an  indefinite,  but  very  large 
number.  Jerome  contrasts  this  answer 
of  our  Lord  with  Lamech's  seventy  and 
seven-fold  revenge  (Gen.  4:  24).  But 
such  verbal  resemblances  are  not  of 
much  consequence.  It  was  probably  a 
term  of  common  use.  The  meaning 
here  is,  that  no  limit  was  to  be  afiBxed 
to  forgiveness,  and  this  is  further  en- 
forced by  the  parable  of  the  unforgiving 
servant,  which  now  follows. 

23.  Therefore,  i.  e.  in  view  of  the 
duty  of  unlimited  forgiveness.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  refers  here  to  God's 
dealings  with  men  under  the  gospel 
dispensation.  In  forgiving  men  their 
sins,  and  requiring  also  in  them  a  like 
merciful  and  forgiving  spirit,  God 
deals  with  them  as  a  certain  king  did 
with  his  servants.  There  is  nothing  to 
forbid  our  belief,  that  such  an  occur- 
rence, as  is  described  in  this  parable, 
actually  took  place,  but  were  it  not  a 
reality,  there  is  no  violation  of  truth,  as 
illustrations  from  supposed  events  are 
of  common  use  and  well  understood  as 
such.  Unto  a  certain  king.  "  This  is 
the  first  of  the  parables  in  which  God 
appears  in  the  character  of  a  King." — 
Trench.  Would  take  account ;  literally, 
wished  to  take  up  together  his  account, 
referring  to  the  idea  of  mutual  settle- 
ment. Of  his  servants,  i.  e.  ministers 
and  attendants.  In  Oriental  countries 
these  were  oftentimes  slaves,  but  here 
not  necessarily  so  in  the  strictest  sense. 
Cyrus,  the  brother  of  Artaxerxes,  is 
spoken  of  by  Xenophon  as  the  doulos, 
slave  of  the  king.  This  term,  in  the 
same  author,  is  frequently  applied  to 
the     Persian     satraps     or    governors. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


231 


of  heaven  likened  unto  a  certain 
king,  which  would  take  account  of 
his  servants. 

24  And  when  he  had  begun  to 
reckon,  one  was  brought  unto  him, 
which  owed  him  ten  thousand  ta- 
lents. 

25  But  forasmuch  as  he  had 
not  to  pay,  his  lord  commanded 
hiui  "to  be  sold,  and  his  wife,  and 
children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and 
payment  to  be  made. 

j/2Ki.  4:1;  Ne.  5:8. 


These  douloi  in  the  parable  seem  to 
have  had  the  charge  and  disbursement 
of  the  king's  money,  and  were  called 
to  render  up  their  accounts  for  settle- 
ment. 

24.  One  which  owed,  &c.  literally,  a 
debtor  of  ten  thousand  tale7its.  An  in- 
definite, but  immensely  large  sum  is 
here  intended.  The  talent  spoken  of 
was,  doubtless,  silver.  If  so,  the  debt 
amounted  to  between  ten  and  Jifteen 
millions  of  dollars.  The  debtor  was  a 
high  minister  of  state,  or  as  some 
think,  a  tributary  prince,  who  had 
withheld  the  payment  of  tribute,  until 
it  reached  this  enormous  sum.  The 
greatness  of  his  debt,  so  far  beyond  his 
means  of  payment,  forcibly  illustrates 
our  indebtedness  to  God,  and  hopeless 
condition,  unless  partarkers  of  his  for- 
giving grace. 

25.  For  as  much  as  he  had  not  to  pay. 
He  was  not  only  a  delinquent,  but  so 
poor,  through  his  prodigiility,  that  he 
was  unable  to  pay  off  in  full  his  debt. 
This  made  him  less  worthy  of  pity,  and 
enhanced  the  compassion  shown  in  his 
forgiveness.  Commanded  him  to  be  sold. 
When  the  property  of  the  debtor  was 
not  sufficient  to  meet  the  demands 
against  him,  he  was  himself  sold  in  pay- 
ment. See  Levit.  35  :  39  ;  47  ;  2  Kings, 
4:1;  Isa.  50  :  1.  This  bondage  with 
the  Jews  terminated  at  the  year  of 
jubilee.  All  that  he  had.  When  thus 
stripped  of  his  possessions,  and  himself 
and  family  sold  into  slavery,  he  had 
truly  nothing  left  to  pay  the  balance  of 


26  The  servant  therefore  fell 
down,  and  worshipped  him,  say- 
ing. Lord,  have  patience  with  me, 
and  I  will  pay  thee  all. 

27  Then  the  lord  of  that  ser- 
vant was  moved  with  compassion, 
and  loosed  him,  and  forgave  him 
the  debt. 

28  But  the  same  servant  went 
out,  and  found  one  of  his  fellow- 
servants,  which  owed  him  an  hun- 
dred pence  :  and  he  laid  hands  on 


the  great  debt.  And  payment  to  be 
made  from  the  money  received  from 
the  sale,  as  far  as  it  would  go. 

26.  Fell  down.,  &c.  He  did  rever- 
ence to  his  lord,  after  the  manner  of 
Oriental  nations.  See  N.  on  2  :  2.  Have 
patience  with  me.  Grant  me  indulgence, 
and  wait  with  patience,  and  I  will  en- 
deavor to  pay  the  whole  debt. 

27.  Moved  with  compassion.  See  N. 
on  9  :  36.  Loosed  hitn  i'rom  the  arrest 
under  which  he  was  held  ibr  the  debt. 
Forgave  (i.  e.  remitted)  him  the  debt. 
The  clemency  and  the  tenderhearted- 
ness of  this  good  king,  illustrates  the 
goodness  and  forbearance  of  God  to- 
wards sinners.  But  every  comparison 
drawn  from  human  conduct,  is  but  a 
faint  illustration  of  the  great  debt  which 
we  owe  him,  and  our  utter  inability  to 
pay  it.  His  long-suffering  and  com- 
passion are  beyond  the  power  of  lan- 
guage to  express,  or  the  imagination  to 
conceive. 

28.  Bid  the  same  servant  went  out 
from  his  lord's  presence.  He  was  now 
reinstated  in  his  post  of  honor  and  au- 
thority. One  of  his  felloic-servants. 
This  servant  was  his  inferior  in  station, 
and  yet  as  belonging  to  the  same  mas- 
ter was  his  fellow-servant.  It  would 
appear  that  on  his  way  from  the  pre- 
sence of  his  lord,  he  fell  in  with  this 
debtor,  and  with  a  hardness  of  heart 
untouched  by  the  generous  treatment 
he  had  himself  received,  grasped  him 
by  the  throat,  and  in  harsh  language 
demanded  instant  payment.     In  what 


232 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  32. 


him,  and  took  Mm  by  the  throat, 
saying,  Pay  me  that  thou  owest. 

29  And  his  fellow-servant  fell 
down  at  his  feet,  and  besought 
him,  saying.  Have  patience  with 
me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all. 

30  And  he  would  not :  but 
went  and  cast  him  into  prison, 
till  he  should  pay  the  debt. 

31  So  when  his  fellow-servants 

strong  contrast,  is  his  conduct  made  to 
stand  with  that  of  his  humane  lord. 
An  hundred  pence.  According  to  the 
value  of  the  denarius  or  penny  in  the 
time  of  Josephus  (see  N.  on  20  :  2),  his 
debt  was  about  fifteen  dollars.  How 
insignificant  in  comparison  with  ten 
thousand  talents,  his  own  enormous  debt 
which  had  just  been  forgiven  him. 
And  yet  this  but  faintly  expresses  the 
degree  of  difference  between  the  offen- 
ces of  our  fellow-men  towards  us,  and 
the  sins  we  every  day  commit  against 
God.  He  forgives  us  much,  whereas 
we  are  required  to  forgive  but  little. 
Took  him  bij  the  throat  in  the  most 
violent  and  hard-heated  manner.  The 
usage  of  antiquity  allowed  the  creditor 
to  inflict  personal  chastisement  upon 
his  debtor.  It  is  but  a  short  time  since 
our  own  laws  have  been  so  humanized, 
that  the  creditor  has  no  power  to  incar- 
cerate a  fellow-citizen  for  debt,  as 
though  he  had  committed  a  crime 
against  the  community  in  which  he 
dwelt. 

29.  And  his  fellow-servant,  &c.  He 
besought  mercy  at  the  hands  of  his  in- 
e-Korable  creditor,  in  precisely  the  same 
humble,  suppUcating  terms,  which  the 
wicked  servant  had  himself  used  a  short 
time  before.  This  itself  ought  to  have 
reminded  him  of  his  duty  to  forgive,  as 
he  had  been  forgiven. 

30.  Would  not  show  him  favor  or 
grant  him  any  respite.  But  went,  &c. 
He  took  the  usual  legal  steps  for  the 
recovery  of  his  debt,  by  bringing  the 
debtor  before  the  magistrate,  by  whom 
he  was  consigned  to  prison.  See  N.  on 
6  :  25,  26.  Illl  he  should  pay  the  debt. 
See  5  :  27. 


saw  what  was  done,  they  were 
very  sorry,  and  came  and  told 
unto  their  lord  all  that  was  done. 

32  Then  his  lord,  after  that  he 
had  called  him,  said  unto  him, 
0  thou  wicked  servant,  I  forgave 
thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou 
desiredst  me : 

33  Shouldst  not  thou  also  have 
had    compassion   on   thy    fellow- 

31.  So  when  his  fellow-servants,  &c. 
Here  the  similitude  is  not  to  be  pressed 
too  far,  since  it  is  not  necessary  for 
God  to  be  informed  of  the  unforgiving 
temper  of  men,  nor  does  he  require  his 
people  to  become  informers  one  of  an- 
other. The  incidents  are  necessary  to 
give  completeness  to  the  picture,  and 
make  the  narrative  consistent.  Were 
very  sorry.  It  was  their  lord's  prerog- 
ative to  be  wroth  (see  v.  34);  they 
were  grieved  at  the  unworthy  conduct 
of  their  fellow-servant.  Toldunto  their 
lord;  more  literiilly,  made  their  lord 
fully  acquainted  loith. 

32.  Had  called  him  into  his  presence. 
0  thou  wicked  servant ;  literally,  uncked 
servant.  He  had  now  developed  his 
true  character,  and  was  addressed  by 
his  lord  in  fitting  terms  of  indignation. 
All  that  debt  great  as  it  was.  Because 
thou  desiredst  it.  It  was  his  piteous 
appeal  which  moved  his  lord's  compas- 
sion. In  a  qualified  sense,  it  was  there- 
fore the  cause  of  his  forgiveness.  We 
must  guard  against  inferring  from  this 
feature  of  the  parable,  that  the  real 
Christian  will  ever  be  left  to  such  con- 
duct, as  to  forfeit  his  adoption  into 
God's  family,  and  place  him  beyond  the 
pale  of  forgiveness.  The  parable  pur- 
sues the  line  of  human  conduct,  to  illus- 
trate the  sin  and  consequences  of  an 
unforgiving  temper. 

33.  Shouldst  not  thou  (following  my 
example  and  incited  thereby  to  cle- 
mency) have  had  compassion  on  thy 
fellow-servant?  The  argument  a  fortiori 
(see  N.  on  5  :  15)  is  here  employed  : 
If  I  forgave  you  that  great  debt,  much 
more  should  you  have  forgiven  your 
fellow-servant  the  trifle  he  owed  you. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 


233 


servant,  even  as   I  tad   pitj   on 
thee  ? 

34  And  his  lord  was  wroth, 
and  delivered  him  to  the  tormen- 
tors, till  he  should  pay  all  that 
was  due  unto  him. 


Had  compassion — had  pity.  The  same 
word  is  employed  in  both  instances  in 
the  original. 

34.  Was  wroth.  His  anger  was  now 
enkindled  at  such  great  wickedness, 
and  without  listening  to  any  thing  fur- 
ther from  his  lips,  he  delivered  him  to 
the  jailers,  for  so  the  word  translated 
tormentors  or  torturers,  would  be  better 
translated.  As  jailers  presided  over 
the  confinement  of  imprisoned  debtors, 
it  will  be  readily  seen,  how  natural  the 
designation  here  given  them.  It  can- 
not be  denied,  however,  that  passages 
are  found  in  ancient  authors  (see  Livy, 
2  :  23),  which  seem  clearly  to  indicate, 
that  a  debtor  was  liable  to  corporal 
punishment,  as  well  as  to  close  confine- 
ment. But  it  is  not  well  to  press  this 
meaning  upon  the  present  passage,  for 
that  torture  is  not  here  referred  to, 
but  a  state  of  confinement,  attended  of 
course  with  privation  and  suffering,  is 
evident  from  the  next  clause,  till  he 
should  pay,  &c.  It  is  unnatural  to  sup- 
pose that  a  debtor  would  be  subject  to 
continual  torture  until  his  debt  was 
paid,  but  not  that  he  should  be  impris- 
oned until  that  time.  However  this 
might  be,  one  thing  was  true,  his  con- 
dition was  remediless.  He  could  never 
be  restored  to  his  lord's  favor.  Mercy 
had  been  shown  to  him  and  abused. 
The  demand  of  justice  was  now  upon 
him,  which  he  could  never  satisfy. 
Thus  will  it  be  with  the  sinner,  who 
abuses  God's  ibrbearance,  and  is  con- 
signed to  the  abode  of  the  lost.  The 
offer  of  mercy  is  no  longer  made  to  him, 
and  he  can  never  satisfy  the  demand  of 
eternal  justice.  Voluntary  obedience 
he  will  never  render  to  the  divine  law, 
and  if  he  did  do  this,  present  obedience 
cannot  atone  for  past  disobedience.  His 
debt  can  never  be  paid,     He  will  never 


25  '  So  likewise  shall  my  heav- 
enly Father  do  also  unto  you,  if 
ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not 
every  one  his  brother  their  tres- 
passes. 

sPr.  21:13;  ch.6:12;  Ma.  11:26:  Ja.2:13. 

be  freed  from  his  prison-house  of  suffer- 
ing and  despair.  On  this  passage  the 
views  of  Olshausen  are  very  erroneous. 
He  considers  it  as  teaching  in  connec- 
tion with  1  Pet.  3:19,  that  after  death, 
there  is  plainly  a  deliverance  of  some 
from  the  prison,  and  that  it  does  by  no 
means  follow,  that  all  who  do  not  die 
in  the  Lord,  will  on  this  account  sink 
into  eternal  condemnation.  If  this  view 
be  true,  it  may  be  said  of  some :  Blessed 
are  the  dead  who  do  not  die  in  the 
Lord,  for  whatever  may  be  the  length 
of  their  sufferings  in  the  future  world, 
in  comparison  with  the  eternity  of  bliss 
to  follow,  it  will  be  as  nothing,  and  de- 
serving of  no  mention  or  thought. 

35.  So  likevnse,  &c.  This  is  the  appli- 
cation of  the  parable  to  God's  treatment 
of  such  as  manifest  a  revengeful,  unfor- 
giving temper.  Alford  says,  that  the 
expression,  my  Father,  is  more  solemn 
and  denunciatory  than  the  declaration, 
your  Father,  in  6  :  14,  15.  From  your 
hearts.  Forgiveness  in  words  only  is  of 
no  value.  It  must  come  from  the  heart 
to  be  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God. 
If  the  feelings  go  not  with  the  words, 
there  is  the  double  sin  of  retaining  an 
unforgiving  temper,  and  of  hypocritical- 
ly pretending  to  a  spirit  of  forgiveness 
not  really  possessed.  Every  one  his  bro- 
ther. The  duty  of  forgiveness  is  of  com- 
mon obligation.  It  is  binding  on  every 
man  who  has  occasion  to  exercise  it.  It 
has  primary  reference  to  Christian  bre- 
thren, but  is  to  be  exercised  towards  all 
who  have  offended  us,  and  ask  our  for- 
giveness. This  parable,  as  a  moral  paint- 
ing, perfect  and  complete  in  all  its  parts, 
is  unrivalled.  Its  beauty  of  diction  is 
also  enhanced  by  the  affecting  truth, 
which  it  is  designed  to  illustrate,  viz. 
God's  wondrous  love  to  man,  and  the 
obligation   thereby    resting   on  all  to 


234 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  S3. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  "  ihat 
when  Jesus  had  finished  these 
sayings,  he  departed  from  Galilee, 
and  came  into  the  coasts  of  Judea, 
beyond  Jordan : 

a  Ma.  10  : 1 ;  Jno.  10  :  40. 

love  one  another,  and  practice  mutual 
forgiveness.  It  teaches  that  heaven 
can  never  be  attained  by  the  revenge- 
ful, the  cruel,  the  hard-hearted.  None 
but  those  who  forgive  as  they  have  been 
forgiven,  can  be  admitted  into  that  place 
of  love,  purity,  and  happiness. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

1,  2.  Jesus  beyond  Jordan.  Perea. 
Mark  10  :  1. 

1.  He  departed  from  Galilee,  &c. 
This  refers  to  our  Lord's  last  journey 
from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  and  thence 
to  the  region  east  of  Jordan.  A  con- 
siderable lapse  of  time  took  place  there- 
fore between  his  last  discourse  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  and  the  resumption 
of  his  history  on  the  confines  of  Judea 
beyond  Jordan.  During  this  time  the 
Seventy  were  instructed  and  sent  forth 
(Luke  10  :  1-16),  after  which  he  passed 
through  the  Samaritan  country,  on  his 
way  to  Jerusalem  to  the  feast  of  Taber- 
nacles (Luke  9  :  51-56),  and  healed  the 
ten  lepers  (Luke  17  :  11-19).  While  at 
Jerusalem,  there  took  place  the  inci- 
dents of  the  woman  taken  in  adultery 
(John  8  :  2-11);  his  reproof  of  the  un- 
believing Jews  (John  8  :  12-39);  the 
instruction  of  the  lawyer,  as  to  who 
was  his  neighbor  (Luke  10:  25-37) ;  his 
visit  to  the  house  of  Martha  and  Mary 
in  Bethany  (Luke  10  :  38-42) ;  the  re- 
turn of  the  Seventy  (Luke  10  :  17-24); 
the  healing  of  the  blind  man  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  discussion  resulting 
therefrom  (John  9  :  1-41) ;  his  presence 
in  Jerusalem  at  the  feast  of  Tabernacles, 
and  retirement  from  the  rage  of  the 
Jews  to  the  east  of  Jordan  (John  10  : 
22-40)  ;  the  raising  of  Lazarus  (John 
11:46);  the  counsel  of  Caiaphas,  and 
the  determination  to  put  Jesus  to  death 
(John  11  :  47-53);  and  his  retirement 
to  a  city  of  Ephraim  (John  11  :  64). 


2  '  And  great  multitudes  fol- 
lowed him ;  and  he  healed  them 
there. 

3  ^  The  Pharisees  also  came 
unto  him,  tempting  him,  and  say- 
ing unto  him,  Is  it  lawful  for  a 

h  Ch.  12  :  15. 


The  thread  of  the  narrative  is  at  that 
point  here  resumed  byMatthew,  who  says 
that  as  he  passed  beyond  Jordan,  great 
multitudes  followed  him,  and  many  were 
healed.  After  this  there  is  again  a 
chasm  in  Matthew's  narration,  which  is 
to  be  filled  up  by  several  incidents  and 
occurrences  in  Luke,  not  noted  by  the 
other  Evangelists,  such  as  the  healing 
of  the  infirm  woman  on  the  Sabbath 
(Luke  13  :  10-17);  his  warning  against 
Herod  (Luke  13  :  31-33) ;  the  incidents 
attending  his  entertainment  on  the  Sab- 
bath by  a  chief  Pharisee  (Luke  14  :  1- 
24);  the  parables  of  the  lost  sheep,  &c. 
(Luke,  chapters  15  and  16) ;  of  the  im- 
portunate widow,  the  Pharisee  and  pub- 
lican (Luke  18:  1-14).  These  incidents 
are  all  related  of  him,  while  remaining 
at  Perea,  a  region  of  country,  as  the 
name  imports,  beyond  Jordon. 

3-12.  Precepts  respecting  Divorce. 
Ferea.     Mark  10:  2-12. 

3.  This  visit  of  the  Pharisees  to  en- 
snare him  took  place  probably  soon 
after  he  pronounced  the  parable  of  the 
Pharisee  and  the  publican.  Tevipting 
him.  See  N.  on  16  :  1.  Is  it  lawful, 
&c.  Our  Lord  had  asserted  on  another 
occasion  (Luke  16  :  18)  the  unlawful- 
ness of  divorce.  The  school  of  Hillel 
admitted  divorce  for  the  most  trivial 
reasons,  but  that  of  Shammai,  on  the 
other  hand,  maintained  that  the  only 
ground  for  this  was  adultery.  In  pro- 
posing this  question,  his  enemies  hoped 
that  his  reply  would  embroil  him  with 
one  or  the  other  of  these  schools.  But 
knowing  their  plan,  instead  of  replying 
directly  to  their  question  Jesus  referred 
them  to  what  Moses  himself  said  on  this 
subject.  This  is  seen  very  clearly  in 
the  parallel  passage  in  Mark  10  :  2-5. 
Is  it  lawful ;  hterally,  is  it  possible,  re- 
ferring to  what  is  morally  possible,  or 
which   can  be  done  consistently  with 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


235 


man  to  put  away  his  wife  for  every 
cause  ? 

4  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  Have  ye  not  read, 
•^  that  he  which  made  ihem  at  the 

cGe.  1:2T,  &5:2;  Mai.  2  :  15. 

what  is  right  and  proper.  To  put  away, 
i.  e.  to  divorce  from  the  marriage  tie. 
Every  cause,  i.  e.  any  cause  or  charge 
whatsoever.  This  use  of  the  Greek 
word  translated  every,  is  found  in  Rom. 
3  :  20  ;  Gal.  2:16.  According  to  Mark, 
the  question  of  the  Pharisees  had  re- 
ference to  the  point  whether  divorce 
was  at  all  allowable.  The  answer  of 
our  Lord  is  shaped  in  both  Evangelists, 
to  meet  the  form  in  which  the  questions 
were  proposed.  It  is  evident  that  Mat- 
thew's account  implies  the  previous  in- 
quiry found  in  Mark,  and  that  divorce 
was  allowable. 

4,  5.  Have  ye  not  read.  The  question  is 
rhetorically  put  to  imply,  that  the  pas- 
sage referred  to  must  surely  have  been 
read  by  them.  Made  them  male  ayid 
female  (see  Gen.  1  :  27),  i.  e.  made 
them  as  a  pair  not  to  be  separated. 
They  were  made  for  each  other  through 
the  term  of  their  natural  life,  and  this 
showed  God's  intention  that  the  same 
indissoluble  law  of  marriage  should  be 
observed  by  their  posterity.  Some 
think  that  reference  is  had  by  implica- 
tion, to  the  previous  unity  of  the  male 
and  female  in  Adam.  As  the  woman 
existed  in  Adam  before  her  creation 
from  him,  and  they  were  thus  one,  so 
the  marriage  rite  brings  them  virtually 
into  that  same  state  of  unity,  from 
which  they  cannot  be  disunited,  with- 
out violating,  as  it  were,  the  very  laws 
of  their  being.  So  Alford  explains 
Gen.  1  :  27,  "  He  made  them  (man,  as  a 
race)  male  (not  a  male)  and  female." 
The  argument  against  divorce  is  essen- 
tially the  same,  in  whichsoever  of  these 
two  ways  the  passage  is  interpreted. 
For  this  cause  (viz.  the  fact  that  God 
intended  that  the  two  sexes  should  live 
together  in  pairs)  shall  a  man  leave 
(literally,  leave  wholly,  forsake  eiitirely), 
&c.  This  quotation  is  from  Gen.  2  : 
24:,   where,   it   will  be   seen,  that   the 


beginning  made  them  male    and 
female, 

5  And  said,  ''For  this  cause 
shall  a  man  leave  father  and 
mother,   and  shall  cleave   to  his 

dGe.  2:  W;  Ma.  10:5-9;  Ep.  5:31. 


words  were  spoken  by  Adam,  of  course 
under  a  prophetic  inspiration,  as  our 
Lord  attributes  them  to  his  Creator. 
Shall  cleave  ;  literally,  shall  be  glued,  a 
strong  metaphor,  showing  how  insepa- 
rable was  to  be  the  marriage  tie.  And 
tliey  twain  shall  be  (i.  e.  become)  one 
flesh  (i.  e.  one  person).  This  was  the 
original  marriage  arrangement.  The 
pair  were  to  be  united,  as  it  were,  in  one 
body,  having  inseparable  interests, 
aims,  enjoyments,  duties.  The  argu- 
ment from  this  is  of  overwhelming 
force,  that  such  a  constitution  of  the 
marriage  relation  is  to  continue  through 
life.  Death  only,  which  dissolves  all 
earthly  relations,  will  justify  the  sur- 
viving party  in  contracting  a  second 
marriage,  until  which  event  they  are 
one  flesh,  one  man.  The  words,  they 
twain,  are  not  in  the  original  Hebrew, 
and  seem  to  have  been  inserted  by  the 
Septuagint  translators,  to  form  an  an- 
tithesis with  the  words  one  flesh.  The 
sense  is  not  changed  or  impaired  by 
their  omission,  as  the  subject,  man  and 
wife,  is  easily  understood  in  the  ori- 
ginal. 

6.  Wherefore  they  are,  &c.  This  is 
the  inevitable  inference  from  the  ori- 
ginal constitution  of  the  marriage  re- 
lation. How  opposed  to  this  are  many 
of  the  legislative  enactments,  by  which 
divorces  are  granted  so  freely  in  our 
day.  What  therefore  Ood,  &c.  Our 
Lord  regarded  this  original  law  of  mar- 
riage as  of  universal  obligation.  The 
relation  was  one  of  divine  ordination. 
When  once  assumed,  it  was  not  to  be 
terminated  by  any  human  enactment. 
Nothing  could  be  more  conclusive  than 
this  argument  of  our  Savior  against 
divorce.  Hath  joined  together ;  lite- 
rally, hath  yoked  together,  a  figurative 
expression  of  universal  use  in  respect 
to  the  bonds  of  matrimony. 

The  Pharisees  having  been  foiled  ia 


236 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


wife :  and  *  they  twain  shall  be 
one  flesh  ? 

6  Wherefore  they  are  no  more 
twain,  but  one  flesh.  What  there- 
fore God  hath  joined  together,  let 
not  man  put  asunder. 

7  They  say  unto  him,  -^  Why  did 
Moses  then  command  to  give  a 
writing  of  divorcement,  and  to 
put  her  away  ? 

8  He  saith  unto  them,  Moses, 
because  of  the  hardness  of  your 

e  1  Co.  6  :  6,  &  7 :  2.    /De.  24 : 1 ;  ch.  5  :  81. 

their  first  question,  interpose  an  objec- 
tion founded  on  tlie  permission  granted 
by  Moses  to  give  a  bill  of  divorce.  Tlieir 
objection  sliows  that  they  correctly  ap- 
prehended the  reply  of  Jesus,  as  dis- 
allowing divorce  in  every  form.  WJoi 
did  Moses,  &c.  The  point  of  the  ob- 
jection is  this  :  If  the  marriage  tie  was 
so  indissoluble,  why  did  Moses  permit 
divorces,  commanding  only  that  a  writ- 
ing of  divorcement  be  given.  How  is 
this  discrepancy  between  the  original 
law  in  Eden,  and  the  Mosaic  law  to  be 
reconciled  ?  Our  Lord's  reply  is  given 
in  the  next  verse.  It  should  be  noted 
that,  what  was  only  a  permission  on 
the  part  of  Moses,  is  spoken  of  aa  a 
command,  by  these  cavillers.  In  the 
next  verse,  our  Lord  corrects  their 
error,  by  substituting  the  word  suffered, 
jjcrmitted. 

8.  Moses,  because,  &c.  See  N.  on 
5:31.  The  state  of  the  times,  and  the 
custom  of  the  surrounding  countries, 
rendered  it,  in  the  estimation  of  Moses, 
inexpedient  to  debar  the  Israelites  from 
the  power  of  divorce.  Marriage  was  treat- 
ed by  him  as  a  civil  institution,  and  thus 
he  granted  indulgences,  which  Christ, 
who  came  to  magnify  and  restore  the 
law  to  its  spirituality  and  power,  and  to 
annul  dead  and  useless  forms,  very 
properly  revoked.  The  words  because 
of  the  hardness,  would  be  more  cor- 
rectly translated,  in  reference  to,  or 
hai'ing  regard  to  the  hardiiess,  i.  e. 
seeing  your  hardness  of  heart,  he  per- 


hearts,  suffered  you  to  put  away 
your  wives :  but  from  the  begin- 
ning it  was  not  so. 

9  *  And  I  say  unto  you,  Who- 
soever shall  put  away  his  wife,  ex- 
cept it  be  for  fornication,  and 
shall  marry  another,  committeth 
adultery  :  and  whoso  marrieth 
her  which  is  put  away,  doth  com- 
mit adultery. 

10  1^  His  disciples  say  unto 
him,  *  If  the   case  of  the  man  be 

fir  Ch.  5  :  32 ;  Ma.  10  :  11 ;  Lu.  16  :  18  ;  1  Co.  T: 
10,  11.        h  Pr.  21 :  19. 


mitted  divorces  to  be  granted  more 
freely,  than  he  otherwise  would  have 
done.  Hardness  of  heart,  which  would 
have  brooked  no  restraint  of  the  kind 
here  referred  to,  and  which  would  have 
vented  itself  in  the  ill-usage,  if  not  the 
murder,  of  the  wife,  from  whom  no 
legal  separation  could  be  effected.  It 
was  a  lesser  evil,  which  Moses  was  con- 
strained to  permit,  as  our  Lord  himself 
says,  through  the  hardness  and  stub- 
bornness of  their  hearts.  Yoiir  hearts. 
The  same  hardness  of  heart  character- 
ized the  people  then,  as  in  the  time  of 
Moses.  The  Mosaic  dispensation,  in 
this  and  several  other  respects,  con- 
templated this  abiding  hardness  of 
heart  in  the  nation,  and  its  laws  were 
framed  accordingly.  JBut  from  the  be- 
ginning, when  the  marriage  relation 
was  first  constituted.  It  was  not  so,  i.  e. 
men  were  not  allowed  to  put  away 
their  wives. 

9.  See  N.  on  5  :  32.  Mark  (10:  ICf) 
says  that  this  was  addressed  to  his  dis- 
ciples in  the  house,  in  answer  to  further 
inquiries  made  by  them  on  this  subject. 

10.  If  the  case  of  the  man,  kc.  There 
is  much  doubt  as  to  the  precise  mean- 
ing of  the  word  rendered  case,  which  is 
the  same  as  the  one  in  v.  3  rendered 
cause,  and  which  some  think  refers  to 
the  same  thing,  in  the  sense  oi  a.  justifi/- 
ing  reason  of  divorce.  Alford,  with 
some  other  recent  commentators,  ex- 
plains it  of  the  original  ground  or  prin- 
ciple  of  the   relationship   of  man  and 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER:  XIX. 


237 


so  with  his  wife,  it  is  not  good  to 
marry. 

11  But  he  said  unto  them,  'All 
men  cannot  receive  this  saying, 
save  they  to  whom  it  is  given. 

12  For  there  are  some  eunuchs, 

1 1  Co.  7 : 2,  T,  9,  IT. 

wife,  as  declared  by  our  Lord  in  vs. 
4-6.  But  it  seems  more  natural  to 
refer  it  to  the  case  or  condition  of  a 
man,  thus  joined  indissolubly  to  a 
woman  who  proves  to  be  unworthy,  and 
ill-adapted  to  render  him  happy.  Unless 
the  power  of  divorce  from  such  a  wo- 
man were  possessed,  it  was,  in  their 
estimation,  preferable  not  to  marry  at 
all.  The  Jewish  prejudices  of  the  dis- 
ciples were  continually  leading  them  to 
false  conclusions.  Their  language  was 
not  only  that  of  their  countrymen,  but 
of  many  at  the  present  day,  who  bring 
forward  ill-assorted  marriages  and  con- 
jugal feuds  consequent  thereon,  as  a 
reason  why  divorces  should  be  freely 
given. 

11.  All  men  cannot  receive  (liter- 
ally, give  place  to,  i.  e.  assent  to)  this 
saying  of  the  disciples,  that  it  is  not 
good  to  marry.  Very  few  will  vol- 
untarily assume  celibacy,  the  natural 
inclination  of  men  being  towards 
the  marriage  state.  Save  they  to 
whom  it  is  given  (of  God),  i.  e.  who 
are  possessed  of  such  a  physical  tem- 
perament, and  such  self-control,  as  to 
overcome  this  desire  for  the  marriage 
state.  Even  with  such,  as  our  Lord 
goes  on  to  state  in  the  following  verse, 
the  natural  desires  and  inclinations 
would  prove  too  strong  to  be  over- 
come, at  least  in  many  instances,  were 
not  tlie  aid  of  bodily  mutilation  resorted 
to.  Olshausen  refers  the  words,  to 
whom  it  is  given,  to  a  special  work  of 
grace,  or  the  grace  of  continency, 
which  is  not  given  to  all. 

12.  The  general  sentiment  of  this 
verse  is,  that  those  persons  only,  who 
have  been  brought  into  the  condition  of 
eunuchs,  or  who  have  so  mastered  their 
natural  inclinations,  as  to  have  ren- 
dered themselves  insensible  to  all  de- 


which  were  so  born  from  their 
mother's  womb :  and  there  are 
some  eunuchs,  which  were  made 
eunuchs  of  men  :  and  *  there  be 
eunuchs,  which  have  made  them- 
selves  eunuchs  for  the  kiugdom 

A  1  Co.  T  :  82,  34,  &  9  :  5, 15. 


sire  for  marriage,  will  abstain  from  that 
relation.     The  conjugal  relation  will  be 
entered  upon,  as  it  was  intended  to  be, 
by  the  great  mass  of  mankind,  and  it  is 
neither  to   be   avoided  nor  abrogated, 
because  of  the  evils  which,  in  solitary 
cases,  are  incidental  to  it.     For  there 
are  some  eunuchs  (literally,  bed-keepers). 
This  class  of  persons  were  very  numer- 
ous among  the  Orientals,  in  ancient  as 
well    as  in  modern  times.     They  kept 
the  harems  of  kings  and  great   men. 
They  were  the  confidential  servants  of 
their  masters,  and  oftentimes  rose   to 
the  highest  offices   and  honors,  being 
intrusted  especially  with  such  services 
as  required  fidelity.      Which  were  horn, 
&c.     The   first   class    referred    to   are 
those,  who  are  naturally  incapacitated 
for   the    marriage   state.      Wliich  were 
made  eunuchs,  &c.     This  second  class, 
who  were  made  incapable  of  marrying 
by  physical  mutilation,  are  the  only  real 
eunuchs,  the  first  and  last  class  being 
so  called  by  afigure  of  speech.      Which 
have  made   themselves,  &c.     This  docs 
not   refer   to    self-mutilation,    but   to 
such  a  mastery  of  all  inclination  for  mar- 
riage, that  like  Paul  (see-1  Cor.  7  :  26), 
the  persons  referred  to  abstain  from  en- 
tering that  state,  in  order  the  more  ef- 
ficiently   to    labor   for    the    cause    of 
Christ.     In   almost   every  age    of  the 
church,    especially   when  pioneer  mis- 
sionary work  is   to    be   performed,  it 
seems  desirable   that   some  of  Christ's 
ministers  shall,  for  a  time  at  least,   re- 
main unmarried.     Such  persons,  in  the 
strong  metaphorical    language    of  our 
Savior,  denoting  the  mastery  over  their 
desires   to   which  they  have   attained, 
are  represented  as  having  made  them- 
selves   eunuchs    for    the    kingdom^  ef 
heaven's   sake.      Some,   however,  like 
Origen,  understood  this  passage  as  lit- 


238 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


of  heaven's  sake.  He  that  is 
able  to  receive  it,  let  him  receive 
it. 

13  H  '  Then  were  there  brought 
unto  him  little  children,  that  he 
should  put   his   hands  on  them, 

Z  Ma.  10:13;  Lu.  18:15. 

eral,  and  having  the  force  of  a  duty 
from  the  following  clause,  he  that  is 
able,  &c.  But  no  license  can  be  drawn 
from  this  for  the  self-mutilation  to 
which  Origen  submitted,  nor  for  the 
law  of  celibacy,  which  the  Ro- 
mish church  imposes  on  her  priest- 
hood. He  that  is  able  (through  ascend- 
ency over  his  natural  inchnations  to 
enter  the  marriage  state)  to  receive  it, 
i.  e.  the  saying  spoken  of  in  v.  11.  Let 
him  receive  it.  This  is  a  permission 
and  not  an  injunction.  The  sense  is, 
that  if  a  man  thinks  he  can  subserve 
the  interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  better 
by  remaining  unmarried,  and  can  dis- 
cipline himself  to  voluntarily  abstain 
from  marriage,  he  is  permitted  thus  to 
do.  It  was  a-  remark  of  Neander,  the 
more  valuable,  as  Alford  observes, 
from  his  having  lived  a  single  life, 
that  the  reprimand  of  the  servant  who 
buried  his  talent  for  its  safe  keeping, 
shows  the  estimate  which  our  Savior 
put  upon  celibacy,  when  entered  upon 
through  fear  of  the  trials  aud  temp- 
tations of  the  marriage  state. 

13-15.  Jesus  receives  and  blesses 
LITTLE  Children.  Perea.  Mark  10  : 
13-16  ;  Luke  18  :  15-17.  The  best 
harmonists  concur  in  placing  the  bring- 
ing of  the  httle  children  to  Christ,  next 
in  order  to  the  discourse  on  the  law  of 
marriage. 

13.  Then  were  therebrought,  &c.  They 
were  probably  brought  by  believing 
parents,  in  order  to  receive  his  bless- 
ing, the  sign  of  which,  in  this  case,  was 
the  imposition  of  his  hands.  See  Gen. 
48  :  14.  And  pray,  i.  e.  invoke  God's 
blessing  upon  them.  Rebuked  them. 
The  disciples  were  unwilling  that  his 
graver  instructions  should  be  inter- 
rivpted,   by   what  seemed  to  them  so 


and  pray :  and  the  disciples  re- 
buked them. 

14  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer  little 
children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to 
come  unto  me  :  for  '"  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

15  And    he    laid    his    hands 

m  Ch.  18  :  3. 

comparatively  unimportant,  as  laying 
his  hands  on  little  children.  They 
may  have  feared,  too,  that  it  would 
prove  a  troublesome  tax  upon  their 
Master's  time  and  attention. 

14.  But  Jesus  said,  or  as  Luke  re- 
lates it,  called  them  unto  him  and  said. 
The  parents  being  thus  rebuked  by  the 
disciples,  at  which  Mark  says  that  Jesus 
was  much  displeased,  were  probably 
turning  to  go  away,  when,  in  tones  of 
heavenly  compassion,  and  words  un- 
equalled for  tenderness  and  true  moral 
sublimity,  he  invited  them  to  come 
near.  Suffer  little  children;  literally, 
suffer  the  little  children,  referring  to 
those  mentioned  in  the  preceding  verse. 
His  gracious  words  are,  however,  of 
general  application  to  the  children  of 
all  believing  parents,  and  indeed  to  all 
who  in  childhood  come  to  him.  For 
of  such,  i.  e.  composed  of  such  and 
their  like.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  com- 
posed in  part  of  those,  who  die  in  the 
years  of  infancy  and  early  childhood. 
Reference  may  also  be  had  to  those 
having  the  disposition  of  little  children, 
referred  to  in  18  :  3,  on  which  see 
Note.  There  is  no  direct  proof  from 
this  passage  that  all  infants  are  saved, 
although  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
from  the  nature  of  the  case,  as  well  as 
from  inferences  drawn  from  this  and 
other  passages  of  God's  word,  that  in- 
fints  are  saved  through  the  grace  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Kingdom  of  heaven,  i.  e. 
the  true  church  of  Christ  composed  of 
persons  having  the  child-like  disposition 
here  referred  to. 

15.  He  laid  his  hands,  &c.  Mark 
(10  :  16)  says,  "  he  took  them  up  in  his 
arms."  His  condescension  and  love 
exceeded  the  request  of  the  parents, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


289 


on  them,  and  departed  thence. 
16  ^  "  And  behold,  one  came 
and  said  unto  him,  "  Good  Master, 
what  good  thiug  shall  I  do,  that 
I  may  have  eternal  life  ? 

n  Ma.  10:17;  Lu.  IS  :  18. 

which  was  only  that  he  should  "  put 
his  hands  upon  them."  We  can  hardly 
doubt  that  these  children  in  due  time, 
by  their  j)ersonal  acceptance  of  Christ, 
ratified  this  act  of  their  believing  pa- 
rents, and  were  themselves  active,  self- 
denying  members  of  the  church.  The 
readiness  of  Christ  to  receive  and  bless 
them,  is  an  encouragement  to  all  be- 
lievers in  subsequent  time,  to  bring  and 
consecrate  their  ofl'spring  to  their  Sa- 
vior and  Redeemer.  Departed  thence, 
i.  e.  from  that  part  of  Perea,  where  this 
incident  took  place,  for  he  abode  still  in 
the  region  beyond  Jordan. 

lG-30.  Thk  Rich  Young  Man.  Perea. 
Mark  10  :  17-31  ;  Luke  18  :  18-30. 

16.  And  behold  there  came.  This 
took  place  according  to  Mark,  when  he 
had  "  gone  forth  into  the  way,"  on  his 
journey  towards  Jerusalem.  This 
young  ruler  was  a  person  of  great 
wealth,  refinement,  and  excellence  of 
character,  as  is  seen  from  the  circum- 
stances here  related  of  him.  He  was  so 
desirous  of  interrogating  Jesus,  that  he 
came  running  to  him,  and  so  impressed 
with  his  high  character  as  a  rehgious 
teacher,  that  he  kneeled  to  him,  accord- 
ing to  the  Oriental  custom  of  prostra- 
tion before  a  superior  (see  Mark  10  : 
17).  Good  Master.  Moral  goodness  is 
not  so  much  referred  to  here,  as  emi- 
nence in  the  office  of  teacher  ;  for  such 
is  the  signification  of  the  word  here 
rendered  Master.  What  good  thing, 
&c.  This  question  was,  doubtless,  pro- 
posed in  all  sincerity,  and  with  a  deter- 
mination to  do  whatever  was  enjoined 
upon  him,  although  the  sequel  shows, 
that  he  was  not  equal  to  the  self-de- 
nial imposed  upon  him  by  our  Savior. 
He  asked  vthdXgood  thing  he  should  do, 
as  though  good  works  were  all  that  was 
necessary  to  secure  his  admission  to 
eternal  life.  He  was  evidently  a  Pha- 
risee, and  having   done  all  which   he 


17  And  he  said  unto  him,  Why 
callest  thou  me  good  ?  there  is 
none  good  but  one,  that  is  God  : 
but  if  thou  wilt  euter  into  life, 
keen  the  commandments. 


o  Lu.  10  :  25. 


deemed  the  law  of  God  required,  waa 
impelled  by  a  vague  sense  of  some- 
thing yet  wanting  to  the  completion 
of  a  perfect  character,  and  therefore 
proposed  this  question  to  JesuSjhiJi»pSs^ 
that  he  would  either  be  pi^ounced 
perfect,  or  informed  what  he  should  do 
to  render  certain  his  future  happiness. 
internal  life,  i.  e.  happiness  in  a  fu- 
ture state,  of  which  lijfe  is  the  repre- 
sentative, just  as  death  is  the  term  used 
to  denote  the  loss  of  the  soul  in  the 
eternal  world. 

17.  Why  callest  thou  me  good.  Christ  \ 
does  not  here  deny  his  title  to  the  epi-  ! 
thet  good,  but  rebukes  the  inconsistency  f 
of  the  young  ruler  in  pronouncing  him  i 
good,  and  yet  regarding  him  merely  as  ' 
a  human  teacher.  The  sentiment  is 
this :  You  regard  me  only  as  an  eminent 
teacher.  Why  then  do  you  address  me 
in  language  applicable,  to  God  only  ? 
Compared  with  God,  there  is  no  one 
good.  All  human  excellence  is  as 
nothing.  See  Mark  10:18.  In  this 
question  our  Lord  also  in  part  replies 
to  the  inquiry  of  the  young  man. 
There  is  no  being  good  but  God.  No 
human  being  is  so  perfect  and  observant 
of  the  divine  law,  as  to  deserve  the  ap- 
pellation good.  Hence  to  no  good  thing 
which  you  can  do,  is  eternal  Hfe  pro- 
mised as  a  reward.  In  a  very  ancient 
and  well  sustained  reading,  the  question 
in  Matthew  takes  this  form  :  Whi/  ask- 
est  thou  me  concerning  that  which  is 
good?  One  is  the  good.  Olshausen 
conjectures  this  to  be  the  correct  read- 
ing. To  decide  this,  would  require  an 
appeal  to  manuscripts  and  versions, 
which  are  not  accessible  to  scholars  in 
this  country.  £ut  if  thou  wilt  enter,  &c. 
If  you  are  sincere  and  earnest  in  your 
aspirations  after  eternal  life.  Keep  the 
co7mnandments.  In  this  way  alone 
could  eternal  life  be  attained,  on  the 
ground  of  personal  merit.     The  Mosaic 


240 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  S3. 


18  He  saith  unto  him,  Which  ? 
Jesus  said,  ''  Thou  shalt  do  no 
murder,  Thou  shalt  not  commit 

p  Ex.  20: 13;  De.  5:17. 

precepts  are  here  referred  to,  especially 
the  ten  commandments  (see  Mark  10  : 
19). 

18.  The  ruler,  supposing  that  Jesus 
referred  to  some  command,  which  he 
had  through  ignorance  or  inadvertence 
neglected,  inquires  ivhich  (literally,  what 
ones)  of  the  commandments  he  was  to 
observe.  We  cannot  suppose  that  his 
inquiry  was  based  on  the  belief,  that  a 
part  only  of  God's  commandments  were 
to  be  kept.  His  previous  conduct,  from 
his  youth  up,  shows  that  he  considered 
the  whole  law  as  of  binding  obligation. 
Jesus  said,  TTiou  shalt  do  no  murder,  &c. 
These  examples  are  from  the  second 
table,  but  virtually  comprise  the  whole 
moral  law.  Perhaps  our  Lord  refers  to 
this  part  of  the  law,  because  in  the  trial 
of  obedience  which  he  was  about  to  im- 
pose upon  the  young  man,  he  intended 
to  show  that  the  spirit  of  the  laws,  even 
of  the  second  table,  he  was  far  from 
having  kept.  So  De  Wette  remarks, 
that  our  Lord  gives  this  enumeration, 
to  bring  out  the  self-righteous  spirit  of 
the  young  ruler,  which  he  from  the  first 
saw  in  him.  In  respect  to  the  com- 
mand, thou  shalt  do  no  murder,  see  N. 
on  5  :  21-26.  TIiou  shalt  not  commit 
adidtery.  See  N.  on  5  :  27-32.  Thou 
shalt  not  steal.  The  spirit  of  this 
command  is  not  only  against  our 
taking  what  does  not  belong  to  us, 
but  retaining  in  our  possession  that 
which  should  be  surrendered  up  to 
the  rightful  owner,  or  keeping  back 
from  another  his  just  dues.  All  the 
varieties  of  sharp  trading,  by  which, 
through  misrepresentation  or  conceal- 
ment of  defects  in  the  article  to  be 
vended,  a  fictitious  value  is  given  it  ; 
every  act  of  overreaching,  cheating, 
defrauding,  embezzlement,  is  strictly 
prohibited  in  this  commandment.  Nor 
is  the  overt  act  alone  forbidden.  As 
our  Lord  defined  murder,  and  adultery, 
to  consist  in  causeless  anger  and  im- 
pure desires,  so  theft,  in  its  spirit,  is 


adultery,  Thou   shalt   not   steal, 

Thou  shalt  not  hear  false  witness, 

19  '  Honour  thy  father  and  thy 

q  Ch.  15  :  4. 


the  desire  to  appropriate  to  our  own 
use  that  which  belongs  to  another.  In 
what  a  sweep  of  condemnation,  does 
this  one  commandment  involve  men, 
especially  in  the  great  business  relations 
of  life,  where  the  desire  for  gain  too 
often  swallows  up  all  honesty  of  dealing, 
and  causes  men  to  look  upon  the  prop- 
erty of  their  fellow-men  as  legitimate 
prey,  provided  it  can  be  secured  with- 
out any  civil  misdemeanor  exposing 
them  to  the  arm  of  the  law.  Tliou  shalt 
not  bear  false  witness.  See  N.  on  6  : 
33-37. 

19.  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother. 
Show  them  due  reverence  in  word  and 
deed.  Share  with  them,  if  necessary, 
your  means  of  support.  Render  them 
comfortable  in  their  old  age.  Let  no 
unkindness  on  your  part,  pierce  their 
souls  like  an  arrow,  and  bring  down 
their  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the 
grave.  An  aged  parent  has  peculiar 
claims  on  the  kindness  and  sympathy 
of  his  children.  He  has  outlived  his 
generation.  From  many  of  the  sources 
of  earthly  comfort,  he  is  cut  off  by 
bodily  infirmities.  The  grasshopper  has 
become  a  burden  to  him  (Eccles.  12: 
5).  The  powers  of  his  mind  have  be- 
come enfeebled.  How  unworthy  is  the 
conduct  of  that  person,  who  can  speak 
harshly  to  his  aged  parent  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, deprive  him  of  the  com- 
forts and  enjoyments  which  old  age 
craves,  banish  him  from  the  social 
circle,  and  keep  him,  as  it  were,  a 
prisoner  in  the  seclusion  of  his  own 
chamber.  How  many,  it  is  to  be  fear- 
ed, violate  in  spirit,  if  not  in  letter,  this 
first  commandment  with  promise.  77iou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  &c.  This  is  the 
summing  up  of  the  spirit  and  essence 
of  the  laws  of  the  second  table.  On 
the  meaning  of  neighbor,  see  N.  on 
5 :  43,  also  our  Lord's  parable  of  tlie 
good  Samaritan,  where  he  teaches  us 
the  true  meaning  of  this  expression. 
As  thyself.     This  does  not  imply  that 


A.  D.  8?..] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


mother  :    and,    *■  Thou  slialt    love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 

20   The  young  man  saith  unto 
him,  All  these  things  have  I  kept 

»-Le.  19:18;  ch.  22:39;  Ko.l3:9;  Ga.5:14; 

Ja.  2 : 8. 


we  are  to  neglect  our  own  interests  for 
those  of  another,  or  share  our  necessary 
means  of  subsistence,  with  every  chance 
comer.  In  the  nature  of  the  case,  we 
are  to  provide  first  for  our  own  support 
and  that  of  ourfamihes,  for  by  thus  doing 
we  shall  be  the  better  able  to  help 
others  in  the  time  of  their  extremity. 
The  neglect  of  our  own  aifairs  for  those 
of  others,  would  render  us  incapable  of 
serving  our  fellow-men,  and  soon  make 
us  burdens  upon  the  community.  The 
law  here  laid  down  is  opposed  to  selfish- 
ness, and  to  a  cold-hearted  indifference 
to  the  wants  of  others.  It  demands 
the  exercise  of  charity  in  behalf  of  the 
destitute  and  the  suffering,  and  teaches 
us  to  sympathize  in  all  the  griefs  and 
afflictions  of  our  fellow-men,  so  far  as 
the  scope  of  our  observation  and  influ- 
ence may  extend. 

20.  All  these  things  have  I  kept,  &c. 
He  had  been  a  strict  observer  of  the 
outward  forms  of  the  law,  but  of  its 
spirit  he  was  ignorant,  or  he  would 
never  have  made  this  self-righteous  and 
confident  reply.  But  although  self- 
righteous  he  was  no  hypocrite,  and 
hence  our  Lord  looked  upon  him  with 
far  different  emotions,  than  he  did  upon 
the  hypocritical  Pharisees  (see  Mark 
10  :  21).  From  my  youth,  i.  e.  from 
early  youth.  He  had  been  religiously 
inclined  from  a  very  early  age.  His 
morals  had  been  irreproachable.  No  one 
supposed  him  to  be  other  than  a  good 
man,  beloved  of  God  and  an  heir  of 
heaven.  What  lack  I  yet  ?  This  ques- 
tion was  put  in  sincerity,  and  with  a 
determination,  doubtless,  to  do  what- 
ever was  required  from  so  eminent  a 
teacher.  He  little  thought  that  his 
lack  of  duty  constituted  a  chasm,  which 
could  only  be  filled  by  giving  his  whole 
property  to  the  poor,  and  personally 
dedicating  himself  to  the  service  of 
Je-us  Christ. 

Vol.  I.— 11 


241 

what  lack  I 


from  my  youth  up 
yet  ? 

21  Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou 
wilt  be  perfect,  '  go  and  sell  that 

8Ch.6:20;   Lu.  12:  33,  &  16  :  9;   Ac.  2  :  45,  & 
4:34,35;  1  Ti.  6  :  18,  19. 

21.  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Mark  (10:  21) 
says,  "  that  Jesus  beholding  him  loved 
him."  He  felt  an  interest  in  one  whose 
life  had  been  externally  so  correct,  and 
who  seemed  to  be  so  sincere  an  inquirer 
after  truth.  If  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  i.  e. 
fully  conform  thyself  to  God's  law,  and 
become  an  heir  of  eternal  life.  The 
perfection  here  spoken  of  is  not  abso- 
lute but  comparative.  God  only  is 
absolutely  perfect.  But  in  a  less  degree 
and  one  approximating  thereto,  men 
also  may  be  said  to  be  perfect.  See  5  : 
48.  Go  and  sell  that  thou  hast.  From 
the  knowledge  which  Christ  had  of  this 
young  man's  heart,  he  saw  tit  to  impose 
on  him  this  sacrifice  of  his  worldly  pos- 
sessions. With  all  his  external  respect 
for  the  precepts  of  the  law,  his  heart 
was  on  his  great  wealth,  and  for  that,  as 
it  appears,  he  was  willing  to  sacrifice 
his  hopes  of  eternal  life.  Our  Lord 
therefore  struck  at  the  root  of  his 
master  passion,  and  required  an  unre- 
served surrender  of  all  his  possessions, 
and,  in  addition,  his  personal  attendance 
on  his  ministry.  Give  to  the  poor. 
With  all  his  strict  regards  to  the  out- 
ward demands  of  the  law,  he  had  per- 
haps been  so  penurious,  as  seldom  to 
have  given  any  thing  to  the  poor  around 
him.  He  may  have  looked  down  upon 
them  as  unworthy  of  his  notice.  But 
now  he  is  required  to  convert  his  great 
possessions  into  money,  and  give  it  all 
to  those  despised  persons,  upon  whom 
he  had  hitherto  scarcely  deigned  to 
look.  Had  he  been  required  to  found 
some  splendid  chaiity,  or  to  build  a 
beautiful  and  expensive  synagogue,  he 
might  have  yielded  obedience,  but  to 
give  all  his  property  to  the  poor,  was 
too  repulsive  to  his  feelings  to  be 
listened  to  a  moment.  We  are  not  to 
infer  from  Christ's  direction  to  this 
young  ruler,  that  every  believer  is  thus 
to   sell   his   possessions,  aud  distribute 


242 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  33. 


thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor, 
and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  iu 
heaven :  aud  come  and  follow 
me. 

22   But  when  the  young  man 

them  to  the  poor.  Yet  the  same  spirit 
of  love  and  self-sacrifice,  which  was  re- 
quired of  the  young  ruler,  is  demanded 
of  every  follower  of  Christ.  Treasure 
in  heaven.  This  is  put  in  contrast  with 
his  earthly  possession.  See  N.  on  6  :  20. 
Come  and  follow  me,  i.  e.  become  my  dis- 
ciple. See  Mark  4  :  20.  Mark  (10  : 
21)  adds,  take  up  the  cross,  which  would 
be  well  understood  by  the  young  man, 
as  denoting  self-denial  and  suffering. 
But  it  was  not  this  which  caused  him  to 
go  away  sorrowful,  so  much  as  his 
being  called  to  part  with  his  great  pos- 
sessions. Olshausen  finds  in  this  two- 
fold direction  a  negative  side,  deliver- 
ance from  the  world ;  and  a  positive 
side,  union  with  Christ. 

22.  Young  man.  The  original  word 
is  used  of  young  men  in  the  prime  of 
manhood  up  to  forty  years  of  age. 
The  expression,  from  my  youth  up 
(v.  20),  seems  to  indicate  that  he  was 
at  least  upwards  of  thirty  years  of  age. 
That  saying,  viz.  that  he  must  part  with 
his  wealth.  Jle  went  away  sorroiving. 
This  shows  how  severe  was  the  conflict 
in  this  young  man  between  the  love  of 
the  world  and  of  Christ.  But  the  for- 
mer prevailed,  and  he  went  away  sad 
and  dejected,  that  a  test  of  obedience 
was  given  him  requiring  such  an  enor- 
mous sacrifice.  Some  think  that  our 
Lord's  words  to  this  young  man  were 
not  without  good  results,  and  that  he 
subsequently  yielded  obedience,  and  be- 
came a  disciple.  But  we  have  no  intima- 
tion of  this  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
the  declaration  of  Christ  respecting  the 
great  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  salva- 
tion of  rich  men,  would  seem  to  imply 
its  truth  and  verification  in  the  history 
of  this  young  man.  T'or  he  had,  &c. 
This  is  given  as  the  reason  why  he 
turned  away  from  Jesus.  What  multi- 
tudes of  the  young  and  rich  have  fol- 
lowed his  example,  when  by  divine 
grace   they  have  been  brought  to  the 


heard  that  saying,  he  went  away 
sorrowful :  for  he  had  great  pos- 
sessions. 

23  ^  Then  said  Jesus  unto  his 
disciples,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 


point  of  making  a  decision  between 
Christ  and  the  world.  The  words,  for 
he  had,  &c.  in  the  original  denote  con- 
tinued and  permanent  possession.  He 
was  not  one  who  had  suddenly  become 
rich,  and  therefore  liable  as  suddenly  to 
become  poor,  but  his  estate  was  one 
which  had  been  his,  at  least,  for  some 
time  previous. 

23.  Then  said  Jesus,  &c.  Luke  (16  : 
24)  connects  this  saying  directly  with 
the  sorrowful  departure  of  the  young 
man,  and  Mark  adds  that  he  looked 
about  him,  as  if  the  incident  was  of 
more  than  ordinary  interest.  Sliall 
hardly.  The  collocation  of  the  words 
in  the  original  conveys  the  thought 
more  forcibly  and  clearly  :  Hardly  will 
a  rich  man  enter,  i.  e.  his  entrance  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  will  be  attended 
with  the  extremest  difliculty.  It  is 
hard  to  persuade  a  rich  man  to  give  up 
all  for  Christ,  and  when  he  has  profess- 
edly done  this,  he  is  beset  through 
life  with  sore  temptations,  from  which 
those  in  more  humble  circumstances  are 
exempt.  Riches  beget  inordinate  pride, 
self-esteem,  love  of  display,  indifference 
to  the  interests  of  others,  and,  worse 
than  all,  an  absorbing,  all-consuming 
desire  for  the  acquisition  of  more 
wealth.  The  rich  are  apt  to  feel  that 
nothing  is  of  any  moment,  beyond  the 
means  requisite  for  the  gratification  of 
their  worldly  desires.  They  have  no 
relish  for  the  treasures  of  heaven. 
They  are  not  brought  by  the  ills  and 
afflictions  of  life,  to  the  foot  of  the 
cross  to  sue  for  mercy.  There  are 
many  rich  men  in  the  church  of  Christ, 
who  furnish  eminent  examples  of  true 
godliness,  but  the  great  majority  of 
them  professed  religion,  while  in  the 
humble  circumstances  of  their  youth. 
It  is  a  fact,  no  less  awful  than  true, 
that  seldom  is  a  man  found,  after  he 
has  come  into  the  possession  of  great 
wealth,  who  is  willing  to  forsake  all  for 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


243 


That  '  a  rich  man  shall  hardly  en- 
ter into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

24  And  again  I  say  unto  you, 
It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than 
for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

t  Ch.  13 :  22 ;  Ma.  10  :  24 ;  1  Co.  1 :  26  ; 
1  Ti.  6 :  9, 10. 

Christ,  and  wlio  does  not  betray  the 
most  callous  indifference  to  the  wants 
of  his  soul.  The  declaration  of  our 
Lord  respecting  the  almost  insuperable 
dilHculties  in  the  way  of  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  the  rich,  has  been 
verified  in  the  history  of  the  church 
down  to  the  present  time. 

24.  We  are  told  in  Mark,  that  the 
disciples  were  astonished  at  the  words 
of  our  Savior,  and  that  he  then  limited 
his  remark  to  those  who  trusted  in 
riches,  and  made  them  their  chief  good. 
But  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  nature  of 
riches  to  beget  this  inordinate  trust  in 
them,  and  this  desire  for  greater  pos- 
sessions, the  limitation,  as  has  been 
well  remarked  by  Bloomfield,  scarcely 
lessens  the  difficulty.  It  is  easier.  This 
does  not  imply  that  the  thing  here 
spoken  of  could  ever  take  place.  The 
expression  is  equivalent  to  :  It  is  a 
greater  impossihility  for  a  rich  man  to 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  than 
for  a  camel  to  go  throvgh  the  eye  of  a 
needle.  The  expression  is  a  proverbial 
one,  common  in  the  East  (the  word  ele- 
phayit  being  sometimes  thus  employed), 
denoting  absolute  impossibility,  as  far 
as  human  power  was  concerned.  The 
surmise  of  some,  that  the  Greek  word 
denoting  a  cable  or  rope,  is  the  true 
reading,  has  no  support  from  MS.  au- 
thority. Equally  unfounded  is  that  ex- 
planation, which  refers  the  needle's 
eye,  to  a  small  side  gate,  through  which 
men  passed,  but  too  small  for  the  camel 
to  pass  through.  No  better  represen- 
tation of  an  impossibility  could  be  made 
than  the  attempt  to  pass  a  camel,  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  ungainly  of 
animals,  through  the  eye  of  a  needle, 
which  is  one  of  the  smalleot  of  orifices. 


25  When  his  disciples  heard  i/, 
they  were  exceedingly  amazed, 
saying,  Who  then  can  be  saved  ? 

26  But  Jesus  beheld  iliera,  and 
said  unto  them,  With  men  this  is 
impossible  ;  but  "  with  God  all 
things  are  possible. 

wGe.  18:14;  Job 42:  2;  Je.  32  :  IT;  Zee.  8:  6; 
Lu.  1 :  37,  &  IS :  2T. 


25.  The  astonishment  of  the  disciples 
was  excited  beyond  measure,  at  the  de- 
claration of  Christ.  Were  exceedingly 
amazed;  literally,  were  driven  out  of 
their  senses  ;  were  altogether  astounded. 
WJio  then  can  be  saved?  i.  e.  what  rich 
man  can  be  saved?  for  the  question  is 
properly  hmited  by  the  context  to  this 
class  of  persons.  But  inferentially  and 
perhaps  in  the  minds  of  the  disciples, 
it  included  every  man  who  had  an  at- 
tachment to  wealth,  whether  in  actual 
possession  of  it  or  not.  Rich  men  were 
doul)tless  regarded  by  the  disciples,  as 
in  the  main  very  honorable  and  worthy. 
That  such  insuperable  obstacles  should 
lie  in  the  way  of  their  salvation,  was  to 
them  strange  and  amazing,  and  when 
Jesus  capped  the  climax  by  the  utter- 
ance of  the  proverb,  that  it  was  easier 
for  a  camel  to  pass  through  a  needle's 
eye,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God,  they  cried  out  in 
astonishment,  Who  then  (of  this  class 
of  persons)  can  be  saved?  It  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  the  disciples  had 
not  yet  fully  given  up  the  idea  of  a 
temporal  Messianic  kingdom,  under 
which  they  themselves  hoped  to  possess 
great  wealth  and  honor. 

26.  Beheld  them ;  literally,  having 
fixed  his  eyes  upon  them,  as  is  done, 
when  one  is  about  to  utter  some  mighty 
and  important  truth.  With  man,  i.  e. 
as  far  as  human  power  or  volition  is 
concerned.  Here  the  necessity  of  di- 
vine regenerating  influence,  resulting 
from  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  is  dis- 
tinctly intima'-ed.  TJiis,  i.  e.  the  salva- 
tion of  rich  men.  All  things  which  do 
not  involve  a  moral  impossibility. 
Great  emphasis  is  here  given  to  the 
previous  declaration  of  the  difficulties  in 


244 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


27  T[  '  Then  answered  Peter, 
and  said  unto  liim,  Behold,  "  we 
have  forsaken  all,  and  followed 
thee ;  what  shall  we  have  there- 
fore ? 

a  Ma.  10:  28;  Lu.  18  :  28. 

the  way  of  a  rich  man's  entering  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  He  can  only 
be  saved  by  an  Omnipotence,  that  can 
achieve  all  things  except  moral  impos- 
sibilities. But  what  is  true  of  the  rich 
is  essentially  true  of  every  class  of 
men.  No  man  of  himself,  whatever 
may  be  his  station,  talents,  or  influence, 
can  effect  in  his  heart  the  groat  moral 
change  necessary  to  salvation.  It  must 
be  done  by  the  regenerating  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

27.  nten  ansivered  Peter.  This  dis- 
ciple frequently  acted  as  spokesman 
for  the  rest,  who  were  his  juniors  in 
years.  He  now  waves  all  further  in- 
quiry respecting  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
rich  men's  salvation,  and  recurs  again 
to  the  young  man,  who  could  not  per- 
suade himself  to  give  up  all  for  Christ. 
From  his  conduct  he  takes  occasion  to 
inquire,  what  should  be  their  reward, 
for  having  given  up  all  for  his  sake. 
This  shows  the  connection  of  these 
verses  with  the  preceding  context. 
Although  Peter's  question  betrayed  the 
lurking  of  a  worldly  spirit  and  temper, 
yet  our  Savior  knowing  the  depths  of 
his  disciples'  affection  for  him,  and  their 
readiness  to  do  all  he  required,  return- 
ed a  most  frank  and  cheering  answer. 
The  reward  implied  in  the  question, 
what  shall  we  have  therefore?  had  pri- 
mary reference,  doubtless,  to  reward  in 
heaven,  as  it  seems  to  be  based  on  the 
expression,  treasure  in  heaven,  in  v. 
21.  But  it  is  probable  that  Peter  and 
his  fellow  disciples,  as  has  been  inti- 
mated, had  lingering  hopes  of  prefer- 
ment in  the  kingdom,  which  they  still 
hoped  he  would  set  up  on  earth.  The 
word  «//,  is  not  here  an  unmeaning 
term.  Some  of  the  apostles  had  con- 
siderable ])Ossessions.  James  and  John 
had  hired  servants  (Mark  1  :  20).  Levi 
could  make  a  great  feast  for  Jesus  in 
his   own  house   (Luke   6    :    29).     But 


28  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  That  ye 
which  have  followed  me,  in  the 
regeneration  when  the  Sou  of 
man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his 

2/  De.  33  :  9 ;  ch.  4  :  20  ;  Lu.  5  :  11. 


whatever  were  their  worldly  means,  they 
had  left  all  for  Christ.  I  cannot  think 
with  Olshausen,  that  Peter's  question 
had  no  reference  to  a  reward,  but  sim- 
ply to  the  condition  or  state  of  mind 
they  were  in,  that  is,  whether  they  had  in 
reality  done  yet  what  was  required  of 
the  young  man.  I  cannot  see  from 
either  context  any  ground  for  re- 
ferring the  question  to  aught  else, 
than  the  reward  which,  in  this  stage  of 
their  discipleship,  they  were  so  over 
anxious  about,  and  which  was  often 
made  the  subject  of  conversation  when 
by  themselves. 

28.  WHiich  have  followed  tne  as  dis- 
ciples. In  the  rerieneration.  There  has 
been  much  doubt  as  to  the  precise 
meaning  of  this  word,  in  its  present 
connection.  Except  in  this  place,  it  is 
only  used  in  Tit.  3  :  5,  where  it  evidently 
applies  to  the  new  birth,  or  regeneration 
of  the  soul  from  a  state  of  nature  to 
one  of  grace  and  holiness.  The  con- 
nection here  shows,  that  it  must  be 
taken  in  the  more  general  sense  of  reno- 
vation, restoration,  time  of  reward.  But 
to  construct  it  with  the  preceding 
words,  in  the  sense  of,  "  you  who  have 
followed  me  in  the  days  of  the  first  re- 
newing influences  of  the  gospel,"  does 
not  seem  to  meet  the  full  wants  of  the 
passage,  and  is  besides  unnecessary,  as 
a  designation  of  the  time  when  the 
disciples  followed  him,  a  thing  so  well 
known.  But  if  it  be  referred  to  the 
general  restitution  and  renewal  of  aU 
things  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  be 
constructed  with  the  following  words, 
"  when  the  Son  of  man  shall  sit  in  the 
throne  of  his  glory"  (25  :  31),  then  it 
yields  a  full  and  consistent  sense.  I 
cannot  agree  with  those  interpreters, 
who  expound  the  sitting  upon  his 
throne  of  glory,  and  the  twelve  apostles 
with  him,  as  a  figurative  representation 
of  his  presence  and  power  in  the  infant 


A.  D.  83.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


245 


glory,  'ye  also  shall  sit  upon 
twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Irael. 

s  Ch.  20  :  21 ;  Lu.  22  :  28,  29,  80 ;  1  Co.  6  :  2,  3 ; 
Ke.  2  :  26. 


church,  laying  down  laws  through  his 
vicegerents  the  apostles,  and  sitting  in 
judgment  in  their  persons,  upon  all 
cases  of  discipline  or  doubtful  doctrine. 
That  was  not  the  time  of  the  reward  of 
the  apostles,  but  of  their  trials  and  per- 
secutions. Nor  does  it  furnish  a  per- 
tinent reply  to  Peter's  question.  No 
suitable  sense  can  be  attached  to  the 
Avords,  but  that  which  has  been  already 
given,  viz.  the  day  of  general  and  final 
judgment,  when  Christ  shall  sit  upon 
his  throne  to  restore  all  things  to  their 
former  order  and  beauty,  and  to  put  all 
his  enemies  under  his  feet.  Tliat  is 
the  day  of  general  renovation,  the  new 
birth  of  a  moral  creation,  never  to  be 
marred  or  disordered  by  sin.  On  that 
day  the  apostles  would  be  exalted  in  the 
sight  of  the  assembled  universe.  As 
earthly  kings  and  princes  are  surround- 
ed, on  great  state  occasions,  by  their 
ministers  and  high  dignitaries,  so  the 
final  Judge  was  to  be  attended  by  the 
apostles  concurring  in  the  judgment, 
which  he  would  pronounce  on  the  re- 
bellious Jews  and  all  others,  who  reject- 
ed the  gospel  preached  by  them,  and 
those  who  should  come  after  them. 
This  sense  of  the  words  in  the  regenera- 
tion, is  confirmed  by  the  use  of  the 
word  in  profane  writings.  Cicero  (Att. 
6  :  6)  calls  his  restoration  to  dignity 
and  fortune,  a  -rraAiyyeveaia,  a  regenera- 
tion, a  new  or  second  birth.  So  Josephus 
styles  the  re-occupation  of  Judea  after 
the  exile.  See  Rob.  Lex.  Throne  of 
his  glory.  See  N.  on  2.5  :  31.  Jxidging 
the  twelve  tribes,  &c.  This  is  to  be  un- 
derstood figuratively  of  concurrence  in 
the  sentence  of  the  Judge.  Twelve 
tribes,  &c.  The  whole  nation  is  re- 
ferred to,  the  subdivision  being  made 
to  comport  with  the  number  of  the 
apostles. 

29.  And  even/ one,  &c.  The  promise 
of  reward  for  devotion  to  Christ's  cause 
is  here  made  general.     Ilath  forsaken 


29  "  And  every  one  that  hath 
forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or 
sisters,  or    father,   or  mother,  or 

a  Ma.  10  :  29,  30 ;  Lu.  18  :  29,  30. 

by  entering  upon  the  service  of  Clirist. 
Houses  or  bretlireii,  &c.  The  enumera- 
tion embraces  those  things  which  men 
are  most  apt  to  value.  In  the  family 
relations  here  noted,  the  order  in  which 
leave  would  be  taken,  is  strikingly  ob- 
served, unless,  with  our  views  of  the 
conjugal  relation,  the  words  wife  and 
children  should  be  reversed.  The  trials 
here  spoken  of  have  had,  in  the  history 
of  the  church,  a  frequent  literal  fidfill- 
ment.  But  this  does  not  imply  that 
faithful  ministers  of  the  gospel,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  labor  among  their  friends, 
or  in  the  same  region  of  country,  and 
are  thus  exempt  from  the  privations 
here  spoken  of,  shall  not  be  rewarded 
according  to  the  spirit  of  self-denial 
and  devotion,  which  they  have  mani- 
fested in  their  Master's  service.  Fm' 
my  name\'s  sake  (i.  e.  for  the  sake  of 
Christ  and  his  cause),  constitutes  the 
motive  of  these  sacrifices,  Avithout  which 
they  are  worthless.  See  N.  on  5  :  10. 
In  the  parallel  passage  in  Mark,  it  is 
for  my  sake  and  the  ^o.speZ's,  and  in 
Luke  y*or  the  kingdom  of  heaveri's  sake. 
The  same  great  idea  lies  at  the  base  of 
these  varied  forms  of  expression,  viz. 
the  identification  of  Christ  with  his 
cause,  so  that  suffering  and  endurance 
in  behalf  of  the  gospel,  is  the  same  as 
if  they  were  undergone  for  Christ's 
own  person.  An  hundredfold,  i.  c.  a 
hundred  times  as  much  in  value 
as  they  had  given  up  for  Christ.  The 
number  is  an  indefinitely  great  one,  and 
not  to  be  taken  as  a  literal  assertion, 
that  the  reward  would  be  just  one  hni  - 
dred  times  greater  than  the  value  of 
the  sacrifice.  Mark  and  Luke  confine 
this  to  the  present  life.  As  a  literal 
reference  to  temporal  blessings  is  out 
of  the  question,  it  must  be  figuratively 
referred  to  the  spiritual  peace,  joy,  and 
happiness,  which  are  ever  theirs  whose 
hearts  and  lives  are  given  to  the  service 
of  Christ.     There  are  doubtless  instan- 


246 


MATTHEW, 


[A.  D.  33. 


wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for 
my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  a 
hundredfold,  and  shall  inherit 
everlasting  life. 

30   ''But   many  ihat  are  first 

&  Ch.  20 :  16,&  21 :  31,  32 ;  Ma.  10 :  81 ;  Lu.13 :  80. 

ces,  however,  in  which  sacrifices  for 
Christ  have  been  found  productive  of 
temporal  blessings.  But  these  are  ex- 
ceptions to  the  general  experience  of 
his  followers,  which  is  one  of  self-denial, 
privation,  and  suffering.  See  Rev.  7  : 
14.  Mark  subjoins,  "with  persecutions," 
which  cleaily  shows  that  the  blessings 
here  referred  to,  are  not  temporal,  but 
such  as  may  be  enjoyed  amidst  perse- 
cutions. Shall  inherit,  &c.  Here  re- 
ference is  had  to  the  final  reward  in 
heaven.  This  is  the  eternal  life,  from 
w  hicli  the  young  ruler,  through  love  of 
temporal  riches,  turned  away  with  a  sor- 
rowful heart.  How  perfect  and  complete 
is  this  discourse  of  Christ,  and  how  does 
it  point  to  the  service  of  God,  as  the 
only  end  and  object  of  life,  which  will 
be  rewarded  hereafter. 

30.  But  many  that  are  first,  i.  e. 
•who  fill  elevated  stations  in  society, 
and  possess  wealth,  and  all  earthly  com- 
forts and  blessings.  The  type  of  this 
class  was  the  young  ruler.  Shall  be 
last,  and  the  last  (i.  e.  the  low  and 
humble,  who  have  been  faitliful  and 
self-denying  in  the  service  of  Christ) 
first.  In  the  eternal  world,  the  condi- 
tion of  these  two  classes  shall  be  re- 
versed, like  that  of  Lazarus  and  the 
rich  man  (Luke  16  :  25).  The  expres- 
sion here  used  was,  doubtless,  a  pro- 
A'erbial  one,  but  subject  to  slight  verbal 
variations,  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing 
this  with  its  repetition  in  20:  16. 

CHAP.  XX. 

1-16.  Parable  of  the  Laborers  in 
THE  Vineyard.     Perea. 

1.  For  the  kinfjdom  of  heaven,  &c. 
This  parable  is  designed  to  illustrate 
and  enibrce  the  sentiment,  with  which 
the  preceding  chapter  closed.  This 
will  help  us  to  the  right  understanding 
of  its  general  scope,  which  is  to  show 
that  the  rewards  of  the  Messianic  dis- 


shall  be  last,  and  the  last  shall  he 
first. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

FOR  the  kingdom   of  heaven  is 
like   unto  a  man   ihat  is  an 


pensation,  are  not  oi  debt,  hut  oi  grace 
(compare  Rom.  4 :  4,  5).  Hence,  nei- 
ther the  apostles  nor  any  other  follow- 
ers of  Christ,  could  claim  any  th'ng 
from  the  fact  that  they  had  left  all 
(19  :  27),  or  been  first  in  his  service,  or 
performed  a  greater  amount  of  labor 
than  others.  In  receiving  their  reward, 
they  were  as  much  the  objects  of  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  as  those  called 
at  a  later  period  of  life  into  the  king- 
dom, or  at  a  different  age  of  the 
church,  than  in  that  of  its  first  estab- 
lishment after  Christ's  ascension.  The 
great  principle,  "  not  of  woiks  but 
of  grace,"  is  taught  in  this  parable,  as 
applicable  to  all  who  enter  God's  ser- 
vice. Trench,  after  Bengel,  well  says, 
that  in  respect  to  the  apostles  and  all 
true  believers,  "this  parable  is  rather 
a  warning  against  what  might  be,  if 
they  were  not  careful  to  watch  against 
it,  than  a  prophecy  of  what  would  be." 
The  parable  conveys  a  stern  rebuke  to 
those  of  a  fault-finding,  envious  spii  it, 
and  who  attach  any  thing  of  merit  to 
their  service  in  Christ's  vineyard,  or 
look  for  any  other  reward  than  that 
which  is  wholly  of  grace.  The  phrase, 
kincfdom  of  heavei^,  means  here  the 
Christian  dispensation  begun  on  earth, 
and  perfected  in  heaven.  It  may  be 
para])hrased  :  The  bestowment  of  re- 
wards in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and 
the  mode  in  which  God  deals  with 
those  whom  he  calls  into  his  service, 
may  be  illustrated  by  the  manner  in 
which  a  householder  employed  and  paid 
off  his  laborers.  This  general  scope  of 
the  parable,  if  kept  in  view,  will  render 
the  interpretation  of  its  parts  compara- 
tivelv  easv  and  plain.  A  householder, 
a  head  of  a  family.  See  10  :  25  ;  13  :  27. 
Went  Old  to  the  market-place  (see  v. 
3).  Early  in  the  morning;  literally, 
with  the  dawn.  From  the  subsequent 
designations,   the   third,    sixth,    ninth, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


247 


householder,  which  went  out  early 
iu  the  morning  to  hire  labourers 
into  his  vineyard. 

2  And  when  he  had  agreed  with 
the  labourers  for  a  penny  a  day, 
he  sent  them  into  his  vineyard. 

3  And  he  went  out  about  the 
third  hour,  and  saw  others  stand- 
ing idle  in  the  market-place, 

and  eleventh  lioiir,  it  is  very  evident, 
that  the  first  laborers  commenced  their 
work  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
which  was  denominated  the  first  hour  of 
the  day.  To  hire  laborers.  Here  in 
the  very  outset,  the  reader  is  to  be  cau- 
tioned against  pressing  the  similitude 
of  the  points  of  the  parable  too  far. 
Men  hire  laborers,  but  God  never  hires 
his  servants.  The  Imguago  of  the 
parable  conforms  to  human  ways  and 
usages.  Itito  his  vineyard.  It  is  not 
material  to  know  whether  these  labor- 
ers were  employed  to  prune  and  dress 
the  vineyard,  or  to  gather  the  vintage. 
The  former  was  probably  their  service, 
since  the  length  of  the  day,  and  the 
heat  spoken  of  in  v.  13,  would  seem  to 
forbid  referring  it  to  the  vintage,  which 
did  not  commence  until  the  middle  of 
September,  and  continued  until  the 
middle  of  November. 

'2.  And  when  he  had  agreed  (literally, 
agreed  in  sound,  luas  symphonious). 
There  was  an  express  and  mutual  agree- 
ment between  the  householder  and  the 
first  hired  laborers,  as  to  the  amount  of 
their  wages,  while  it  will  be  seen  that 
those  who  entered  upon  their  work  at 
a  later  hour,  left  it  to  his  sense  of 
justice  and  generosity,  what  wages  they 
were  to  receive.  This  renders  the 
parable  natural  and  apposite,  but  is  not 
indicative,  as  Trench  thinks,  of  a 
wrong  spirit,  from  the  very  outset,  in 
the  laborers  first  hired.  They  did 
what  was  perfectly  right  in  ascertaining 
what  wages  they  were  to  have  for  their 
day's  labor.  Their  fault  consisted  in 
what  took  place  at  the  reckoning.  A 
penny.  The  Roman  denarius,  a  silver 
coin,  varying  from  15  to  17  cents.  See 
N.   on  18  :  28.     As  this  was  the  d^ily 


4  And  said  unto  them.  Go  ye 
also  into  the  vineyard,  and  what- 
soever is  right  I  will  give  you. 
And  they  went  their  way. 

5  Again  he  went  out  about  the 
sixth  and  ninth  hour,  and  did 
likewise. 

6  And  about  the  eleventh  hour 
he    went    out,   and   found    others 

pay  of  a  soldier,  it  was  probably  the 
usual  wages  of  a  laborer.  The  engage- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  laborers  lor 
this  sum  was  voluntary,  and  therefore 
no  wrong  was  done  them,  in  paying 
them  only  the  stipulated  wages. 

3,  4.  The  third  hour,  i.  e.  nine 
o'clock.  See  N.  on  v.  1.  The  house- 
holder, finding  that  he  could  profitably 
employ  more  hands  in  his  vineyard, 
went  to  the  market  place  (see  N.  on  1 1 : 
IG),  the  usual  resort  for  idlers  and  un- 
employed men,  to  hire  additional 
help.  Also,  as  those  first  hired. 
Whatsoever  is  right  (i.  e.  just  and  equi- 
table), I  will  give  you.  This  general 
assurance  of  fair  dealing  gave  them  to 
understand,  that  they  should  receive 
wages  proportionate  to  the  time  in 
which  they  were  employed.  They 
were,  doubtless,  as  much  surprised  at 
the  issue,  as  were  those  who  found 
fault  with  the  householder  for  his  ap- 
parent partiality  and  injustice.  Went 
their  way  to  the  vineyard,  to  commence 
labor  on  the  terms  offered  them.  This 
shows  that  they  were  waiting  for  eni' 
ployment,  and  were  not  idlers. 

5,  6.  Went  out  to  the  market-place. 
H«  was  yet  in  want  of  hands,  and  took 
the  usual  method  to  obtain  a  supply. 
Sixth  and  ninth  hour,  i.  e.  at  noon,  and 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  And 
did  likewise,  i.  e.  hired  laborers  on  the 
same  terms  as  before,  agreeing  to  pay 
whatever  was  right.  Thus  an  agree- 
ment was  made  with  all  the  hands,  and 
none  could  expect  more  than  their  pro- 
portionate wages.  About  the  eleventh 
hour.  Only  one  hour  before  the  time 
for  dismissing  the  laborers  at  night. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  inquire,  why  the 
householder  engaged  more  laborers  at 


248 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


standing  idle,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day 
idle? 

7  They  pay  unto  him.  Because 
no  man  hath  hired  us.  He  saith 
unto  them.  Go  ye  also  into  the 
vineyard ;  and  whatsoever  is  right, 
that  shall  ye  receive. 


so  late  an  hour.  He  doubtless  had  good 
reasons  for  it.  In  every  man's  experi- 
ence, who  cultivates  an  extensive  farm, 
there  are  days  in  which  he  would  be  glad, 
at  the  very  closing  hour,  to  put  more 
laborers  into  his  field  to  finish  up  some 
particular  work,  which  could  not  well 
be  deferred  to  another  day.  Especially 
would  this  be  likely  to  be  true,  in  a 
large  vineyard,  suffering  for  the  prun- 
ing-knife,  and  the  necessary  dressing 
of  the  vines.  He  ivent  out  as  before, 
to  the  market  place.  Why  stand  ye 
here  all  the  day  idle  ?  There  is  a  slight 
tone  of  reproach  in  these  words,  as 
though  the  men  addressed  had  been 
disposed  to  idle  away  their  time.  Here 
in  the  market  place,  where  you  doubt- 
less might  have  found  employment  had 
you  wished  it. 

7.  Hath  hired  us,  i.  e.  hath  offered 
to  employ  us.  They  had  not  remained 
idle  through  indolence,  or  by  demanding 
higher  than  ordinary  wages,  but  because 
no  man  had  required  their  services. 
They  were  industiious,  and  willing  to 
work,  whenever  the  opportunity  was 
olfered  them.  They  had  tarried  in 
the  market  to  an  unusually  late  hour, 
in  hopes  that  even  then,  some  one 
would  employ  them,  and  pay  them  the 
proportionate  wages  of  the  day.  It  is 
necessary  to  take  all  these  circumstan- 
ces into  account,  in  reaching  the  full 
meaning  of  this  parable,  in  its  spiritual 
application.  But  no  one  must  suppose 
irom  this,  that  the  tardiness  to  accept 
the  invitations  of  the  gospel,  which  with 
some  persons  extends  even  to  the  elev- 
enth hour,  is  excusable,  or  of  safe  pre- 
cedent. 

8.  llTien  even  was  come,  the  time  for 
closing  the  labors  of  the  day,  which 
was  at  6  o'clock.     This  with  the  indivi- 


8  So  when  even  was  come,  the 
lord  of  the  vineyard  saith  unto 
his  steward.  Call  the  labourers, 
and  give  them  their  hire,  begin- 
ning from  the  last  unto  the  first. 

9  And  when  they  came  that 
were    hired    about    the    eleventh 


dual  believer,  is  at  the  hour  of  death, 
but  in  reference  to  bringing  the  labors 
of  the  whole  church  to  a  close,  it  de- 
notes the  time  of  final  reckoning,  the 
day  of  judgment.  The  lord,  i.  e.  the 
owner,  possessor.  Steward,  i.  e.  agent 
or  manager.  Olshausen  says,  that  the 
steward  symbolizes  Christ  and  the  labo- 
rers refer  to  "  the  pastors  and  bishops 
of  the  church  of  God,"  the  souls  of  men 
being  the  vineyard  where  their  labors 
are  to  be  expended.  But  let  fancy 
once  begin  to  make  all  these  minor 
points  symbolical,  and  there  will  be  no 
stopping  place,  until  the  most  trifling 
minutiaj  are  forced  to  teach  some  great 
truth  or  lesson,  and  the  principal  de- 
sign of  the  parable  is  lost  sight  of  al- 
together. Call  the  laborers  to  receive 
their  pay.  Beginning  from  the  last 
(and  paying  them  in  order)  unto  the  first. 
This  order  of  payment  was  necessary 
to  give  opportimity  for  the  complaint 
which  was  about  to  be  made,  for  had 
the  laborers  who  worked  all  day  been 
paid  first,  they  would  have  retired,  and 
not  been  witnesses  of  the  amount  paid 
to  those  who  came  last.  The  last  was 
also  first  (see  19  :  30),  in  the  honor  of 
being  paid  first. 

9.  That  were  hired.  The  words  were 
hired  is  supplied.  Alford  supplies,  vjere 
sent  iJito  the  viiieyard.  The  sense  is 
the  same.  Ihey  received  every  inan 
(literally,  eacli)  his  penny,  i.  e.  a  full 
day's  wages,  although  having  worked 
only  one  hour.  It  is  needless  to  inquire 
wlfy  the  householder  did  this.  He  had 
his  reasons.  Some  attribute  it  to  their 
superior  industry  and  activity,  com- 
pared with  those  first  hired.  But,  as 
Trench  remarks,  such  an  assumption 
blunts  the  point  of  the  parable.  From 
the  householder's  remark,  because  I  am 


A.  D.  S3.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


hour,  they  received  every  man  a 
penny. 

10  But  when  the  first  came, 
they  supposed  that  they  should 
have  received  more ;  and  tliey 
likewise  received  every  man  a 
penny. 

11  And  when  they  had  received 


good  (v.  15),  we  may  gather,  that  he 
had  conipussion  on  these  laborers,  who 
through  no  iault  of  their  own  (see  N. 
on  V.  7),  were  out  of  employment,  and 
therefore  gave  them  full  pay.  The  fact, 
however,  is  all  with  which  we  have  to 
do,  in  the  interpretation  and  application 
of  the  parable.  No  inference  should 
be  drawn  from  this  point  of  the  parable, 
that  there  are  no  degrees  of  future 
glory  among  the  blessed,  a  truth  taught 
abundantly  in  other  portions  of  God's 
word  (see  25  :  14-30  ;  Luke  19  :  12- 
19  ;   1  Cor.  15  :  41). 

10.  Tliey  supposed,  &c.  It  was  true 
that  they  had  worked  for  stipulated 
wages,  but  when  they  saw  the  same 
amount  given  to  those,  who  had  entered 
the  field  at  a  late  hour,  their  hopes 
were  raised  for  an  increase  of  pay. 
More  than  was  paid  to  those  who  began 
their  work  at  a  later  hour.  They  like- 
wise, as  in  the  payment  of  the  others. 

11.  When  they  had  received  it.  They 
could  not  refuse  it,  because  it  was 
all  which  they  bargained  to  receive. 
Tliey  murinurcd.  The  sound  of  this 
word  in  the  original  is  expressive  of 
the  sense,  to  mutter  or  murmur  in  low 
tones,  as  when  one  is  displeased  or  dis- 
contented. Instead  of  retiring  to  their 
homes,  they  lingered  about  the  house 
of  their  employer,  conversing  in  low, 
sullen,  and  grumbling  tones,  of  the 
wrong  which  they  fancied  had  been 
done  them.  Against  the  goodman, 
&c.  They  did  not  discuss  the  justice  or 
policy  of  this  strange  process  of  pay- 
ment, as  an  abstract  question,  but 
found  fault  directly  with  the  house- 
holder, and  charged  him  with  having 
done  them  a  great  wrong.  Goodman. 
The  same  word  translated  householder 
in  V.  1.     The  word  good  has  here  no 

Vol.  I.— U* 


249 

the 


it,    they   murmured    against 
goodman  of  the  house, 

12  Saying,  these  last  have 
wrought  hut  one  hour,  and  thou 
hast  made  them  equal  unto  us, 
which  have  borne  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day. 

13  But   he    answered  one    of 

moral  signification,  but  is  used  in  what 
is  now  an  obsolete  sense,  as  an  appella- 
tion of  civility  and  respect. 

12.  Saying.  They  became  so  heated 
with  indignation  at  this  apparent  injus- 
tice, that  they  boldly  expostulated  w  ith 
the  householder,  and  charged  him  with 
wrong  doing.  Tliese  last  have  wrought, 
&c.  They  were  particularly  displeased 
that  full  pay  had  been  given  to  those, 
who  entered  the  vineyard  at  so  late  an 
hour.  Equal  in  the  w"ages  given  them. 
Who  have  borne,  &c.  i.  e.  who  have 
toiled  the  whole  day,  and  upon  whom 
the  brunt  of  the  labor  and  noon-tide 
heat  has  fallen,  whereas  these  have 
done  but  little,  and  that  too,  in  the  cool- 
ness of  the  closing  day.  The  word 
translated  heat,  literally  signifies  a  lurn- 
ing,  scorching  heat,  and  is  sometimes 
put  for  the  scorching  wind,  called  the 
Sirocco.  This  exaggeration  was  well 
suited  to  the  excitement  of  the  ser- 
vants. The  arrangement  of  the  words 
in  the  original,  who  have  home  the  bur- 
den of  the  day  and  the  heat,  would  seem 
to  favor  the  idea,  that  the  heat  was  not 
something  of  daily  occurrence,  like  the 
solar  heat,  but  a  visitation  of  unusual 
heat  like  that  produced  by  the  Sirocco. 
This  portion  of  the  parable  must  not  be 
pressed  to  teach,  that  among  true  be- 
lievers there  will  be  any  murmuring 
or  dissatisfaction,  at  the  final  award 
of  the  judgment.  The  circumstance 
is  introduced  to  give  occasion  for 
the  reply  of  the  householder,  that 
having  fulfilled  the  terms  on  which  the 
murmurers  engaged  in  his  service,  he 
had  a  right  to  reward  the  other  labor- 
ers, as  seemed  good  to  him. 

13.  But  he  answered  one  of  them,  who 
had  acted  as  spokesman  for  the  others, 
or  who  had  become  more  excited  than 


250 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


thcni,  and  said,  Friend,  I  do  tbee 
no  wrong  :  didst  not  tliou  agree 
with  me  for  a  penny  ? 

14  Take  ihat  thine  is,  and  go 
thy  way  :  I  will  give  unto  this 
last,  even  as  unto  thee. 

aRo.9:21.    &De.l5:9;  Pr.23:6;  ch.6:23. 

the  rest.  Friend.  So  we  say,  even  to 
inferiors  or  strangers,  wy  good  friend, 
as  an  expression  of  common  civility. 
Such  is  its  use  also  in  2'2  :  12  ;  24  :  50. 
I  do  thee  no  wrong.  He  had  no  ground 
of  complaint.  He  had  received  the 
wages  agreed  upon  at  the  outset.  It 
was  no  business  of  his,  what  the  house- 
holder paid  to  the  other  laborers.  Had 
injustice  been  done  to  any  of  them,  he 
might  have  made  common  cause  with 
the  injured,  and  endeavored  to  redress 
their  wrongs.  But  all  had  received 
their  full  stipulated  pay.  There  was  no 
ground  of  complaint,  except  that  he  had 
been  kind  and  generous,  beyond  what 
could  have  been  expected,  to  the  elev- 
enth-hour laborers.  Their  murmurings 
therefore  arose  from  nothing  else  than 
envy  and  seltishness.  Didd  not  thou, 
&c.  A  rhetorical  question,  serving  to 
affirm  strongly  the  truth  of  the  inquiry. 
The  word  rendered  agree,  is  the  strong 
term  employed  in  18  :  19,  showing  en- 
tire agreement. 

14.  Take  that  thine  is  (literally,  take 
the  thine)  andgo  thg  wag.  Be  satisfied 
with  your  wages  and  depart  to  your 
home.  There  is  a  sternness  in  these 
words  expressive  of  displeasure,  at  this 
interference  with  the  just  rights  of  the 
householder.  /  loill  give.  It  is  my 
pleasure  to  give,  I  choose  to  give.  Unto 
thifi  last.  The  singular  is  here  used 
collectively  for  the  plural,  unless,  per- 
h.ips,  he  pointed  to  some  particular  one 
of  those  who  came  last,  as  a  represen- 
tative of  the  whole  class,  but  singled 
out  in  contrast  with  the  discontented 
one  whom  he  was  addressing. 

1.5.  Is  it  not  lawful,  &c.  Have  I  not 
a  moral  and  legal  right  ?  With  mine 
own  ;  literally,  with  the  mine,  i.  e.  in 
my  own  affairs,  in  business  pertaining 
to  myself.     Is   thine   eye   evil?     Figu- 


15  "Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to 
do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ? 
'is  thine  eye  evil,  because  I  am 
good  ? 

16  'So  the  last  shall  be  first, 
and   the  first  last ;  '^  for  many  be 

c  Ch.  19  :  30.        d  Ch.  22  :  14. 

ratively  and  proverbially  put  for,  art 
thou  envious  ?  The  eye  is  here  put  for 
the  person,  because  the  sight  of  the 
prosperity  of  others  is  the  usual  incite- 
ment to  envy.  Some,  however,  think 
that  reference  is  had  to  the  indication, 
which  the  eye  gives  of  the  envious  feel- 
ing within.  But  this  is  less  natural. 
Because  I  am  good,  i.  e.  because  I  have 
shown  kindness  to  these  poor  men,  who 
stood  waiting  for  employment  almost 
the  whole  day,  and  found  none. 

16.  So  the  last,  &c.  This  is  the  point 
illustrated  liy  the  parable,  and  connects 
it  with  the  last  verse  of  the  preceding 
chapter.  The  laborers  who  had  come 
last  were  reckoned  with  the  first,  had  re- 
ceived greater  proportionate  wages,  and 
had  not  marred,  as  Alford  well  remarks, 
their  reward  by  a  murnuiring  spirit. 
Thus,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  there 
will  be  a  revisal  and  rectification  of 
things,  and  rewards  and  honors  will  be 
bestowed  upon  those  who  were  the  last 
in  the  estimation  of  men,  while  the 
rich  and  noble  of  earth,  unless  the 
objects  of  renewing  grace,  will  be  ex- 
cluded from  God's  presence.  Neander 
finds  such  difficulty  in  harmonizing 
these  words  with  the  teaching  of  the 
parable,  that  ah  are  to  be  on  the  same 
footing,  that  he  would  wholly  disjoin 
them  from  the  parable,  as  having  been 
by  accident  brought  into  this  connec- 
tion. But  the  parable  does  not  teach 
absolute  equality,  for  the  course  of  the 
householder  seemed  so  partial,  that 
some  of  the  laborers  were  bitterly  dis- 
pleased. Nor  does  he  justify  himself  in 
his  reply,  on  the  ground  that  all  were 
treated  precisely  alike,  but  that  being 
just  to  the  murmurers,  he  had  the  most 
perfect  right  to  be  generous  and  liberal 
to  the  others.  For  matiy  are  called, 
&c.      Some   commentators    refer   this 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAFTER  XX. 


251 


called,  but  few  chosen. 

17  ^  '  And  Jesus  going  up  to 
Jerusalem  took  the  twelve  disci- 
ples apart  in  the  way,  and  said 
unto  them, 

18  -^  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jeru- 

e  Ma.  10:32;  Lu.  18:31;  Jn.  12  :  12. 
/Ch.  16:21. 


verse,  which  belongs  to  the  whole  sub- 
ject as  a  general  inference,  to  the  uni- 
versality and  extent  of  the  gospel  invi- 
tation, and  the  comparatively  few  who 
embrace  it.  Many  are  invited  to  par- 
take of  its  blessings,  but  few  really 
accept  the  invitation  by  repentance 
and  faith  in  Christ.  Other  expositors 
thus  explain  it :  Many  are  called  and 
professedly  become  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  but  few  approve 
themselves  worthy  of  the  blessing,  and 
show  that  they  have  not  received  the 
grace  of  God  in  vain.  These  views  are 
both  true,  but  do  not  seem  to  be 
taught  in  this  passage.  It  is  clear  from 
the  whole  scope  of  the  discourse,  be- 
ginning at  Peter's  question  (19  :  27), 
and  from  the  parable  by  which  it  is  il- 
lustrated, that  the  nature  and  variety  of 
rewards  in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  is 
the  only  and  prevailing  theme.  The 
passage  before  us  is  the  summing  or 
closing  up  of  this  subject,  and  must, 
therefore,  be  interpreted  in  accordance 
with  it.  The  general  sentiment  is  this: 
Many  are  called  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  and  enjoy  its  rewards,  but  few 
are  chosen  to  those  high  positions  of 
trust  and  usefulness,  to  which  are  at- 
tached the  higher  rewards  of  heaven, 
or  to  such  a  spirit  of  love  for  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ,  as  to  be  wholly  free  from 
the  narrow  prejudices  of  those,  who 
draw  their  motives  of  obedience  prin- 
cipally from  the  rewards  annexed 
thereto.  This  sense  comports  with  the 
context,  and  is  the  only  one  which  can 
be  legitimately  drawn  from  the  passage. 
There  is  in  the  Greek  words  translated 
called  and  chot^en,  a  sort  of  paronoma- 
sia (see  N.  on  5  :  19),  "  Many  are  kletoi 
but  few  are  eklektoiy  This  play  on 
words  is  often  found  in  proverbial  ex- 
pressions, old  sayings,  and  the  like. 
17-19.  Jesus  the  third  time  fore- 


salem ;  and  the  Son  of  man  shall 
be  betrayed  unto  the  chief  priests 
and  unto  the  scribes,  and  they 
shall  condemn  him  to  death, 

19  ^  And  shall  deliver  him  to 
the    Gentiles    to    mock,    and    to 

gCh.  2T:2;  Ma.  15  :  1,10,  &c.;  Lu.  23:  1; 
Jn.  18:28,  &c.;  Ac.  3  :  13. 

tells  his  Death  and  Resurrection. 
Perea.  Mark  10  :  32-34  :  Luke  18  : 
31-34. 

17.  Going  up,  i.  e.  while  on  his  jour- 
ney to  Jerusalem.  The  chief  city  of  any 
Oriental  country  was  always  spoken  of, 
as  though  it  was  elevated  above  the 
surrounding  region.  This  was  geogra- 
phically true  of  Jerusalem.  As  our 
Lord  had  not  yet  reached  Jericho,  he 
was  still  in  Perea  when  the  following  dis- 
course took  place.  Mark  (10  :  32)  adds 
a  very  interesting  circumstance,  that 
Jesus  went  before  them,  and  that  they 
were  amazed  as  they  followed  him,  and 
were  afraid.  There  was  an  ardor  and 
holy  enthusiasm  in  his  manner,  which 
impressed  them  with  awe  and  astonish- 
ment, and  they  were  fearful  of  its  con- 
sequences, both  upon  their  Master  and 
themselves.  It  appeared  to  them,  that 
in  thus  boldly  venturing  into  the  midst 
of  his  enemies,  he  had  thrown  away  all 
prudence  and  regard  for  his  life.  While 
they  were  in  this  state  of  agitation  and 
alarm,  he  took  the  tvjelve  dixciples  apart 
in  the  ivay,  in  a  convenient  place  of  re- 
tirement, where  they  could  rest  a  few 
moments  without  interruption,  and  ad- 
dressed them  on  the  very  subject  which 
lay  uppermost  in  their  thoughts. 

18.  Behold,  we  go  up,  &c.  He  now 
plainly  informs  them  of  the  place  to 
which  he  was  going,  and  of  the  suffer- 
ings and  dreadful  death  which  awaited 
him  there.  He  had  spoken  of  this  be- 
fore (see  16  :  21  ;  17  :  22,  23),  but  not 
in  such  plain  and  direct  terms  as  now. 
Shall  be  betrayed.  See  N.  on  17  :  22. 
Unto  the  chief  priests.  See  N.  on  1 6  : 
21.  Shall  co7idemn,  i.  e.  shall  cause  to 
be  condemned,  inasmuch  as  the  San- 
hedrim had  no  power  to  inflict  capital 
punishment. 

19.  Shall  deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles, 
i.  e.  to  Pilate  and  the  Roman  soldiers. 


252 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


scourge,  and  to  crucify  him  :  and 
the  third  day  he  shall  rise  again. 

20   ^   ^  Then   came  to  him  the 
mother     of    '  Zebedee's     children 


h  Ma.  10  :  35. 


To  mock,  i.  e.  for  them  to  mock  him. 
This  denotes  both  the  purpose  and  re- 
sult of  their  delivering  him  up.  To 
scourge,  after  the  Roman  manner,  as 
preliminary  to  the  being  nailed  to  the 
cross.  See  N.  on  27  :  26.  To  crucify  ; 
literally,  to  nail  to  the  cross.  This  was 
a  Roman  and  not  a  Jewish  punishment. 
It  will  be  more  particularly  explained  in 
note  on  27  :  35.  As  Christ  suflered  for 
the  sins  of  the  world  (1  John  2  :  2),  it 
was  divinely  appointed,  that  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles  should  be  involved  in  the 
dreadful  guilt  of  his  death.  The  Jews 
accused  him  and  clamorously  demanded 
his  death  ;  the  Roman  soldiers,  by  their 
mode  of  punishment,  eifected  it.  It  is 
to  be  noted  with  what  particularity  and 
accuracy,  Jesus  foretold  the  manner  of 
his  own  death.  To  mere  human  fore- 
thought, he  was  much  more  likely  to 
fiiU  a  victim  to  some  sudden  outburst 
of  Jewish  rage,  and  be  stoned  to  death, 
as  was  Stephen,  or  thrown  down  some 
precipice,  as  the  people  of  Nazareth 
once  attempted  to  do  to  him  (Luke  4  : 
29).  Both  Mark  and  Luke  add  the  vile 
indignity,  that  he  was  to  be  spitted 
upon,  which  was  also  verified  in  the 
event.  Tfie  third  day.  See  N.  on  16  : 
21.  The  assertion  of  Luke  (18  :  34), 
that  the  disciples  understood  none  of 
these  things,  although  so  plainly  and 
openly  declared,  appears  strange  and 
unaccountable,  unless  it  be  borne  in 
mind,  how  deeply  rooted  were  their 
prejudices  in  favor  of  a  temporal  Mes- 
.'^ianic  kingdom,  under  which  delusion 
they  could  not  see  how  their  Master 
should  be  given  up  to  his  enemies,  to 
suffer  an  ignominious  death.  They  were 
not  fully  enhghtened  on  this  point, 
until  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  them 
after  our  Lord's  ascension. 

20-28.  The  Ambitious  Request  of 
James  and  John.  Perea.  Mark  10  : 
3.5-45. 

20.  TJien  came  to  hhn  the  mother,  &c. 


with  her  sons,  worshipping  him, 
and  desiring  a  certain  thing  of 
him. 

21  And  he  said  unto  her,  What 


iCh.  4:  21. 


In  Mark  the  two  disciples  are  said  them" 
selves  to  have  preferred  the  request. 
On  this  apparent  discrepancy,  see  N.  on 
8:5.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  the 
mother  of  James  and  John,  was  the 
Salome  mentioned  in  Mark  15  :  40; 
16:1.  She  seems  to  have  accompanied 
our  Lord  from  Galilee,  and  although  a 
good  woman,  yet  labored  under  the 
common  mistake  as  to  the  nature  of  his 
kingdom,  and  ambitiously  desired  for 
her  sons  the  high  honor  here  referred 
to.  With  her  sons.  They  joined  in  the 
request,  and  indeed,  as  it  appears  from 
a  comparison  with  Mark,  had  incited 
her  to  make  it  on  their  behalf.  It  is 
remarkable,  that  in  both  instances  in 
which  our  Lord  foretold  his  sufferings 
and  death,  there  followed  almost  imme- 
diately such  unworthy  desires  for  pre- 
eminence on  the  part  of  the  apostles. 
See  17  :  22,  23;  Mark  9  :  31,  32  ;  Luke 
9  :  44,  45,  compared  with  Mark  9  :  33, 
34 ;  Luke  9  :  46.  Once  more  at  the 
passovcr  meal,  just  before  his  passion 
(Luke  22 :  24),  "  there  was  also  a  strife 
among  them,  which  of  them  should  be 
accounted  the  greatest."  How  early 
did  this  desire  for  precedence  take  pos- 
session of  the  followers  of  Christ,  and 
how  baneful  have  been  its  effects,  when- 
ever, in  subsequent  times,  it  has  crept 
into  the  church.  Worshipping.  Re- 
spectfully saluting  him  according  to 
oriental  custom.  A  certain  thijig.  She 
hoped  he  would  grant  her  request,  as  a 
mark  of  his  love  and  confidence,  before 
she  had  fully  made  it  known.  Mark 
relates  more  fully  that  John  and  James 
(probably  through  their  mother)  asked, 
that  he  should  do  for  them  whatsoever 
they  should  desire. 

21.  MTiat  wilt  thou?  Jesus  would 
make  no  rash  promise,  as  did  Herod 
(14  :  7),  and  therefore  requested  her  to 
speak  out  plainly  the  nature  of  her  re- 
quest. The  one  on  thy  right  hand,  kc. 
In  Oriental  courts,  to  sit  upon  the  right 


A.  D.  8?,.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


253 


wilt  thou  ?  She  salth  unto  him, 
Grant  that  these  my  two  sons 
''may  sit,  the  one  on  thy  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left,  in 
thy  kingdom. 

22  But  Jesus  answered  and 
said,  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask. 
Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  '  the  cup 

k  Ch.  19  :  28.    I  Ch.  26  :  39,  42  ;   Ma.  14 :  36  ; 
«  Lu.  22  :  42 ;  Jn.  18 :  11. 

and  left  hand  of  the  monarch,  was  an 
honor  conferred  upon  those  only,  who 
had  been  raised  to  the  highest  dignity. 
See  1  Kings  2:19;  Ps.  45  :  9  ;  110 :  "l. 
Dr.  Jahn  thinks,  that  reference  is  had 
to  the  Sanhedrim,  over  which  presided 
the  high  priest,  on  the  right  and  left  of 
whom  sat  the  two  next  in  authority,  as 
in  modern  assemblies  the  president  is 
supported  by  the  vice-presidents.  James 
and  John  probably  deemed  themselves 
special  favorites,  having  been  admitted 
to  peculiar  privileges,  and  they  were  em- 
boldened thereby,  to  ask  the  highest 
posts  of  honor  in  the  kingdom  he  was 
about  to  establish.  With  what  shame 
must  they,  in  after  times,  have  looked 
back  upon  this  spirit  of  worldly  ambi- 
tion, which  then  possessed  them.  Es- 
pecially unenviable  must  have  been 
John's  reflections  upon  this  request, 
when,  at  the  crucifixion,  he  saw  his 
Lord  hang  upon  the  cross,  with  the  two 
thieves  on  his  right  and  on  his  left. 

22.  Ye  know  not,  &c.  They  intended 
their  request  to  embrace  the  highest 
worldly  honor  and  happiness,  but  it 
was  virtually  asking  to  drink  of  that 
dreadful  cup  of  suffering,  Avhich  even 
the  Savior  prayed  might  pass  from  him. 
The  idea  is  more  fully  developed  in  the 
question,  are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the  cup, 
&c.  Have  yoti  the  courage,  firmness, 
and  constancy  to  share  with  me  in  my 
trials  and  sufferings  ?  This  you  should 
settle  in  your  mind,  before  you  ask  for 
a  position  of  such  honor  in  my  King- 
dom. The  cup,  in  ancient  times,  was 
the  emblem  of  prosperity,  or  suffering  ; 
because  from  it  were  drunk  beverages 
of  varied  mixture  and  quality.  Its 
use,  to  denote  sorrow  and  suffering,  is 


that  I  shall  drink  of,  and  to  be 
baptized  with  "'  tlie  baptism  that 
I  am  baptized  with  ?  They  say 
unto  him,  We  are  able. 

23  And  he  saith  unto  them, 
"  Ye  shall  drink  indeed  of  my 
cup,  and  be  baptized  with  the  bap- 
tism that  I  am  baptized  with :  but, 

wiLu.l2:50.         w  Ac.  12  :  2;  Eo.  8  :  IT; 
2  Co.  1 :  T ;  Ke.  1 :  9. 


more  common  than  the  opposite.  Com- 
pare Ps.  16:5;  23  :  5 ;  60 :  3  ;  75:8; 
Isa.  51 :  17,  22 ;  Lam.  4:  21.  The  form 
of  the  question,  "  are  ye  able  to 
drink  of  the  cup  ?  "  could  have  left  no 
doubt  on  the  minds  of  the  disciples, 
that  it  denoted  a  cup  of  suffering.  To 
be  baptized,  &c.  i.  e.  to  be  overwhelmed 
with  the  sufferings,  which  are  to  come 
upon  me.  The  imagery  is  varied, 
but  the  idea  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
preceding  clause.  We  are  able.  This 
reply  evinces  a  spirit  of  presumption 
and  self-confidence,  which  might  have 
been  expected  as  an  accompaniment  of 
such  ambitious  views.  We  cannot, 
however,  question  the  sincerity  of  their 
professions,  as  they  were  his  most  de- 
voted followers,  though  far  from  pos- 
sessing the  spirit  of  humility  and  self- 
distrust,  to  which  they  afterwards  at- 
tained. 

23.  Ye  shall  indeed  drink,  &c.  This 
was  verified  in  the  subsequent  history. 
James  was  slain  with  the  sword  (Acts 
12:  2);  and  John,  although  he  died  a 
natural  death  at  an  advanced  age, 
suffered  stripes  and  banishment,  and 
was  a  companion  with  the  persecuted 
disciples  in  tribulation  (see  Acts  4  :  .3  ; 
5  :  40 ;  Rev.  1  :  9).  It  was  a  tradition 
also  that  he  was  plunged  into  a  caldron 
of  burning  oil,  but  so  far  from  being 
injured  was  refreshed  thereby.  But  to 
sit  on  my  right  hand,  &c.  Our  Lord 
does  not  imply  by  this,  that  such  a  posi- 
tion of  honor  will  find  an  exact  reality 
in  the  heavenly  world,  but  using  the 
same  form  of  expression  in  which  the 
ambitious  request  of  James  and  John 
had  been  preferred,  he  denotes  thereby 
those   high   seats    of  glory   and   bliss 


254 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33 


to  sit  on   my  right  hand)  and   on 
my  left,  is  not  mine  to  "give,  but 
it  shall  be  given  to  thctn  for  whom 
it  is  prepared  of  my  Father. 
24  ^'Aud  when  the   ten  heard 


o  Ch.  25  :  34. 


which,  undoubtely,  will  be  occupied  by 
the  holy  and  self-denying  saints,  for 
whom,  in  divine  mercy  and  wisdom, 
they  have  been  reserved.  Is  not  mine 
to  give  to  any  one,  on  the  ground  of 
private  friendship.  Our  Lord  does  not 
assert  that  he  had  no  power  to  raise 
his  followers  to  honor,  but  that  he 
could  do  this  only  to  such  as  had 
been  appointed  to  exaltation  by  his 
Father,  and  whose  lives  rendered  thera 
worthy  of  it.  The  word  but,  in  the  next 
clause,  may  be  rendered  except  (a 
meaning  which  the  original  word  often 
has),  and  the  words  omitted,  which  are 
italicized  in  our  English  translation, 
and  which  are  not  found  in  the  original. 
The  passage  would  then  read :  is  not 
mine  (i.  e.  is  not  my  office,  or  in  my 
power)  to  give,  except  to  those  for  whom 
it  is  prepared  (literally,  has  been  made 
ready)  of  my  Father.  The  inferiority  of 
Christ  to  the  Father,  which  appears  here 
as  in  many  other  places,  is  not  an  es- 
sential, but  an  official  one.  As  Media- 
tor, God-man,  the  Messiah,  he  always 
appears  in  subordination  to  the  Father, 
and  this,  rightly  understood,  is  not 
inconsistent  with  those  great  texts,  in 
which  his  divinity  and  coequal  power 
with  the  Father  are  fully  taught.  See 
N.  on  11:  27. 

24.  When  the  ten  heard  it.  Their 
conversation  was  doubtless  overheard 
by  some,  who  reported  it  to  the  others. 
Were  filled  with  indignation  at  what 
they  conceived  to  be  an  underhand 
effort,  to  rob  them  of  the  honors  to 
which  they  also  aspired.  In  this  they 
showed  their  own  ambitious  spirit, 
nearly  as  much  as  did  the  two  offend- 
ing brethren.  They  were  not  grieved 
at  the  desire  for  pre-eminence  of  James 
and  John,  as  would  have  been  proper, 
but  highly  irritated  and  vexed,  as  the 
word  more  literally  signifies.  Perhaps 
they  had  heard  only  a  portion  of  the 


it,  they  were  moved  with  indig- 
nation against  the  two  brethren. 

25  But  Jesus  called  them  unto 
him,  and  said,  Ye  know  that  the 
princes    of  the   Gentiles  exercise 

pMa.  10:41;  Lu.  22:24,25. 


conversation,  and  were  yet  ignorant  of 
the  reply  made  by  Jesus  to  the  two 
disciples. 

25.  Bict  Jesits  called  them,  &c.  Our 
Lord  had  just  informed  his  disciples 
that  he  was  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  to 
suffer  a  cruel  and  ignominious  death. 
It  might  have  been  supposed,  that  this 
sad  object  of  their  journey  would  have 
been  uppermost  in  the  apostles'  minds, 
and  left  no  room  for  anger,  jealousy, 
and  heart-burnmgs  against  one  another. 
But  it  was  far  otherwise.  He  saw  his 
disciples  agitated  with  mutual  distrust, 
envy,  and  jealousy.  This  state  of 
things  must  not  be  suffered  to  continue, 
and  he  calls  them  around  him,  to  ad- 
monish tliem  of  their  error,  and  inspire 
them  with  better  feelings.  Princes  of 
the  Gentiles,  i.  e.  Gentile  rulers.  Exer- 
cise dominion  over  them.  The  original 
word  is  very  intensive  ;  lord  it  over,  ex- 
ercise lordly  poiver  over  their  subjects. 
And  they  that  are  great,  &c.  This 
clause  is  parallel  in  sense  with  the  for- 
mer. By  the  great  ones  are  meant  both 
civil  and  military  rulers,  nobles,  princes. 
Exercise  authority.  The  despotic  power 
of  heathen  rulers  is  well  known  to 
every  student  of  ancient  history. 
There  was  a  constant  struggle,  who 
should  attain  to  the  highest  autho- 
rity, and  thus  avoid  the  galling  yoke 
of  subordinate  stations.  Our  Savior 
refers  here  to  the  oppression  and  tyranny 
practised  by  the  superior  in  station 
over  their  inferiors,  rather  than  to  the 
general  oppression  of  the  common 
people.  This  renders  the  illustration 
apposite  to  the  disciples,  who  were 
beginning  to  be  influenced  by  the 
same  spirit  of  domination  over  one 
another.  The  apostles  were  to  be 
placed  over  the  infant  church.  They 
were  to  organize  and  give  it  rules  of 
discipline  and  doctrine.  But  they  were 
not  to  strive  for  pre-eminence,  and  lord 


A.  D.  33.] 


CIIArTER  XX. 


255 


dominion  over  them,  and  they  that 
are  great  exercise  authority  upon 
them. 

26  But  ?it  shall  not  be  so 
among  you  :  but  '  whosoever  will 
be  great  among  you,  let  him  be 
your  minister; 

g  1  Pc.  5  3.    r  Ch.  23  :  11 ;  Ma.  9  :  35,  &10  :  43. 

s  Ch.  18 :  4.      t  John  13  :  4.        u  I'hi.  2  :  7. 

X  Lu.  22 :  27 ;  Jn.  13  :  14. 

it  over  one  another,  as  did  the  heathen 
rulers.  They  were  all  to  be  of  equal 
authority,  and  regard  one  another  as 
brethren.  Thus  they  would  be  ex- 
amples of  humihty  to  the  flock  of 
Christ,  of  which  they  were  to  be  over- 
secu's. 

2(i,  27.  But  it  shall  not  he  so,  &c. 
Such  principles  are  not  to  govern  you. 
£ut  whosover  will  be  great,  &c.  Your 
greatness  is  to  consist  in  humility,  low- 
liness, and  condescension  in  ministering 
unto  others.  You  are  to  render  your- 
selves worthy  of  my  regard,  by  the  ex- 
ercise of  a  humble,  self-denying,  self- 
sacrificing  spirit.  The  word  great  is 
here  opposed  to  the  great  ones  in  v.  25, 
and  represents  true  greatness,  not 
founded  on  worldly  rank  or  authority, 
but  on  principles  of  goodness  and 
active  benevolence.  Minister,  servant, 
attendant.  Chief;  literally,  Jirst  in 
dignity  and  power.  This  is  an  increase 
on  the  word  great,  in  the  preceding 
clause,  and,  in  like  manner,  servant,  a 
slave,  denotes  a  more  lowly  condition 
than  is  implied  in  the  word  minister,  or 
deacon,  as  it  literally  signifies.  The 
higher  the  position  to  which  any  one 
would  aspire  in  Christ's  service,  the 
lower  must  be  the  depths  of  humility, 
self-abasement,  and  readiness  to  serve 
others,  to  which  he  must  descend. 

28.  £i'en  on  the  Son  of  man,  &c.  This 
law  of  Christ's  kingdom  is  enforced  by 
his  own  example.  J'rom  the  very 
height  of  glory  and  power  (John  1:1) 
he  descended,  and  took  upon  himself 
the  form  of  a  servant  (Phil.  2:7),  that 
he  might  save  those  who  were  lost. 
To  be  ministered  unto,  i.  e.  to  be  served 
as  the  great  men  of  the  earth  are  by  | 


27  'And  whosoever  will  be 
chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your 
servant : 

28  '  Even  as  the  "  Son  of  man 
came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
'  but  to  minister,  and  "  to  give  his 
life  a  ransom  '  for  many. 

y\s.  53:10,11;  Da.  9:  24, 26;  Jn.  11: 51, 52; 
lTi.2:  6;  Tit.  2:  14;  1  Pe.  1 :  19.  sCh.  26: 
28;  Eo.  5:  15,19;  He.  9:28. 


their  inferiors.  To  give  his  life  by  a 
voluntary  surrender  of  it  to  death.  ^4 
ransom;  literally,  loosing-money,  a  sum 
paid  to  release  any  one  from  death, 
captivity,  bondage,  or  any  sort  of  pun- 
ishment. It  is  sometimes  used  lo 
denote  a  jjiacular  victim,  as  Bloonifield 
has  abundantly  shown  by  references. 
Here  it  evidently  has  an  expiatory 
sense,  as  it  stands  in  explanatory  appo- 
sition with  the  preceding  words,  to  give 
his  life,  denoting  its  character  or  pur- 
pose. The  argument  is  this  :  Men  are 
exposed  by  sin  to  eternal  death.  They 
are  under  the  condemnation  of  the  law. 
Christ  gave  his  life,  as  their  substitute, 
to  redeem  them  from  this  state  of  legal 
condemnation,  and  to  place  them  in  a 
condition,  in  which,  by  repentance  and 
faith  in  Him,  they  may  be  saved.  In 
this  sense  he  was  their  ransom.  For 
many,  i.  e.  a  multitude,  all.  The  term 
is  here  general,  not  denoting  many  of 
a  fixed,  definite  number,  as  opposed  to 
the  whole  of  that  number,  but  many,  in 
the  sense  of  a  great  multitude  con- 
trasted with  the  single  life  of  Christ, 
wliich  was  of  value  sufficiently  high  to  be 
accepted  of  God,  as  a  ransom  ibr  all  the 
rest,  who  had  fallen  into  legal  condem- 
nation. See  Rom.  5 :  15,  19,  where  this 
same  kind  of  antithesis  is  found  be- 
tween the  one  who  sinned,  and  the 
many  (i.  e.  all  his  posterity)  who  are 
involved  in  the  consequences  of  his  sin. 
The  presence  of  the  article  in  these 
instances,  does  not  at  all  aflect  the 
sense,  for  it  is  employed  by  way  of  re- 
ference or  renewed  mention,  the  idea 
being  previously  brought  to  view  in  v. 
12,  where  the  antithesis  or  contrast  be- 
tween one  man,  as  the  occasion  of  the 


256 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


29  ^  "And  as  they  departed 
from  Jericlio,  a  great  multitude 
followed  him. 

30  Aud  behold,  Hwo  blind 
men  sitting  by  the  way-side,  when 

a  Ma.  10  :  46 ;  Lu.  18  :  35. 


entrance  of  sin  into  the  world,  and  all 
men  (i.  e.  his  posterity),  upon  whom 
death  has  passed  in  consequence  of  that 
sin,  is  first  laid  down.  In  Heb.  9  :  28, 
the  same  contrast  between  07ie  (Christ 
who  offered  himself)  and  ma7ii/  (the 
rest,  all  whose  sins  were  borne),  is  ob- 
served. See  also  26  :  28 ;  Mark  14  :  24, 
where  the  same  phraseology  is  made 
use  of.  It  seems  clear,  therefore,  that 
the  word  many  in  this  passage,  includes 
all  mankind,  in  contrast  with  the  single 
person,  Christ  Jesus,  who  came  to  save 
them  from  sin  and  death. 

29-34.  The  Healing  op  two  Blind 
MEN  NEAR  Jericho.  Mark  10:  46-52; 
Luke  18  :  3.5-43  ;  19  :  1. 

29.  And  as  they  departed,  &c.  See 
Mark  (10:46),  "as  he  went  out  of 
Jericho."  But  in  Luke  (19:  1),  wefind 
that  it  was  M'hen  "  he  was  come  nigh 
to  Jericho"  (i.  e.  was  just  entering  it), 
that  the  miracle  here  spoken  of  was 
performed.  The  apparent  discrepancy 
is  removed,  if  we  read  in  Luke,  "  while 
he  was  (yet)  nigh  unto  Jericho,"  a  sense 
which  the  original  will  bear,  and  which 
does  no  violence  to  the  laws  of  inter- 
pretation. This  is  better  than  with 
Trench,  after  Bengel,  to  suppose  that 
one  of  these  beggars  cried  to  him  as 
he  drew  near  the  city,  but  that  he  did 
not  cure  him  then,  but  did  this  on  the 
next  day  as  he  was  leaving  the  city, 
another  blind  beggar  having  in  the 
mean  while  joined  himself  to  the  first 
one.  Olshausen  thinks  that  there  is  a 
real  and  irreconcilable  disagreement 
between  the  Evangelists,  both  in  respect 
to  the  place  and  time  of  the  miracle, 
and  the  fact  that  Mark  and  Luke,  con- 
trary to  the  statement  of  Matthew, 
mention  only  a  single  invividual  as 
cured  (but  see  N.  on  v.  30).  He  re- 
gards, however,  a  difference  on  so  im- 
material a  point,  as  showing  the  genu- 
ine historical  character  of  the  gospels, 


they  heard  that  Jesus  passed  by, 
cried  out,  saying,  Have  mercy  on 
us,  O  Lord,  iliou  son  of  David. 

31  And  the  multitude  rebuked 
them,  because  they   should  hold 


&  Ch.  9 :  27. 


and  placing  the  writers  above  suspicion. 
Jericho  was  situated  about  five  miles 
from  the  Jordan,  and  twenty  miles  N. 
E.  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  destroyed  by 
Joshua,  and  rebuilt  about  520  years 
afterwards  (see  1  Kings  1 6 :  34).  The 
region  around  Jericho  abounded  in 
palm  trees,  and  hence  it  is  styled 
(Judges  3 :  1 3),  the  citi/  of  palm  trees.  In 
the  time  of  Elijah  and  Elisha,  it  was  the 
seat  of  a  school  of  the  prophets. 
Herod  the  Great  built  here  a  castle,  in 
which  he  died.  In  the  time  of  Christ 
it  must  have  been  a  flourishing  city. 
Dr.  Robinson  says  that  its  site  is  still 
occupied  by  a  miserable  village,  called 
Riha,  and  only  a  single  palm  tree  now 
remains  to  this  city  of  palms.  A  great 
multitude.,  &c.  As  Jesus  journeyed 
from  Perea  to  Jericho,  attended  only 
by  his  disciples  and  a  few  pious  women 
(Mark  15:41),  this  great  multitude 
must  have  been  gathered  from  Jericho 
and  the  surrounding  region. 

30.  Two  blind  men.  Mark  and  Luke 
speak  of  only  one,  referring  probably 
to  Bartimeus,  who  was  well  known. 
The  apparent  discrepancy,  which  Ol- 
shausen fancies  an  irreconcilable  disa- 
greement (see  N.  on  v.  29),  is  much 
like  that  of  the  demoniacs  of  Gadara 
(8  :  28,  on  which  see  Note).  Sitting  by 
the  way  side.,  in  order  to  obtain  alms  of 
the  passers  by.  When  they  heard.,  &c. 
Luke  says  that,  hearing  the  noise  of  the 
multitude,  the  blind  men  asked  what  it 
meant,  and  were  told  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  passing  by.  Having  al- 
ready heard  of  him  as  a  great  prophet 
performing  wondrous  cures,  they  at 
once  began  to  cry  out.  Have  mercy  on 
?<s,  &c.  Like  the  blind  men  spoken  of 
in  9  :  27  (on  which  see  N.),  they  had 
faith  to  acknowledge  Him  whom  they 
had  not  seen,  as  the  long  expected  ' 
Messiah. 

31,  32.  And   the  miUtitude    rebuked 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


257 


their  peace :  but  they  cried  the 
more,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  us, 
O  Lord,  thou  son  of  David. 

32  And  Jesus  stood  still,  and 
called  them,  and  said.  What  will 
ye  that  I  shall  do  unto  you  ? 

33  They  say  unto  him,  Lord, 
that  our  eyes  may  be  opened. 

34  So  Jesus  had  compassion  on 

«  Ma.  11 : 1 ;  Lu.  19  :  29. 

them.  They  were  probably  unwilling 
that  Jesus  should  be  interrupted  by  per- 
sons ofso  little  consequence,  as  two  blind 
beggars.  But  Jesus  did  not  feel  thus. 
His  ear  caught  their  repeated  cry,  and 
he  stood  still  and  called  them,  or  as 
Mark  has  it,  commanded  them  to  be 
called.  See  Mark  10  :  49,  from  which 
it  also  appears  that  the  one  named 
Bartimeus  was  in  such  haste  to  come 
into  the  presence  of  Jesus,  that  he 
threw  away  his  outer  garment,  in 
order  not  to  be  encumbered  by  it. 
What  will  ye,  &c.  They  were  required 
to  make  known  their  request,  iu  order 
that  their  faith  in  his  ability  and  readi- 
ness to  heal  them,  might  be  the  more 
manifest. 

33.  That  our  eyes.  The  words  we 
desire,  are  to  be  supplied.  3fay  be  open- 
ed. The  corresponding  word  in  Mark 
aud  Luke  literally  signifies  to  again  see, 
from  which  it  would  appear,  that  Bar- 
timeus at  least  was  not  born  blind,  but 
had  lost  his  sight  from  some  casualty. 
It  may,  however,  be  taken  in  the  gene- 
ral sense,  to  recover  sight,  as  in  John  9  : 
11,  1.5,  where  it  is  employed  of  one  who 
was  blind  from  his  birth. 

31.  Had  compassion.  The  same  Strong 
expression  of  pity  made  use  of  in  9  :  36, 
on  which  see  Note.  Touched  their  eyes. 
See  N.  on  8  :  3.  Mark  and  Luke  add, 
"  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole."  So 
Jesus  said  to  the  centurion  (8 :  13), 
"  as  thou  hast  believed  so  be  it  done 
unto  thee ;"  and  to  the  Syro-Phoenician 
woman  (1.5:  28),  "great  is  thy  faith, 
be  it  unto  thee,  even  as  thou  wilt."  It 
was  not  the  faith  of  the  blind  men 
which  caused  them  to  see.  That  was 
effected   by   divine   power.     But  faith 


them,  and  touched  their  eyes : 
and  immediately  their  eyes  re- 
ceived sight,  and  they  followed 
him. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

AND    "when    they    drew  nigh 

unto    Jerusalem,    and  were 

come    to    Bethphage,    unto  *  the 

&  Zee.  1-1 :  4. 

was  a  prerequisite  to  their  proper  ap- 
plication for  help,  and  thus  in  a  second- 
ary sense,  might  be  said  to  have  made 
them  whole.  Received  sight  or  saw 
again,  if  ever  before  they  had  enjoyed 
sight.  They  followed  him  with  the 
crowd  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem. 

This  miracle  of  healing  the  blind  men 
has  often  been  employed  to  illustrate 
the  spiritual  blindness  of  men,  the 
earnestness  with  which  they  must  ap- 
ply to  Christ  (who,  by  his  Spirit,  is  al- 
ways passing  by)  for  his  healing  mer- 
cies, and  the  readiness  of  the  Savior,  on 
any  such  application  made  in  penitence 
and  fiiith,  to  put  forth  his  healing 
power.  Thousands  have  read  this  sim- 
ple and  touching  story,  as  a  truthful 
history  of  their  own  sad  spiritual  blind; 
ness,  and  its  removal  through  the 
abounding  grace  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Thousands  have  sung,  and  we  believe 
will  sing  to  the  end  of  time,  the  beau- 
tiful hymn — 

"  Mercy,  O  thou  Son  of  David,' 
as    the    genuine    expression    of    their 
own  feelings,  in  view  of  the  wondrous 
change  wrought  in  them,  by  the  same 
Almighty  Savior. 

CHAP.  XXI. 
1-17.  Our  Lord's  PtiBLic  Entry 
INTO  Jkrusalem.  The  cleansing  of 
THE  Temple.  Bethany,  Jerusalem. 
Second  Day  of  the  Week.  Mark  11  : 
1-11  ;  Luke  19  :  29-44.  The  thread  of 
the  narrative  requires  that  we  should 
read  in  Luke  19  :  2-28,  the  visit  of  our 
Lord  to  Zaccheus  (which  must  have 
taken  place  before  the  healing  of  the 
bUnd  man,  while  our  Lord  was  yet  in 


258 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


mount  of  Olives,  then  sent  Jesus 
tv>'o  disciples, 

2  Saying  unto  them.  Go  into 
the  village  over  against  you,  and 
straightway  ye  shall  find  an  ass 
tied,  and   a  colt  with  her :  loose 

Jericho),  and  the  parable  of  the  Ten 
Pounds,  spoken  while  there  to  rectify 
the  views  of  the  people,  as  to  the  na- 
ture of  his  kingdom,  and  their  guilt  in 
rejecting  him.  After  he  had  finished 
the  parable,  he  resumed  his  journey  to 
Jerusalem,  but  not  having  time  to 
reach  the  city,  at  a  seasonable  hour 
on  that  day,  he  stopped  at  Bethany, 
where  it  is  evident  from  John  12  :  12, 
he  tarried  over  night.  The  next  day  he 
proceeded  on  his  way,  and  was  met  by 
much  people,  who  having  heard  of  his 
approach  to  the  city,  went  forth  to  meet 
him,  and  thus  swelled  the  numbers  of 
the  multitude  who  accompanied  him 
from  Jericho  and  Bethany. 

1.  Aitd  when  they  drew  nigh,  &c. 
Bethphage  (i.  e.  house  of  Jigs)  was  a 
small  village  E.  of  the  Mount  of  OH  ves, 
and  a  short  distance  from  Bethany,  on 
the  way  to  Jerusalem.  Mark  and  Luke 
mention  the  two  places,  Bethphage  and 
Bethany,  but  as  Jesus  had  spent  the 
preceding  night  at  Bethany,  reference 
is  had,  doubtless,  to  the  outward  boun- 
dary of  the  place,  which  probably  ex- 
tended as  far  as  Bethphage.  It  was 
on  the  confines  of  these  two  places, 
Avhere  our  Lord  sent  forth  his  two  dis- 
ciples. Moiint  of  Olives.  This  mount,  so 
celebrated  in  the  last  six  days  of  our 
Lord's  history,  lay  E.  of  Jerusalem, 
from  which  it  was  separated  by  the 
valley  of  Kidron.  Its  elevation  is  2,5.56 
Paris  feet  above  the  sea,  and  416  Paris 
feet  above  the  valley  of  the  Kidron. 
See  Rob.  Lex.  N.  T.  It  received  its 
name  from  the  abundance  of  olive  trees 
with  which  it  was  covered,  a  few  of 
which  kind  of  trees  are  still  upon  it. 
On  the  eastern  side  of  this  mountain 
were  the  above  mentioned  villages. 
Two  disciples.  Probably  Peter  and 
John. 

2.  Village  over  against  you.  This 
must  have  been  Bethphage,  unless  we 


ihem,  and  bring  iliem  unto   me. 

3  And  if  any  man  say  aught 
unto  you,  ye  shall  say,  The  Lord 
hath  need  of  them  :  and  straight- 
way he  will  send  them. 

4  All    this    was  done,  that  it 


absurdly  suppose  that  our  Lord  sent  his 
disciples  back  to  Bethany,  where  he . 
had  spent  the  preceding  night  (see  N. 
on  V.  1).  2ied  to  prevent  her  straying 
away.  A  colt.  Mark  and  Luke  add, 
"  whereon  never  man  sat,"  and  also 
speak  only  of  the  colt  as  being  brought. 
As  they  do  not  deny  that  the  ass  also 
was  brought,  there  is  no  discrepancy. 
Nothing  is  more  common  than  lor  in- 
dependent writers  to  add  or  omit  such 
incidents,  as  are  not  essential  to  the  in- 
tegrity of  the  narration.  In  ancient 
times,  princes  and  great  men  rode  upon 
asses,  and  animals  that  had  never  borne 
the  yoke  or  been  ridden,  were  employed 
for  sacred  uses.  See  Deut.  21  :  3  ;  1 
Sam.  6  :  7.  Loose  them.  The  word 
thein  is  here  supplied,  but  that  both 
animals  were  included,  is  evident  from 
V.  3,  "  the  Lord  hath  need  of  them." 

3.  Say  aught,  i.  e.  make  any  objection 
to  the  loosing  of  the  animals.  Tlie 
Lord,  i.  e.  Master,  Teacher,  the  same  as 
Rabbi.  I  cannot  agree  with  Alford, 
that  it  here  signifies  the  Lord,  Jehovah, 
not  for  the  reason  given  by  Steir,  that 
it  offends  against  decorum,  for  that 
objection  would  apply  as  strongly  to 
Lord,  Messiah,  but  because  our  Savior 
evidently  meant  to  be  understood,  as 
referring  to  himself  in  his  character  as 
public  teacher,  by  which  he  was  gen- 
erally known  and  addressed.  Hath 
need  of  them,  i.  e.  wishes  to  use  them. 
He  u-ill  send  them,  i.  e.  will  permit  them 
to  be  led  away.  The  owner  was  pro- 
bably a  friend  of  our  Lord,  or  was  at 
least  well  acquainted  with  his  claims  to 
public  consideration. 

4.  The  quotation  in  this  verse  more 
properly  comes  in  after  v.  7,  and  thus 
it  is  arranged  by  the  best  harmonists. 
All  this  teas  done,  &c.  See  N.  on  1  : 
22.  The  quotation  is  almost  an  exact 
one  from  Zech.  9  :  9,  a  short  clause  in 
the  original  prophecy,  not  essential  to 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


259 


might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spo- 
keu  by  the  prophet,  saying, 

5  '  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of 
Zion,  Behold,  thy  King  cometh 
unto  thee,  meek,  and  sitting  upon 
an  ass,  and  a  colt  the  foal  of  an 
ass. 

cIs.  62:11;  Zee.  9:  9;  John  12:  15. 

ths  purpose  of  the  quotation,  being  only 
omitted. 

5.  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Zion,  is  not 
found  in  Zecliariah,  but  seems  to  have 
been  taken  from  Isa.  62  :  11.  The  ex- 
pression, daughter  of  Zion,  is  a  poetical 
personification  for  Jerusalem.  Sion  or 
Zion  was  the  southernmost  and  highest 
of  the  hills  on  which  the  city  was  built, 
and  is,  therefore,  often  put  for  the  whole 
city.  See.  Ps.  137  :  1.  Behold  thy  king. 
The  Jews  always  regarded  this  as  re- 
ferring to  the  Messiah.  Unto  thee,  i.  e. 
unto  the  city.  Meek,  gentle,  peaceful, 
unlike  an  earthly  potentate  or  con- 
queror, with  proud  and  haughty  de- 
meanor. Sitting  upon  an  ass,  and  a 
colt,  &c.  Although  our  Lord  rode  only 
the  colt,  yet  as  the  ass  had  been  also 
prepared  for  him,  and  was  in  his  train, 
the  terms  of  the  prophecy  were  suffi- 
ciently fulfilled.  Some  expositors,  losing 
sight  of  this  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy, 
in  the  preparation  of  both  animals  for 
use,  translate  the  latter  clause,  even  a 
colt,  as  explanatory  of  the  former.  But 
this  is  inadmissible,  as  the  two  animals 
have  just  been  so  distinctly  referred  to. 
Of  an  ass  ;  literally,  a  beast  of  burden, 
but  used  of  the  ass. 

6.  Did  as  Jesus  had  commanded.  It 
appears  from  Mark  and  Luke,  that  the 
incidents  connected  with  the  loosing  of 
the  ass,    were   all  as   Jesus  had   said. 

7.  Put  on  them.  They  put  their 
clothes  upon  both  animals  for  the 
greater  honor,  or  through  uncertainty 
which  he  intended  to  ride.  Tlieir 
clothes,  i.  e.  their  outer  garments,  which 
were  often  laid  aside.  See  Acts  7  : 
58  ;  22  :  20  ;  John  13  :  4,  12.  These 
were  placed  upon  the  animals,  as  a 
mark  of  honor  to  Jesus.  Compare  2 
Kings  9  :  13.     "  In  this  act  of  the  peo- 


6  ''  And  the  disciples  went,  and 
did  as  Jesus  commanded  them, 

7  And  brought  the  ass  and  the 
colt,  and  'put  on  them  their  clothes, 
and  they  set  him  thereon. 

8  And  a  very  great  multitude 
spread  their  garments  in  the  way ; 

d  Ma.  11:4.        6  2  Ki.  9:18. 

pie,  they  plainly  expressed  their  ac- 
knowledgment of  Jesus  as  their  Mes- 
sianic king."  Olshausen.  They  set  him. 
Mark  :  he  sat.  There  is  no  essential 
difference.  They,  doubtless,  assisted 
him  to  mount  the  animal.  Tliereon,  i.  e. 
on  the  garments.  The  word  in  the  ori- 
ginal could  refer  equally  well  to  the  ass 
and  foal,  and  is  thus  referred  by  some 
commentators.  Whether  referring  to 
the  clothes  placed  on  both  animals,  or 
to  the  animals  themselves,  inasmuch  as 
Jesus  rode  but  one,  we  must  regard  the 
plural  put  for  the  singular,  by  way  of 
grammatical  correspondence  with  the 
plural  in  the  preceding  clause.  This 
entry  of  our  Lord  into  Jerusalem,  in  the 
way  predicted  of  the  Messiah,  was  in- 
tended by  him  as  a  public  and  open 
avowal  of  his  Messiahship. 

8.  A  very  great  tnultitude.  The  num- 
bers that  attended  him  from  Jericho 
had  been  swelled  by  those  who  came 
forth  to  meet  him  from  Jerusalem. 
Spread  their  garments  in  the  u<ay.  It 
was  the  custom,  when  kings  and  vic- 
torious generals  were  making  their  tri- 
umphal entrance  into  the  chief  city,  to 
strew  the  way  with  flowers  and  branches 
of  trees,  and  spread  it  with  carpets, 
except  the  narrow  central  portion,  over 
which  the  procession  would  pass.  The 
outer  garments  were  here  substituted 
for  carpets,  as  a  spontaneous  expression 
of  their  respect,  the  watchful  jealousy 
of  the  rulers  preventing  all  preparations 
beforehand  to  honor  Jesus.  Branches 
from  the  trees.  John  says  they  were 
branches  from  the  palm  trees.  The 
palm,  of  which  such  frequent  men- 
tion is  made  in  ancient  and  oriental 
writings,  is  the  pride  of  tropical  climes, 
and  far  surpasses  in  grandeur  all  other 
trees  of  the  forest.     The  trunk  springs 


260 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  33. 


•''  others  cut  down  branches  from 
the  trees,  and  strewed  them  in 
the  way. 

9  And  the  multitudes  that  went 
before,  and   that   followed,  cried, 

/See  Le.  23 :  40 ;  Jn.  12 :  13.    g  Ps.  113 :  25. 

up  straight,  unbranching,  tapering,  un- 
til towering  far  above  the  surrounding 
trees,  it  is  crowned  by  a  large  tuft  of 
radiating  leaves,  which  gives  it  a  singu- 
larly grand  and  unique  appearance. 
But  aside  from  its  majesty,  it  is  superior 
to  almost  every  other  plant  in  useful 
properties.  It  furnishes  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  region  where  it  grows, 
bread,  wine,  vinegar,  sugar,  fruit,  and 
materials  for  all  kinds  of  wicker-work, 
&c.  Strabo  says,  that  there  was  a  Per- 
sian song,  in  which  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  advantages  of  the  palm  tree 
were  enumerated.  Of  almost  equal  use 
is  it  now  to  the  aborigines  of  Brazil,  and 
other  tropical  climes.  Aitd  strewed 
them  in  the  wai/.  Some  of  the  multi- 
tude had  no  supernumerary  garments  to 
cast  in  the  way.  These  resorted  to  the 
trees  in  the  vicinity,  and  cutting  off 
branches,  and  casting  them  down  be- 
fore Jesus,  were  thus  enabled  to  share 
in  the  demonstrations  of  respect  and 
joy. 

9.  77ie  multitudes  that  went  before. 
Our  Lord  was  in  the  centre  of  the  pro- 
cession, attended  by  his  disciples  and 
more  intimate  friends.  Hoxanna.  A 
word  of  Hebrew  origin  signifying,  save 
now,  he  propitious  now,  and  used  as  a 
term  of  supplication,  and  afterwards  of 
joyous  acclamation,  especially  in  the 
feast  of  Tabernacles.  See  Ps.  118  : 
25,  26.  To  the  Son  of  David,  i.  e.  the 
Messiah,  as  the  term  was  well  under- 
stood by  the  Jews  to  mean.  He  that 
Cometh  ;  literally,  the  coming  One.  An- 
other phrase  by  which  the  Jews  desig- 
nated the  Messiah.  In  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  i.  e.  as  his  messenger,  and  cloth- 
ed with  his  authority.  Hosanna  in  the 
highest.  This  phrase  has  been  various- 
ly interpreted.  Some  take  it  in  the 
sense :  (let  there  be)  Hosanna  in  the  high' 
est   (strains).      But    the    original    will 


saying,  ^  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of 
David  :  ''Blessed  is  he  that  com- 
eth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  Ho- 
sanna in  the  highest. 

10  '  And  when  he  was  come  in- 

;iPs.  118:26;  Ch.  23:39.    iMa.ll:15; 
Lu.  19  :  45 ;  Jn.  2  :  13, 15. 


hardly  admit  of  this,  and  the  better 
sense  is  :  (let  there  be)  hosanna  in  the 
highest  (heavens),  i.  e.  let  the  hosannas 
raised  on  earth  in  honor  of  the  Messiah, 
be  also  acclaimed  in  heaven  by  saints 
and  angels.  See  Ps.  148  :  2.  This  note 
of  acclamation  is  varied  somewhat  in 
the  other  evangelists.  Mark  adds, 
"  Blessed  be  the  kingdom  of  our  father 
David, that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,"  where  David  is  regarded  as  the 
ancestor  and  type  of  the  Messiah,  and 
his  kingdom  is  put  for  the  Messianic 
reign.  In  Luke  we  find  the  remarkable 
expression,  "  peace  in  heaven,"  which 
seems  to  refer  to  every  kind  of  good 
to  be  dispensed  from  heaven  upon  men. 
Some  however  think  that  these  words 
were  only  added  to  fill  out  the  parallel- 
ism. The  next  clause  in  Luke,  "  glory 
in  the  highest,"  is  but  the  varied  accla- 
mation of  "  hosanna  in  the  highest," 
found  in  Matthew  and  Mark.  In  these 
shouts  of  joy  and  praise,  it  would  be 
strange  if  there  was  not  a  variety  of 
utterance. 

10,  11.  And  when  he  v^as  come,  &c. 
The  reader,  who  would  preserve  the  or- 
der of  narration,  should  turn  to  John 
12  :  16-44,  where  we  are  told  that  the 
raising  of  Lazarus  caused  the  people  to 
go  forth  to  meet  him,  and  that  the 
Pharisees  were  greatly  troubled  at  this 
popular  demonstration  in  his  favor. 
John  also  relates  the  affecting  incident 
of  our  Lord's  weeping  over  Jerusalem, 
as  he  drew  nigh  and  beheld  it.  All 
the  citg  teas  moved;  literally,  was  shaken 
as  with  an  earthquake.  The  great  mul- 
titude attending  him,  and  their  shouts 
of  praise  and  joy,  threw  the  whole 
city  into  commotion.  TI7(o  is  this  ? 
What  person  is  it,  who  thus  receives 
acclamations  which  belong  only  to  the 
Messiah  ?  They  make  this  inquiry  of 
one   another,  and  also  of  the  throng 


A.  D.  83.] 


CHAPTER  XXr. 


261 


to  Jerusalem,  all  the  city  was 
moved,  saying,  Who  is  this  ? 

11  And  the  multitude  said, 
This  is  Jesus  *  the  prophet  of  Na- 
zareth of  Galilee. 

12  ^[  '  And  Jesus  went  into  the 

k  Ch.  2  :  23 ;  Lu.  7 :  16 ;  Jn.  6 :  14,  &  T  :  40, 
&  9  :  17. 

attending  him,  for  the  multitude  reply, 
this  is  Jesus  the  prophet  (by  the  force 
of  the  article,  the  great  or  celebrated 
prophet)  of  Galilee.  So  convinced  were 
the  people  of  his  divine  mission,  that 
his  obscure  and  humble  origin,  was  no 
longer  a  stumbling  block  in  the  way  of 
their  acknowledgment  of  his  claims,  or 
deterred  them  from  declaring  to  others, 
that  he  was  from  Nazareth,  that  most 
despised  of  all  Galilean  towns.  As 
many  of  the  procession  were  from  Gali- 
lee, there  may  have  been  mingled 
with  this  reply,  some  feeling  of  sec- 
tional pride,  that  the  Messiah  was  from 
one  of  their  towns. 

12.  AndJesus  loent,  &c.  According 
to  Mark,  who  follows  more  strictly  the 
order  of  events,  this  cleansing  of  the 
temple  took  place,  the  day  succeeding 
his  triumphal  entrance  into  Jerusalem. 
This  order  would  require  its  insertion 
after  v.  19  in  Matthew,  the  incidents 
related  in  vs.  14-16  taking  place  when 
Jesus  went  into  the  temple,  on  the  day 
of  his  public  entry  into  the  city.  Al- 
ford  attempts  to  harmonize  Mark's 
chronology  with  that  of  Matthew  and 
Luke,  by  supposing  him  to  have  placed 
the  triumphal  entry  into  the  city  a  day 
too  soon.  His  first  entrance  detailed 
by  Mark  (11  :  11)  would  then  be  a  pri- 
vate one,  taking  place  near  the  close  of 
the  day.  On  his  return  in  the  evening 
to  Bethany,  many  Jews  came  to  see  him 
and  Lazarus  (John  12  :  9).  These  on 
the  next  day,  their  numbers  swelled  by 
those  who  had  entered  the  preceding 
day  into  the  city,  and  who  now  came 
forth  to  meet  him,  formed  the  triumphal 
procession.  I  cannot  think  this  to  be 
a  well  supported,  or  satisfactory  solu- 
tion of  the  difficulty.  It  seems  quite 
unnatural  to  suppose  our  Lord,  attended 
by  such  crowds,  as  we  are  told  accom- 


temple  of  God,  and  cast  out  all 
them  that  sold  and  bought  in  the 
temple,  and  overthrew  the  tables 
of  the  '  money  changers,  and  the 
seats  of  them  that  sold  doves, 
lo   And  said  unto  them.  It  is 

I  Ma.  11 :  11;  Lu.  19:  45  ;  Jn.  2  :  15. 
wDe.l4:25. 


panied  him  from  Jericho  (see  20  :  29), 
should  have  came  thus  privately  into  the 
city,  his  public  and  triumphal  entrance 
being  deferred  until  the  next  day.  But 
it  is  not  strange  that  Matthew,  who  so 
often  disregards  the  exact  order  of 
events,  should  have  related  as  among 
the  incidents  of  the  first  day,  what  in 
reality  happened  on  the  second  day. 
Temple  of  God.  It  had  been  dedicated 
to  the  worship  and  service  of  God,  and 
the  money  changers  had  no  right  to  de- 
file it  with  their  secular  occupations. 
Cast  out,  i.  e.  drove  forth.  There  was 
an  air  of  authority  and  dignity,  which 
awed  them  into  obedience.  His  fame 
as  a  prophet  endowed  with  great  mira- 
culous power,  had  doubtless  reached 
the  ears  of  these  wicked  men,  and  made 
them  fear  to  disobey  him.  The  people 
too  were  with  hira,  all  fully  believing 
him  to  be  a  great  prophet,  and  many 
that  he  was  the  long-expected  Messiah. 
They  did  not  dare  on  this  account  to  re- 
fuse obedience.  This  incident  shows,that 
although  Jesus  was  the  very  type  of 
mildness  and  love,  yet  when  the  honor 
of  religion  was  concerned,  he  could  put 
on  an  air  of  displeasure  and  severity, 
before  which  the  boldest  transgressors 
quailed.  Thus  will  it  be  on  the  last 
day,  when  he  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of 
judgment,  not  oMy  to  acknowledge 
and  reward  his  people,  but  to  drive 
from  his  presence  forever  all  those  who 
have  persisted  in  rebellion  against  his 
rightful  authority,  lliat  sold  and  houghf, 
&c.  The  trade  here  referred  to  was  in 
animals  for  sacrifice.  In  the  time  of 
Christ,  it  is  not  improbable  that  other 
articles  of  traffic  were  here  disposed  of 
In  the  temple,  i.  e.  the  outward  court 
of  the  Gentiles,  in  the  porches  of  which 
this  profanation  took  place.  Tables  of 
the  money  changers,  i.  e.  the  tables  or 


262 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


written,  "My  house  shall  be  called 
the  Louse  of  prayer;  "but  ye  have 
made  it  a  den  of  thieves. 

14  And  the  blind  and  the  lame 
came  to  him  in  the  temple;  and 
he  healed  them. 

15  And  when  the  chief  priests 

n  Is.  66 :  7. 


counters,  where  these  men  sat  to  ex- 
change foreign  coin  into  Jewish,  or 
large  coins  into  smaller.  The  half- 
shekel  tax  (see  N.  on  17  :  24)  was  re- 
quired to  be  paid  in  Jewish  coin,  and 
hence  such  worshippers  as  came  up  to 
the  temple  bringing  Greek  or  Roman 
coins,  were  obliged  to  get  them  ex- 
changed for  Jewish  money.  But  these 
money-changers  had  their  own  emolu- 
ment in  view,  and  were  such  cheats 
and  knaves,  that  our  Lord's  assertion, 
that  the  temple  was  turned  by  them 
into  a  den  of  thieves,  was  almost  literal- 
ly true.  Sold  doves  for  sacrifices.  When 
one  was  too  poor  to  bring  a  lamb  or  kid 
for  a  trespass  offering,  he  was  permit- 
ted to  bring  in  its  stead,  two  turtle 
doves  or  two  young  pigeons  (Levit.  5  : 
7  ;  U  :  22). 

13.  It  is  written.  The  quotation  is 
from  Isa.  56  :  7,  the  words  in  the  origi- 
nal prophecy,  "  for  all  people,"  being 
omitted.  Mi/  house.  In  the  propheti- 
cal writings,  the  temple  of  God  is  thus 
designated.  But  ye  have  made  it,  &c. 
These  words  are  not  a  part  of  the  quo- 
tation, but  are  used  by  Christ  in  the 
way  of  accommodation  from  Jer.  7  : 
11.  What  was  there  said  of  the  profa- 
nation of  the  temple  by  the  idolatrous 
Jews,  was  again  verified  in  its  desecra- 
tion by  these  wicked  traders  and 
money-changers.  A  den  of  thieves. 
Robbers  and  thieves  have  in  every  age 
betaken  themselves  to  dens  and  caves, 
where  they  can  enjoy  their  ill-gotten 
plunder  in  security.  Hence  the  appro- 
priateness of  the  expression  as  used  here 
by  our  Lord. 

14.  And  the  blind  and  lame,  &c. 
This  took  place  on  the  day  of  his  public 
entry  into  the  city.  See  N.  on  v.  12. 
As  soon  as  he  entered  the  city,  he  pro- 


and  scribes  saw  the  wonderful 
things  that  he  did,  and  the  chil- 
dren crying  in  the  temple,  and 
saying,  Hosanna  to  the  son  of 
David  ;  they  were  sore  displeased, 
16  And  said  unto  him,  Hearest 
thou  what  these  say  ?    And  Jesus 

o  Je.  T:ll;  Ma.  11:17;  Lu.  19:46. 

ceeded  to  the  temple,  as  the  most  suit- 
able and  appropriate  place  to  instruct 
the  people,  and  thei-e  he  performed  the 
miracles  here  spoken  off.  The  enthu- 
siasm of  the  people  must  have  been 
greatly  increased  by  this  fresh  display  of 
his  miraculous  power.  Hence  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at,  that  even  the  children 
joined  in  the  acclamations  of  praise, 
and  shouted  their  hosannas  with  the 
multitude. 

15.  Chief  priests  and  scribes.  Most 
of  these,  if  not  all,  were  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  had  already  determined 
on  his  death.  See  John  11  :  58,  67. 
JTie  wonderful  things,  i.  e.  the  miracles. 
Instead  of  being  convinced  by  those 
credentials  of  his  divine  mission,  they 
M'ere  exasperated  thereby,  and  the  more 
bent  on  putting  him  to  death.  Th^ 
children.  They  had  been  drawn  to  the 
temple  through  curiosity,  as  children 
flock  together  to  see  any  grand  pro- 
cession. Crying  in  the  temple,  and  saying, 
Hosanna,  &c.  While  this  circumstance 
arose  in  part  from  the  natural  fondness 
of  children  to  imitate  their  elders,  yet 
we  may  suppose  that  many  of  them,  in 
view  of  the  miracles  which  they  saw, 
uttered  as  hearty  and  sincere  shouts  of 
praise,  as  did  those  of  maturer  years. 
By  this  we  do  not  mean  that  they  had 
any  special  illumination  or  strengthening 
of  their  mental  powers,  above  what  was 
natural  to  their  age.  They  cried  ho- 
sanna with  the  spirit  and  understanding 
of  little  children,  and  we  rob  this  in- 
cident of  its  power  and  moral  beauty, 
in  attempting  to  explain  it  otherwise. 

16.  Hearest  thou,  &c.  Are  you  so 
lost  to  what  is  proper  and  becoming,  a? 
to  permit  the  application  to  yourself  of 
such  extravagant  ascriptions  of  praise  ? 
Ought  you  to  encourage   such  adula- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


263 


saith  unto  them,  Yea ;  have  ye 
never  read,  ''  Out  of  the  mouth 
of  babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast 
perfected  praise  ? 

17  TI  And  he  left  them,  and 
went  out  of  the  city  into  '  Beth- 
any ;  and  he  lodged  there. 

j9  Ps.  8  :  2.         q  Ma.  11:11;  Jn.  11 :  18. 


tion?  The  question  was  evidently  one 
of  rebuke.  They  intimate  their  sur- 
prise at  his  consenting  to  be  hiiiled  as 
Messiah,  and  that  loo  by  young  children. 
Have  ye  never  read,  &c.  In  this  ques- 
tion our  Savior  implies,  that  if  they  had 
read  the  Scriptures  with  enlightened 
and  believing  minds,  they  would  not 
have  taken  offence  at  the  ascriptions  of 
praise,  bestowed  upon  him  by  the  chil- 
dren in  the  temple.  The  passage  is 
quoted  from  Ps.  8  :  2,  where  the  works 
of  God  are  represented  as  so  grand 
and  striking,  that  even  little  children 
are  filled  with  emotions  of  wonder  and 
praise.  The  original,  "  hast  ordained 
strength,"  is  rendered  in  the  Septua- 
gint  version,  "  hast  thou  perfected 
praise,"  which  gives  the  sense  more 
accurately,  for  the  sincere  and  sponta- 
neous praise  of  little  children  in  view 
of  the  divine  works,  constitute  the  very 
perfection  or  highest  manifestation  of 
praise.  But  if  the  admiration  and  pi'aise 
of  young  children  were  thus  awakened 
by  the  wonders  of  creation,  how  much 
more  appropriate  their  utterance,  when 
in  the  presence  of  him  who  was  its  Lord 
and  Creator. 

17.  A7id  he  left  them;  literally,  left 
them  wholly,  forsook  them,  the  verb 
being  intensive.  He  did  not  conde- 
scend to  listen  any  longer  to  these 
cavilhng  and  malignant  enemies.  See 
N.  on  14:4.  Went  out.  Mark  says 
that  it  was  late  evening,  when  he  went 
out  unto  Bethany.  This  village,  cele- 
brated in  our  Lord's  history,  as  being 
the  residence  of  Martha,  Mary,  and 
Lazarus,  was  about  fifteen  furlongs  from 
Jerusalem,  on  the  eastern  slope  of 
Mount  Olivet.  It  is  now  a  miserable 
village  of  about  twenty  families.  Lodyed 
there.     In  whose  house  we  are  not  told, 


18  '  Now  in  the  morning,  as  he 
returned  into  the  city,  he  hun- 
gered. 

19  '  And  when  he  saw  a  fig 
tree  in  the  way,  he  came  to  it, 
and  found  nothing  thereon,  but 
leaves  only,  and  said  unto  it,  Let 


rMa.  11  :12. 


«  Ma.  11 :  13. 


but  probably  with  the  friends  just 
named.  As  the  twelve  accompanied 
him,  the  hospitalities  of  several  families 
were  doubtless  shared.  Jesus  left  Jeru- 
salem each  night  to  avoid  the  snares  of 
his  enemies,  and  also,  as  Bloomfield 
well  suggests,  to  give  no  cause  of  sus- 
picion to  the  authorities,  that  he  was 
afiecting  temporal  power,  by  remaining 
in  the  city  at  night,  a  season  so  favora- 
ble for  popular  commotion. 

17-19.  The  Barren  Fig  tree.  Be- 
ttveen  Bethany  and  Jerusalem.  Third 
day  of  the  week.     Mark  11 :  12-19. 

In  the  morniny.  This  was  on  Tues- 
day of  the  week  of  his  passion.  He 
hungered.  He  had  either  left  so  early, 
as  not  to  partake  of  the  morning  re- 
past, or  was  unwilling  that  his  devotions 
should  be  interrupted  thereby.  But 
on  his  way  to  the  city,  he  became  faint 
through  want  of  food,  and  turned  his 
eye  upon  a  fig  tree,  in  order  to 
temporarily  appease  his  hunger,  from 
any  fruit  which  might  chance  to  have 
ripened  upon  it.  Mark  (11:13)  in- 
forms us,  that  "the  time  of  figs  had  not 
yet  come,"  i.  e.  the  usual  season  of  the 
year  for  gathering  them  in.  Some  think 
that  reference  is  had  to  the  remnant 
of  winter  figs,  which  ripened  late,  and 
were  sometimes  gathered,  as  a  delicious 
morsel  in  the  spring.  But  the  tree  was 
cursed  for  not  having  borne  fruit,  not 
because  a  portion  of  the  fruit  previously 
borne,  had  not  remained  on  the  tree 
during  the  winter.  The  particularity 
with  which  the  fact  of  its  having  leaves 
is  mentioned,  shows  that  the  fruit  of 
the  present  year,  and  not  the  remnant 
of  the  past  year's  fruit,  is  refeired  to. 
Trench  seeks  to  avoid  this  difficulty,  by 
boldly  admitting  that  our  Lord  did  not 
expect   to  find  fruit  upon  this  fig  tree, 


264 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


no  fruit  grow  on  thee  hencefor- 
ward for  ever.  And  presently 
the  fig  tree  withered  away. 

20  And  when  the  disciples  saw 

t  Ma.  11 :  20. 

for  the  reason  given  in  Mark,  but  that 
a  great  truth  was  intended  to  be 
symbolically  taught,  which  was  not  ne- 
cessarily based  upon  a  verity,  any  more 
than  a  parable,  which  is  told  as  true, 
although  the  facts  are  feigned,  and  is  in 
one  sense  true,  as  enshrining  the  great- 
er and  higher  truth  intended  to  be 
taught.  But  this  exposition  is  more 
ingenious  than  true.  And  found  no- 
thing thereon,  &c.  It  was  barren, 
having  the  appearance  of  being  fruitful, 
but  bearing  nothing  but  leaves.  As  the 
leaves  of  the  fig  tree  do  not  appear  until 
after  the  fruit  is  formed,  our  Lord  had 
reason  to  expect,  from  its  full-leaved 
appearance,  that  it  was  laden  with 
fruit,  but  when  he  drew  near,  he 
ascertained  that  it  not  only  had  no 
early  ripened  fruit,  but  none  at  all  of 
any  sort  upon  its  branches.  Hence  it 
deserved  the  curse  pronounced  upon  it, 
a  curse  emblematic  of  that  which  shall 
be  visited  on  all  who  make  great  pre- 
tensions to  holiness,  and  yet  show  that 
they  abuse  their  privileges,  and  are 
unproductive  of  good  to  themselves  and 
to  others.  Some  think  that  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  was  the  event, 
typified  by  this  curse  pronounced  upon 
the  barren  fig  tree.  However  this  may 
be,  the  great  lesson  is  taught,  that  all 
in  every  age  and  country,  who  do  not 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  holiness,  will 
incur  God's  displeasure  and  withering 
curse.  This  incident  of  the  barren 
fig  tree  should  be  read  in  connection 
with  Luke  13:  6-9,  where  the  same 
general  lesson  is  taught.  And  pre- 
sently. It  immediately  began  to 
wither  and  die,  although  the  disciples 
did  not  notice  it,  until  the  morning  of 
the  next  day  (see  Mark  11  :  20).  It 
withered  avay,  i.  e.  became  dry  and 
dead.  As  it  regards  a  very  senseless 
objection,  advanced  by  some  against 
his  tlms  cursing  an  inanimate  tree,  as 
though  it  had  been  guilty  of  wrong  doing, 


it,  they  marvelled,  saying,  How 
soon  is  the  fig  tree  withered 
away  ! 

21    Jesus   answered   and    said 


we  may  reply,  as  we  did  to  the  objec- 
tion against  the  destruction  of  the 
swine,  that  had  ten  thousand  trees  been 
stricken  dead  of  vegetable  hfe,  it 
would  have  been  as  nothing,  in  case 
some  truth  having  reference  to  the 
salvation  of  men,  could  thereby  have 
been  impressed  more  strongly  upon 
the  mind.  That  the  most  impressive 
lessons  of  instruction  have  been  drawn 
from  this  fig  tree,  no  one  will  pretend  to 
deny,  and  this  is  an  ample  reat-on,  ■\\hy 
our  Lord  selected  this  method  of  sho^^- 
ing  the  doom  of  graceless  professors  of 
religion. 

20-22.  The  Barren  Fig  tree  with- 
ers AWAY.  Fourth  day  of  the  week. 
Mark  11:  20-26. 

20.  Our  Lord,  after  having  pro- 
nounced this  curse  upon  the  fig  tree, 
entered  the  city,  cleansed  the  temple 
of  those  who  were  defiling  it  with  traf- 
fic, and  taught  the  people  who  were 
there  assembled,  after  which  he  went 
out  to  the  mount  of  Olives  (Luke  21  : 
37),  and  there  spent  the  night.  This 
was  at  so  late  an  hour,  that  the  dark- 
ness prevented  them,  at  that  time, 
from  seeing  the  withered  condition  of 
the  fig  tree.  On  the  next  morning, 
which  was  that  of  the  fourth  day,  as 
they  were  returning  to  the  city  (Mark 
11  :  20  ;  Luke  21 :  38),  the  disciples  took 
notice  of  the  fig  tree,  now  dried  and 
withered  up,  and  expressed  their 
astonishment  at  the  sudden  change. 
Ihey  marvelled.  On  the  preceding  day 
they  had  seen  it  thick  set  with  branches 
and  leaves,  having  the  appearance  of 
being  fruitful,  but  now  it  was  dried 
and  shrivelled  up,  as  though  it  had 
been  dead  for  years.  No  wonder  that 
it  arrested  their  attention,  and  filled 
them  with  astonishment.  Now  soon, 
&c.  Such  a  decay  was  the  process 
usually  of  a  long  time,  but  here  it  had 
taken  place  in  twenty-four  hours. 

21.  If  ye  have  faith  and  doubt   not. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


265 


unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
"If  ye  have  faith,  and  "'doubt  not, 
ye  shall  not  only  do  this  ivhich  is 
done  to  the  fig  tree,  ^  but  also,  if 
ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain, 
Be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou 
cast  into  the  sea ;  it  shall  be  done. 
22  And  '  all  things,  whatsoever 
ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing, 
ye  shall  receive. 

MCh.l7:20;  Lu.l7:6.  a;Ja.l:6.  ylCo.lS:2. 

isCh.T:7;  Ma.  11:24;  Lu.  11 :  9;  Ja.  5  :  16; 

IJo.  3  :  22,  &  5  :  14. 


i.  e.  do  not  hesitate  through  unbeUef. 
This  union  of  the  positive  and  negative 
form  of  assertion,  is  often  employed  for 
the  sake  of  emphasis.  A  notable  ex- 
ample of  its  use  is  found  in  John  1 :  20. 
This  which  is  done  to  the  fiff  tree  ;  liter- 
ally, this  of  the  Jig  tree.  The  ellipsis  is 
well  supplied  in  our  common  transla- 
lation.  To  this  mountain,  i.  e.  the 
mount  of  Olives,  on  which  they  then 
stood.  Be  thou  removed,  &c.  See  N. 
on  17  :  20.  In  Luke  17  :  6,  this  pro- 
verbial expression  is  varied  ;  the  words 
si/camine  tree  being  substituted  for 
mountain.  Both  forms  of  expression 
denote  the  performance  of  things  to 
human  view  impossible. 

22.  And  all  things,  &c.  This  pro- 
mise is  to  be  limited  in  the  nature  of 
the  ease,  to  such  things  as  are  proper 
for  us  to  receive,  and  suitable  for  God 
to  bestow.  Genuine  faith  embraces  no 
other  request.  Hence  the  objection 
advanced  against  this  passage,  that  it 
teaches  that  the  wildest  cravings  of  the 
mind  are  to  be  met,  provided  that  the 
petitioner  works  himself  into  the  belief 
that  whatever  he  asks  for  he  shall  re- 
ceive, is  of  no  force,  inasmuch  as  it  is 
based  upon  a  false  interpretation  of  the 
passage.  The  prayer  of  ftiith,  rightly 
considered,  is  that  which  is  offered  by 
one,  who  places  entire  confidence  in  ail 
God's  promises.  But  nowhere  has  he 
piomised,  that  he  will  do  this  or 
that  particular  thing  for  his  chil- 
dren. He  has  pledged  to  them,  on 
certain  conditions,  the  richest  and 
ino?t  abundant  spiritual  blessings.  But 
Vol.  I.— 12 


23  •[[  "  And  when  he  was  come 
into  the  temple,  the  chief  priests 
and  the  elders  of  the  people  came 
unto  him  as  he  was  teaching,  and 
'  said,  By  what  authority  doest 
thou  these  things  ?  and  who  gave 
thee  this  authority  ? 

24  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  I  also  will  ask 
you   one   thing,   which  if  ye  tell 


aMa.  11:2T;  Lu.  20:1.      6Ex.  2:14;  Ac.  4: 

7,  &  7  :  27. 


even  these  are  connected  with,  and 
are  the  result  of  great  diversity  of 
trials  and  discipline  here  on  earth.  He 
acts  like  a  wise  sovereign.  Some  of 
his  people  he  calls  to  pass  through  much 
earthly  sorrow  and  tribulation.  Others 
he  blesses  with  earthly  prosperity.  He 
dispenses  to  some  and  withdraws 
from  others,  temporal  blessings,  for 
reasons  known  only  to  himself.  But 
upon  all  who  believe  in  Jesus,  and  live 
lives  of  godliness,  whatever  may  have 
been  their  earthly  trials  or  condition, 
will  be  bestowed  eternal  felicity  in  the 
heavenly  world.  Prayer  then  of  the 
highest  type,  is  that  which  asks,  with 
child-like  confidence  in  God's  word 
and  promises,  for  just  that  which  in  his 
infinite  wisdom  he  may  see  fit  to  be- 
stow. We  are  not  precluded  by  this 
from  asking  for  particular  blessings, 
but  yet  we  should  always  say,  "  not 
our  will  but  thine,  0  Lord,  be  done." 
The  promise  made  here  to  the  apostles, 
most  unquestionably  had  primary  re- 
ference to  the  miraculous  powers  with 
which  they  were  endowed,  as  confir- 
matory of  their  apostolic  mission.  But 
in  its  restricted  sense,  as  above  ex- 
plained, it  may  be  regarded  as  a  pro- 
mise made  to  all  God's  people.  Many 
things  were  primarily  spoken  to  the 
apostles,  which,  when  those  features  are 
left  out  of  account,  that  rendered 
them  peculiarly  applicable  to  them, 
may  be  considered  as  addressed  to  all 
the  followers  of  Christ. 

23-32.     Christ's    authority    ques- 
TioNKD.     Parable   of  the   Two  Sons. 


266 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


me,  I  in  like  wise  will  tell  you  by 
what  authority  I  do  these  things. 
25  The  baptism  of  John,  whence 


Jerusalem.     Fourth  Day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  11  :  2Y-33  ;  Luke  20  :  1-8. 

23.  And  when  he  was  come,  he. 
Each  morning,  as  he  came  into  the  city, 
he  proceeded  at  once  to  the  temple,  as 
the  most  suitable  place  for  imparting 
religious  instruction.  The  chief  prie.its, 
&c.  They  were  always  on  hand  to 
find  some  occasion  to  accuse  him  be- 
fore the  Roman  governor,  or  to  awaken 
the  prejudices  of  the  Jews.  They 
seem  on  this,  as  on  the  previous  occa- 
sion (v.  15),  to  have  gathered  together 
in  considerable  numbers  in  order  to 
overawe  the  people,  and  to  disconcert 
him  by  their  presence.  As  he  was 
teaching.  As  we  can  hardly  suppose 
that  the  people  would  have  suffered  the 
priests  and  elders  to  rudely  interrupt 
him  in  his  discourse,  their  question  was 
probably  proposed  to  him,  during  some 
temporary  pause  in  his  teaching  and 
preaching..  £_t/  ivhat  authoriti/,  i.  e.  in 
what  character  or  by  what  commission. 
As  guardians  of  the  temple,  and  of  the 
religious  worship  of  the  Jews,  they 
deemed  themselves  privileged  to  de- 
mand his  authority,  for  assuming  the 
office  of  public  teacher  and  reformer. 
Had  they  come  to  him  in  the  spirit  of 
candor,  and  a  sincere  desire  to  know 
the  truth,  they  would  have  received  a 
direct  answer  to  their  reply.  But  the 
well  known  fact,  that  during  his  whole 
ministry,  they  had  absolutely  refused 
to  admit  the  overwhelming  evidence  of 
his  Messiahship,  showed  the  cavilling 
and  unbelieving  spirit  with  which  they 
now  approached  him.  In  the  temper, 
therefore,  with  which  they  proposed 
the  question,  had  our  Lord  replied,  that 
he  did  these  things  by  virtue  of  his 
Messiahship,  they  would  have  accused 
him  to  the  Roman  governor,  as  a  sedi- 
tious person,  stirring  up  a  revolt  by 
claiming  to  be  the  Messianic  king  of 
the  Jews.  The  time  had  not  yet  come 
for  such  an  open  declaration  of  his 
office  and  character,  and  he  there- 
fore replies  by  asking  in  turn  a  question, 


was  it  ?  from  heaven,  or  of  men  ? 
And  they  reasoned  with  them- 
selves,  saying,   If   we   shall   say, 

which  his  interrogators  were  bound  by 
the  custom  of  those  times  to  answer 
first. 

25,  26.  The  baptism  of  John,  &c. 
This  is  put  by  a  common  figure  of 
speech,  for  the  whole  of  John's  public 
ministry,  especially  his  authority  to 
preach  and  baptize.  Whe7ice  was  it, 
&c.  This  question  evinced  the  most 
profound  wisdom,  and  had  the  effect  to 
seal  up  their  mouths,  as  though  they 
were  dumb.  Froin  heaven,  i.  e.  of 
heavenly  origin,  having  the  divine  au- 
thority and  sanction.  In  like  manner, 
of  man  is  to  be  referred  to  human  au- 
thority and  sanction.  And  they  rea- 
soned, &c.  This  does  not  refer  to  men- 
tal reasoning  confined  to  the  breast  of 
each,  but  to  an  open  consultation  with 
one  another,  yet  in  such  low  tones,  as 
probably  not  to  be  heard  by  any  save 
their  own  number.  If  we  shall  say,  &c. 
Here  was  a  dilemma  which  they  were 
not  slow  to  perceive.  If  they  acknow- 
ledged the  divine  authority  of  John,  a 
second  question  would  follow,  why  they 
did  not  believe  in  him,  especially  in  his 
repeated  and  unequivocal  testimony  as 
to  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus.  Such  a 
reply  would  be,  therefore,  a  condemna- 
tion of  themselves,  for  rejecting  John's 
testimony.  On  the  other  hand,  if  to 
avoid  this,  they  should  openly  avow 
their  belief  that  John  was  an  impostor, 
they  feared  that  the  people,  enraged 
at  their  vilification  of  him  whom  they 
all  regarded  as  a  prophet,  would  stone 
them  (see  Luke  20  :  6).  The  only 
course  left  was  to  confess  their  ina- 
bility to  answer  his  question.  The 
people  who  were  assembled  in  great 
numbers  in  the  temple.  For  all  hold, 
&c.  This  constitutes  the  reason  why 
they  feared  the  people,  should  they 
deny  the  divine  origin  of  John's  bap- 
tism. Asaprophet.  In  Mark :"  counted 
John  that  he  was  a  prophet  indeed." 
See  also  Luke  20  :  6.  The  word  pro- 
phet has  here  its  more  general  signifi- 
cation, of  one  who  is  divinely  commis- 


A.  D.  83.1 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


267 


From  heaven ;  he  will  say  unto 
us,  Why  did  ye  not  then  believe 
him  ? 

26  But  if  we  shall  say,  Of 
men  ;  we  fear  the  people ;  '  for  all 
hold  John  as  a  prophet. 

27  And  they  answered  Jesus, 
and  said,  We  cannot  tell.     And 

c  Ch.  14  :  5;  Ma.  6  :  20;  Lu.  20  :  6. 

Bioned  to  teach,  instruct,  and  reform 
his  fellow-men. 

27.  We  cannot  fell ;  literally,  tve  do 
not  knoio.  Our  Lord's  reply,  "  neither 
tell  I  you,"  verbally  conforms  to  their 
inward  thoughts,  ive  will  not  fell,  thus 
showing  his  knowledge  of  the  insincer- 
ity of  their  answer.  But  according  to 
their  own  avowal,  how  unfit  were  they 
to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  character 
and  claims  of  Jesus,  while  confessing 
themselves  to  be  so  profoundly  igno- 
rant of  the  true  character  of  John. 
Our  Lord  very  properly  refused  to  an- 
swer the  questions  of  such  men.  Per- 
haps there  is  no  instance  on  record, 
where  the  mouth  of  gainsayers  was  so 
effectually  sealed  up,  as  on  this  occa- 
sion. But  all  this  tended  to  exasperate 
to  such  a  degree  these  wicked  men, 
that  at  the  trial,  condemnation,  and 
execution  of  Jesus,  they  appeared 
scarcely  other  than  fiends  incarnate. 

28.  But  what  think  ye?  What  is 
your  opinion  of  what  I  am  about  to 
say  ?  See  N.  on  17  :  25.  A  certain 
man,  &c.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  re- 
ferring the  man  here  spoken  of  to  God 
the  Father  of  all.  But  there  is  some 
difference  of  opinion,  as  to  what  classes 
of  persons  are  designated  by  the  two 
sons.  Some  refer  them  to  the  Jews 
and  Gentiles.  But  while  in  its  wider 
application  and  scope,  it  may  be  thus 
referred,  the  context  seems  to  point 
out  this  parable  as  aimed  at  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  who  professed  much 
but  did  little,  and  are  therefore  aptly 
represented  by  the  son,  whose  profes- 
sion of  readiness  to  obey  was  followed 
by  gross  disobedience.  If  this  refer- 
ence be  true,  then  the  son  who  refused 
to  obey,  but  afterwards  repented  and 


he  said  unto  them,  Neither  tell  I 
you  by  what  authority  I  do  these 
things. 

28  H  But  what  think  ye  ?  A 
certain  man  had  two  sons ;  and  he 
came  to  the  first,  and  said,  Son, 
go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard. 

29  He   answered  and  said,  I 


did  his  duty,  may  well  be  regarded  as 
designating  the  abandoned  and  irrelig- 
ious. This  interpretation  is  confirmed 
by  what  our  Lord  says  in  conclusion 
(v.  31),  that  the  publicans  and  harlots 
go  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  before  the 
scribes  and  priests  whom  he  was  ad- 
dressing. Hie  first.  This  does  not  re- 
fer to  priority  of  birth  or  station,  but 
is  to  be  taken  in  an  ordinal  sense,  as 
we  say  the  first,  the  second;  the  one,  the 
other,  &c.  Go  work  to-day,  &c.  This 
denotes  in  figurative  language  the  ser- 
vice which  God  requires  of  men.  The 
word  to-day,  does  not  imply  that  God's 
service  is  to  be  of  limited  duration,  but 
conforms  simply  to  what  actually  takes 
place  in  human  affairs.  Nothing  is 
more  common  than  for  the  head  of  a 
family  to  say  to  his  sons  :  Go  and  do 
such  a  piece  of  work  to-day,  and  to-mor- 
row do  so  and  so. 

29.  I  will  not.  This  refusal,  so  deci- 
ded and  disrespectful  to  the  father, 
aptly  represents  the  manner  in  which 
God's  commands  are  treated  by  the 
profane  and  irreligious.  Persons  of 
this  class  not  unfrequently  give  utter- 
ance to  their  disregard  of  the  duties 
and  obligations  of  religion,  in  almost 
these  very  words.  But  afterwards,  &c. 
The  grace  of  God  and  the  workings  of 
conscience  produce  a  reaction.  Ke- 
pentance  and  obedience  follow  upon 
this  outburst  of  a  proud,  rebellious 
heart.  The  notoriously  wicked  man 
becomes  a  meek,  humble,  obedient 
child  of  God.  He  enters  the  vineyard, 
and  cheerfully  and  faithfully  performs 
his  allotted  task. 

30.  The  second  son  is  now,  in  similar 
terms,  directed  to  go  and  labor  in 
the  vineyard.     No  stress,  as  Alford  re- 


268 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


will  not;  but  afterward  he  re- 
pented, and  went. 

30  And  he  came  to  the  second, 
and  said  likewise.  And  he  an- 
swered and  said,  I  go,  sir :  and 
went  not. 

31  Whether  of  them  twain  did 
the  will  of  his  father  V  They  say 
unto  him,  The  first.  Jesus  saith 
unto  them,  ''Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  That  the  publicans  and  the 

<Z  Lu.  7 :  29,  50. 

marks,  is  to  be  laid  on  the  order  of 
calling.  It  is  simply  that  both  were 
required  in  the  same  terms  to  perform 
a  given  labor.  The  order  might  have 
been  reversed,  and  yet  the  sentiment 
,  have  been  unchanged.  I  go,  sir.  The 
original  is  highly  expressive  of  the 
careless,  indifferent  assent  which  this 
worthless  son  gave  to  his  father's  com- 
mand. It  is  simply  /,  sir,  like  our 
common  aye,  sir,  and  was  intended  as 
a  prompt  and  cheerful  assent,  to  con- 
ceal the  intention  of  disobedience  which 
was  in  the  heart.  So  the  Pharisees 
were  full  of  professed  zeal  for  the  honor 
and  service  of  God.  They  were  ready 
to  thank  Him,  that  they  were  not  a.s 
other  men.  But  in  every  essential  of 
piety  they  were  deficient.  Tliey  tvenf 
not  into  God's  vineyard,  although  so 
forward  in  their  professions  of  obe- 
dience. 

31.  W/iether  of  them  twain,  i.  e. 
which  of  the  two.  Did  the  will,  i.  e. 
obeyed  the  command.  Tliey  say  unto 
him.  The  first.  The  scribes  and  priests 
could  not  but  admit  this.  It  is  proba- 
ble, however,  that  they  did  not  yet  fully 
apprehend  the  point  of  the  parable, 
or  they  would  have  given  a  less  prompt 
and  direct  response  to  the  question. 
Verily  I  say,  &c.  This  is  the  applica- 
tion of  the  parable,  and  helps  us  to  de- 
termine, as  above  remarked  (Note  on 
V.  28),  what  classes  are  represented  by 
the  two  sons.  Publicans  (see  N.  on  5  : 
46)  and  harlots  are  here  representive  of 
the  lowest  and  most  degraded  classes 
of  the  community.  Go  (literally  are 
going)  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  i.  e. 


harlots  go   into   the  kingdom  of 
God  before  you. 

32  For  '  John  came  unto  you  in 
the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye 
believed  him  not ;  ■''  but  the  pub- 
licans and  the  harlots  believed 
him  :  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen 
it,  repented  not  afterward,  that 
ye  might  believe  him. 

33  "H  Hear  another  parable  : 
There  was  a  certain  householder, 

e  Ch.  3  : 1,  &c.       /Lu.  3  :  12, 13. 


are  becoming  partakers  of  the  blessings 
and  privileges  of  the  children  of  God. 
Before  you.  This  does  not  imply  that 
the  Pharisees  would  ever  enter  the 
kingdom  spoken  of.  The  simple  idea 
is  that  the  most  vicious  and  degraded 
portions  of  the  Jewish  people,  were 
far  more  likely  to  be  converted  and  be- 
come partakers  of  the  Messianic  king- 
dom, than  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
with  all  their  boasted  zeal  and  piety. 
This  was  true  under  Christ's  own  min- 
istry, and  amply  verified  in  the  subse- 
quent history  of  the  church  in  Judea. 
82.  This  verse  illustrates  and  con- 
firms the  sentiment  just  uttered.  John 
had  come  to  them  in  the  way  of  right- 
eousness (i.  e.  in  the  practice  of  right- 
eousness, or  in  the  austere  observance 
of  the  Mosaic  law,  which  ought  to  have 
recommended  him  to  the  Pharisees, 
who  held  so  strictly  to  a  legal  righteous- 
ness), but  they  believed  him  not  (see  v. 
27),  and  were  made  no  better  by  his 
ministry.  But  the  publicans  (Luke 
3  :  12)  and  harlots  believed  him,  and 
were  many  of  them  thoroughly  reform- 
ed. When  ye  had  seen  it,  i.  e.  the 
wondrous  reformation  which  John's 
preaching  had  wrought  in  these  wicked 
persons.  Repented  not  afterward,  &c. 
i.  e.  were  yet  obdurate,  and  did  not 
repent  so  as  to  believe  on  him.  So  the 
example  of  the  son,  who  at  first  re- 
fused obedience,  and  afterwards  repent- 
ed, was  lost  upon  the  other,  who  had 
no  intention  of  obeying,  although  ex- 
ternally so  respectful  to  his  parent. 

33-46.    Parable    of    the   wicked 
Husbandmen.    Jerusalem.     Fourth  day 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


269 


^  which   planted  a  vineyard,   and 
hedged  it  round  about,  and  digged 

fl-Ps.  80:9;   Cant  8:  11;   Is.  5:1;  Je.  2:21; 
Ma.  12 :  1 ;  Lu.  20  :  9. 


of  the  Week.  Mark  12  :  1-12  ;  Luke 
20  :  9-19.  This  parable  of  the  wicked 
husbandmen  was  spoken  immediately 
or  soon  after  that  of  the  two  sons,  and 
was  designed  to  show  the  guilt  of  the 
Jewish  nation  in  rejecting  God's  Son, 
and  the  justice  of  the  punishment, 
which  would  be  inflicted  upon  them 
for  their  impiety  and  unbehef.  Luke 
says  that  he  spake  this  parable  to  the 
people.  It  was  in  the  hearing,  how- 
ever, of  the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees 
(see  V.  45). 

33.  Hear  another  parable.  The  form 
of  expression  implies  some  stir  and  ex- 
citement among  his  auditors,  which  our 
Lord  hushed  by  calling  their  attention 
to  another  parable.  Perhaps  the  Phar- 
isees were  giving  indication  of  their 
displeasure  by  rude  interruptions,  or 
preparing  to  leave  him  in  order  to 
plot  his  death  (see  v.  46).  Householder. 
See  N.  on  21  :  1.  Planted  a  vineyard. 
Vineyards  were  generally  planted  on 
the  declivities  of  hills  and  mountains. 
The  vines  were  propagated  by  means 
of  suckers,  and  were  of  four  kinds, 
those  that  ran  on  the  ground,  those 
that  grew  upright  of  themselves,  those 
that  adhered  to  a  single  prop,  and  those 
that  covered  a  square  frame.  They 
sometimes  grew  to  a  great  height,  and 
formed  a  shady  liower,  which  gave  rise 
to  the  expression,  "sitting  under  one's 
own  vine  and  fig  tree,"  i.  e.  enjoying  a 
peaceful  and  happy  life.  Olshausen 
thinks  that  the  vineyard  typifies  the 
kingdom  of  God,  at  first  identical  with 
all  Israel,  but  after  their  rejection,  con- 
sisting of  believers  among  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles.  But  the  most  simple 
and  best  sustained  view  is  theirs,  who 
refer  it  to  the  covenant  privileges,  enu- 
merated in  Rom.  9  :  4,  which  the 
Jews  failed  to  improve,  and  of  which 
in  due  time,  they  were  as  a  nation  de- 
prived. Hedged  it  round  about  against 
animals  and  marauders  of  every  sort. 
To  this  defence  was  frequently  added 
that  of  a  wall.     Compare  Numb.  22  : 


a    winepress    in    it,    and  built    a 
tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husband- 


24  ;  Ps.  80  :  12  ;  Prov.  24  :  31  ;  Isa. 
5  :  5.  Digged  a  winepress  (or  winevat) 
in  it.  These  winepresses  or  troughs 
consisted  of  two  receptacles.  Into 
the  first,  which  was  built  of  stone  or 
hewn  out  of  a  large  rock,  the  grapes, 
when  gathered,  were  thrown  and  trod- 
den out  by  men.  Near  to  the  bottom 
of  this  was  an  opening,  through  which 
the  juice  flowed  off  into  another  and 
lower  vat  or  trough,  which  as  appears 
from  the  Greek  word,  viroK-nviov, 
made  use  of  by  Mark  in  the  parallel 
passage,  is  the  one  here  meant  by  Mat- 
thew. As  this  cistern  was  below  the 
other,  it  was  almost  of  necessity  sub- 
terranean, and  hence  the  expression 
he  digged  a  loinepress.  Built  a  toirer 
(see  Isa.  5  :  2).  This  turret  or  watch- 
tower  answered  the  twofold  purpose  of 
a  place  of  abode  for  the  keeper  of  the 
vineyard,  and  a  post  of  observation  to 
protect  it  from  thieves,  and  animals, 
especially  dogs  and  foxes.  See  Cant. 
1  :  6  ;  2  :  15.  In  Oriental  countries, 
they  are  now  found  thirty  feet  square, 
and  eighty  feet  high.  By  the  Mosaic 
law  (Deut.  23 :  24),  the  keeper  was 
commanded  not  to  prohibit  the  pass- 
ing traveller  from  plucking  the  grapes 
to  eat  by  the  way,  provided  he  carried 
none  away  in  a  vessel.  These  circum- 
stances are  not  to  be  taken  into  account 
in  the  application  of  the  parable,  being 
added  only  to  show  that  the  vineyard 
was  in  a  perfect  condition,  when  it  was 
let  out  to  these  wicked  husbandmen 
(see  Isa.  5  :  4).  And  let  it  out.  The 
custom  of  renting  houses  and  lands  was 
as  common  in  ancient  as  in  modern 
times.  The  rent  was  paid  in  money  or 
a  certain  share  of  the  products  of  the 
earth.  Husbandmen  ;  literally,  tillers 
of  the  earth,  but  here,  ^'inc  dressers. 
Went  into  a  far  country  ;  literally, 
weyit  away  from  home,  i.  e.  went  al)road 
on  his  travels.  This  seems  to  be  added 
as  a  reason  why  he  rented  out  his 
vineyard,  and  sent  his  servants  for  the 
fruits,  instead  of  meeting  the  husband- 


270 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


men,  and  *went  into  a  far  country  : 
34  And  when  the  time  of  the 
fruit  drew  near,  he  sent  his  ser- 
vants to  the  husbandmen,  '  that 
they  might  receive  the  fruits  of 
it. 

h  Ch.  25 :  14, 15.     i  Cant.  8 :  11, 12. 

men  in  person;  and  is  not,  as  some  ab- 
surdly think,  a  representation  of  the 
great  distance  of  earth  from  heaven. 
It  has  no  special  bearing  upon  the  ap- 
plication of  the  parable,  and  is  only 
added  to  make  the  picture  more  natu- 
ral and  animated.  The  great  point  of 
illustration  thus  far  in  the  parable  is, 
that  God,  here  represented  as  the  owner 
of  the  vineyard,  had  bestowed  upon 
the  Jewish  people  great  privileges  and 
covenant  blessings,  from  whom  in  re- 
turn, he  demanded  love  and  obedience. 
This  is  represented  by  the  vineyard,  put 
in. complete  order  and  let  out  to  vine 
dressers,  at  a  stipulated  rent  to  be  paid 
in  the  fruits  thereof. 

31.  Mlien  the  thne,  &c.  The  owner 
did  not  demand  his  share  of  the  fruits 
of  the  vineyard,  until  the  season  of  the 
vintage.  Thus  God  made  no  untimely 
or  unreasonable  demand  upon  his  cove- 
nant people,  but  only  for  what  they 
had  the  ability  to  render  unto  Him, 
had  they  been  so  inclined.  He  sent  his 
servants,  i.  e.  the  Jewish  prophets. 
TTiat  they  wight  receive,  &c.  This  cir- 
cumstance is  not  to  be  pressed  too  far  in 
the  application  of  the  parable,  as  the 
prophets  and  religious  teachers  sent  to 
the  Jews,  could  carry  nothing  from 
them  to  God,  in  the  sense  in  which  the 
servants  would  convey  the  fruit  of  the 
vineyard  to  its  owner.  But  the  pro- 
phets demanded  the  service  and  love 
due  to  him  from  his  people,  and  in  this 
sense  the  parable  was  highly  applicable. 

35.  Took  his  servants,  and  beat  one, 
&c.  How  truly  does  this  express  the 
rejection  of  God's  messages  by  the 
Jewish  nation.  The  various  forms  of 
persecution  which  his  servants,  the  pro- 
phets, underwent  are  here  portrayed  by 
beating,  stoning,  &c.  The  word  trans- 
lated   beat,     literally    signifies  flayed. 


35  *  And  the  husbandmen  took 
his  servants,  and  beat  one,  and 
killed  another,  and  stoned  an- 
other. 

36  Again  he  sent  other  servants 

A  2  Ch.  24 :  21,  &  86  :  ]  6 ;  Ne.  9 :  26 ;  ch.  5 :  12,  & 
23:34,37;  Ac.7:52;  1  Th. 2: 15; He.  11:36,37. 


Scourging  was  sometimes  administered 
so  severely  as  to  take  off  the  skin,  and 
hence,  to  flay  is  taken  frequently  in  the 
sense  of  to  scourge,  the  effect  being  put 
for  the  cause.  Stoning  was  generally, 
but  not  always,  followed  by  death. 
Hence  Mark  (who  with  Luke  varies  the 
narrative  by  representing  the  servants 
as  sent  singly  one  after  another,  and 
each  more  roughly  handled  than  the 
preceding)  says  that  "  they  cast  stones 
at  one,  and  wounded  him  in  the  head, 
and  sent  him  away  shamefully  handled." 
See  Acts  14  :  19. 

36.  Again  he  sent,  &c.  Through  the 
whole  line  of  Jewish  history,  with  the 
exception  of  the  4()0  years  immediately 
preceding  the  advent  of  Christ,  pro- 
phets had  been  sent  to  that  nation. 
With  them  also  had  been  deposited 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament, 
written  by  holy  men,  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus  God 
was  continually  keeping  before  them 
his  demands,  and  calling  upon  them  to 
return  to  their  duty,  and  put  away  from 
themselves  their  wicked  doings.  More 
than  the  first.  This  was  to  add  weight 
and  influence  to  their  mission.  They 
were  more  in  number,  and  doubtless 
of  higher  station  than  those  first  sent. 
This  made  more  flagrant  the  sin  of  the 
husbandmen,  in  thus  rejecting  and  mal- 
treating them.  Thus  as  the  number  of 
prophets  sent  to  the  Jewish  nation  in- 
creased, and  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
Testament  became  more  voluminous 
and  complete,  their  sin  in  rejecting 
these  multiplied  efforts  to  reclaim  them 
became  greater  and  more  worthy  of 
punishment.  And  they  did,  &c.  They 
not  only  felt  no  compunction  for  their 
shameful  and  cruel  treatment  of  the 
preceding  messengers,  but  even  waxed 
more  hardened  and  indifferent  to  the 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


271 


more  than  the  first :  and  they  did 
uuto  them  likewise. 

37  But  last  of  all,  he  sent  unto 
theiu  his  son,  saying.  They  will 
reverence  my  son. 

38  But  when  the  husbandmen 

ZPs.  2:  8;  He.  1:2.      «iPs.  2:  2;  ch.26:3,& 
27  : 1 ;  Jn.  11 :  53 ;  Ac.  4 :  27. 

rightful  claims  of  the  owner  of  the 
vhieyard.  Such  is  the  hardening  process 
of  sin,  whether  existing  in  an  indivi- 
dual, or  a  whole  commnnity.  Mark 
savs,  tliey  sent  him  (the  singular  pro- 
noun taken  in  a  collective  sense)  away 
shamefully  handled;  literally,  disho7i- 
ored,  insulted,  referring  probably  to 
such  outrages  as  Hanun  perpetrated 
on  David's  servants  (2  Sam.  10  :  4). 

37.  £ut  last  of  all.  He  had  ex- 
hausted every  means  but  this,  to  bring 
them  to  their  duty.  He  sent  unto  them 
his  Son.  Some  have  objected  to  this 
feature  of  the  parable,  on  the  ground 
that  no  one  with  the  common  feelings 
of  a  father,  would  have  exposed  his 
son  to  such  wicked  wretches.  But  it 
is  evidently  spoken  of  one,  whose  de- 
sire to  effect  their  reformation  out- 
weighed every  other  consideration. 
There  is  no  improbability  in  the  exist- 
ence of  such  kindness  of  heart,  as 
would  be  willing  to  make  the  last  ap- 
peal spoken  of  here.  It  was  necessary 
also  that  this  agency  should  be  intro- 
duced, in  order  that  the  parable  might 
conform  to  the  fact  that  God  sent  his 
Son,  after  having  exhausted  every  other 
means  of  bringing  his  people  to  sub- 
mission and  obedience.  The  object,  as 
Doddridge  remarks,  is  not  to  show  the 
prudence  of  the  father,  but  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  Jews  and  the  patient  for- 
bearance of  God.  They  will  reverence 
mil  son.  They  will  treat  him  with  re- 
spect. The  sight  of  him  will  awaken 
feelings  of  reverence  in  them,  and  they 
will  cease  from  their  wicked  rebellion 
and  rejection  of  my  claims.  Such  was 
the  hope  of  the  owner  of  the  vineyard, 
but  we  are  not  to  suppose  from  this, 
that  the  prescience  of  God  did  not  ex- 
tend to  the  certain  rejection  of  his  Son 
by   the    Jews.     The   appUcation  of   a 


saw  the  son,  they  said  among 
themselves,  '  This  is  the  heir ; 
'"  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  let  us 
seize  on  his  inheritance. 

39  "  And  they  caught  him,  and 


n  Ch.  26 :  50,  &c. ;  Ma.  14  :  46,  &c. ;  Lu.  22 :  54, 
&c. ;  Jn.  18  :  12,  &c. ;  Ac.  2 :  23. 


parable  embracing  human  thoughts  and 
actions,  to  the  doings  of  the  infinite 
God,  is  always  to  be  modified  and 
limited  by  the  nature  of  the  subject, 
and  the  poverty  of  language  to  do  more 
than  shadow  forth  the  operations  of 
the  divine  mind. 

38.  Saw  the  son  as  he  was  approach- 
ing, at  a  distance.  They  said  among 
themselves.  Their  wicked  act  in  killing 
the  son  was  the  more  sinful,  in  that  it 
was  the  result  of  previous  concert.  So 
the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord  was  not  the 
result  of  a  sudden  excitement,  but  of 
a  preconcerted  plan  formed  in  a  meeting 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  at  which  the  high 
priest  himself  presided.  See  John  11 : 
47-53.  This  is  the  heir.  According  to 
Mark  (12:  6),  he  was  the  only  and  well 
beloved  sou  of  the  owner  of  the  vine- 
yard. There  was  no  other  heir  of  the 
estate.  They  were  so  infatuated  as  to 
suppose,  that  by  putting  him  out  of  the 
way,  the  property  would  be  theirs. 
They  seem  to  have  lost  all  fear  of  the 
return  of  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  him- 
self. Thus  it  is  that  wicked  men  are 
generally  blind  to  the  consequences  of 
their  misdeeds.  The  appositeness  of 
this  portion  of  the  parable  to  the  mis- 
sion of  God's  well  beloved  and  only 
begotten  Son  (John  3  :  16),  constituted 
in  his  mediatorial  office  the  heir  of  all 
things  (Heb  1 :  2),  is  too  obvious  to 
require  any  comment.  Let  us  seize  on 
his  inheritance.  The  original  strongly 
expresses  their  eager  desire  for  the 
property,  let  us  lay  fast  hold  of  let  us 
put  our  grasp  upon,  the  implication 
being,  that  no  power  could  wrest  it 
from  their  hands.  They  acknowledge 
the  inheritance  to  be  his,  but  express 
their  determination  to  get  possession  of 
it,  and  hold  it  against  the  claims  of  its 
rightful  owner. 


272 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


cast  him  out  of  the  viueyard,  and 
slew  him. 

40  When  the  lord  therefore  of 
the  vineyard  cometh,  what  will  he 
do  unto  those  husbandmen  ? 

41  "  They   &ay  unto  him,  ''  He 

o  See  Lu.  20  :  16.    jo  Lu.  21 :  44 ;  He.  2  :  3. 

39.  They  caught  hhn ;  literally,  having 
seized  him,  in  order  to  cast  him  out  of 
the  vineyard.  Some  think  that  the 
parable  is  here  shaped,  to  meet  the 
circumstances  of  our  Lord's  crucifixion, 
who  was  led  out  of  the  city  and  put  to 
death.  This  is  no  argument  against 
interpreting  the  vineyard,  as  was  done 
in  Note  on  v.  33,  for  Jesusalem,  as  the 
seat  and  centre  of  these  covenant 
blessings  possessed  by  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, might  well  represent  the  vineyard, 
out  of  which  the  Son  of  God  was  led  to 
be  crucified.  But  as  a  minor  point  in 
the  parable,  it  may  not  be  pressed  too 
far.  It  would  have  been  very  unnatural 
for  the  vine  dressers  to  have  slain  the 
son  and  heir  in  the  vineyard,  and  it 
may,  therefore,  be  nothing  more  than  a 
circumstance  designed  to  render  com- 
plete the  parabolic  picture. 

40.  Wlien  the  lord,  &c.  It  is  as- 
sumed here  that  the  owner  of  Uie  vine- 
yard would  certainly  return,  and  call 
these  wicked  men  to  account.  Our 
Lord,  therefore,  without  rehearsing 
any  farther  the  particulars  of  the 
parable,  inquires  of  the  Pharisees,  what 
they  supposed  would  be  done  to  them 
on  his  return.  He  thus  brings  them  to 
pronounce  sentence  of  condemnation 
upon  themselves. 

•11.  He  will  tniserably  destroy,  &c. 
The  original  has  a  play  of  words  (see  N. 
on  5 :  19),  which  Bloomfield  well  ren- 
ders :  he  ivill  hriiig  these  wretches  to  a 
wretched  death.  According  to  Mark  and 
Luke,  our  Lord  pronounces  these 
words  himself,  and  Luke  represents  the 
scribes  as  ejaculating,  God  forbid.  The 
apparent  discrepancy  is  removed,  by 
supposing  that  Christ  repeated  the 
words  of  condemnation  spoken  by  the 
scribes  in  reply  to  his  question,  before 
they    apprehended   the   scope   of   the 


will  miserably  destroy  those 
wicked  men,  *  and  will  let  out  his 
vineyard  unto  other  husbandmen, 
which  shall  render  him  the  fruits 
in  their  seasons. 


q  Ac.  13  :  46,  &  15 :  7,  &  18  :  6,  &  28  :  28 ;  Ko.  9, 
&  10,  &  11. 


parable,  and  that  while  he  was  thus 
solemnly  and  emphatically  repeating 
their  reply,  with  some  gesture  which 
betokened  its  application  to  themselves, 
stricken  with  horror,  at  the  strong 
terms  in  which  they  had  pronounced 
their  own  condemnation,  they  exclaim- 
ed, God  forbid.  I  cannot  agree  with  Al- 
ford,  that  the  people  seem  to  be  re- 
ferred to  in  the  words,  they  say,  or 
with  Olshausen  and  Steir,  that  the 
Pharisees  pretended  to  miss  the  .sense 
of  the  parable.  It  was,  as  Alford  well 
remarks,  a  self-condemnation,  similar  to 
that  in  27  :  25,  although  in  this  instance 
indirectly  spoken,  while  there  they 
invoked  the  horrible  curse  of  innocent 
blood  directly  upon  themselves  and 
their  children.  Will  let  out,  &c.  The 
scribes  and  priests  did  not  see  the  drift 
of  the  parable,  or  they  would  not  so 
unhesitatingly  have  pronounced  their 
own  condemnation,  and  the  calling  of 
the  Gentiles  to  the  covenant  blessings 
and  privileges,  which  they  had  them- 
selves forfeited.  See  Rom.  11 :  Y,  17. 
Wliich  shall  render  him,  &c.  This  does 
not  imply  that  among  these  husband- 
men, to  whom  the  vineyard  was  after- 
wards let,  some  would  not  be  found 
who  would  fail  also  to  render  in  their 
season  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard  to  its 
owner.  But  the  great  principle  is  laid 
down,  that  whoever  makes  an  impro- 
per use  of  God's  blessings,  shall  be  de- 
prived of  them.  Others  shall  succeed 
to  these  blessings,  which,  if  they  use 
them  aright,  shall  be  theirs  for  ever. 
But  a  disregard  of  the  trust  reposed  in 
them,  will  be  followed  by  the  same  re- 
jection, which  was  visited  upon  their 
faithless  and  disobedient  predecessors. 
Thus  while  this  parable  has  primary 
reference  to  the  rejection  of  the  Jews, 
and  calling  in  of  the  Gentiles,  it  illus- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


273 


42  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  ""Did 
ye  never  read  in  the  Scriptures, 
The  stone  which  the  builders  re- 
jected, the  wame  is  become  the 
head   of  the   corner :    this  is  the 

/•  Ps.  118  :  22 ;  Is.  2S  :  16 ;  Ma.  12:10;  Lu.  20 : 
17;  Ac.  4:  11 ;  Ep.  2  :  20;  1  Pe.  2:  6,  7. 

trates  also  the  dealing  of  God  with  in- 
dividuals, who  despise  his  mercies  and 
refuse  him  obedience. 

42.  Jesus  said  unto  them.  This  was 
spoken  in  reference  to  the  exclamation, 
God  forbid,  which,  according  to  Luke, 
they  made  when  they  saw  fully  the 
drift  of  the  parable.  "  He  beheld  them 
and  said."  Luke.  He  looked  upon 
them  with  earnestness  and  solemnity. 
Did  ye  never  read,  &c.  Christ  here 
calls  their  attention  to  a  passage,  which 
predicts  the  very  doom,  which  they  had 
unwittingly  pronounced  upon  them- 
selves, but  in  respect  to  which,  when 
they  saw  the  point  of  its  application, 
they  had  exclaimed,  God  forbid,  let  it 
not  be  so.  The  word  scriptures  or  ivritings 
refers  to  the  Old  Testament,  sometimes 
called  the  holy  Scriptures  (Rom.  1  :  2). 
The  stone  which  the  builders,  &c.  The 
quotation  is'  from  Ps.  118  :  22,  where 
the  reference  is  evidently  to  the  Mes- 
siah, whose  rejection  is  predicted  under 
the  imagery  of  a  building-stone,  disap- 
proved by  the  builders,  and  thrown 
aside  as  worthless.  Tlie  same  is  be- 
come, &c.  The  stone  (i.  e.  Christ)  was 
rejected  by  the  Jewish  builders,  but 
upon  it,  as  the  head  (stone)  of  the  corner, 
or  chief  cor7ier-stone,  the  edifice  of  the 
Christian  dispensation  was  to  rest. 
Compare  Eph.  2  :  20-22.  Commen- 
tators find  in  the  binding  together  of 
the  two  walls  by  the  corner-stone,  the 
union  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  in 
Christ.  Such  seems  to  be  the  argu- 
ment in  Eph.  2  :  11-22.  Tltis  is  the 
Lord^s  doing,  &c.  The  rejection  of 
this  stone  by  the  Jewish  builders,  as 
wholly  unfit  for  building  purposes,  and 
its  adoption  by  the  Great  Builder,  as 
the  chief  corner-stone  in  the  glorious 
edifice  which  He  was  erecting,  was  so 
marvellous,  that  it  could  be  referred 
only  to  the  inscrutable  wisdom  and  pur- 
Vol.  L— 12* 


Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous 
in  our  eyes  ? 

43  Therefore  I  say  unto  you, 
'The  kingdom  of  God  shall  be 
taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a 


«Ch.  8:12. 


pose  of  God.  It  is  not  implied  in  the 
prophecy  here  quoted,  that  the  stone 
had  not  all  the  essential  properties, 
which  rendered  it  suitable  for  the  use  of 
the  building.  The  point  which  was 
marvellous,  was  its  rejection  by  the 
Jewish  builders,  when  possessed,  as  it 
was,  of  such  properties.  But  they  w  ere 
misled  by  its  external  appearance.  So 
in  the  rejection  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
He  had  shown  himself  possessed  of  all 
that  was  excellent  and  lovely.  He 
had  wrought  the  most  stupendous  mi- 
racles. His  doctrines  and  precepts  were 
of  the  purest  and  most  exalted  kind. 
He  had  given  abundant  proof  of  his 
divine  mission.  But  his  low  birth,  po- 
verty, association  with  the  poor  and 
despised,  and  opposition  to  the  pride 
and  selfishness  of  the  scribes  and  Pha- 
risees, rendered  him  in  their  estimation 
of  no  account.  They  rejected  him  be- 
cause they  were  blind  to  his  true  cha- 
racter, and  this  blindness  was  the  re- 
sult of  their  obstinacy  and  hardness  of 
heart.  In  our  eyes,  i.  e.  before  our 
eyes,  or  in  our  estimation. 

43.  TJierefore,  i.  e.  on  this  account, 
or  in  accordance  with  this  scripture. 
The  kingdom  of  God.  The  privileges 
and  blessings  of  the- Messiah's  kingdom. 
Shall  be  taken  from  yoxi.  Our  Lord 
here  declares  in  plain  terms,  what  he 
had  previously  taught  in  the  parable  of 
the  wicked  husbandmen.  A  nation,  i.  e. 
the  Gentiles,  the  singular  being  used  in 
contrast  with  the  Jewish  nation.  Some 
refer  it  to  the  nation  or  class  of  per- 
sons, whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  who 
are  the  folio «vers  of  Christ.  So  Allbrd, 
who  cites  in  confirmation  of  this  view, 
1  Pet.  2:9;  Acts  15  :  14.  But  while 
it  is  true  that  the  followers  of  Christ 
constitute  his  only  real  and  peculiar 
people,  yet  this  restricted  use  of  the 
word  nation,  does  not  comport  with  the 


274 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits 
thereof. 

44  And  whosoever    'shall  fall 

tls.S:  14, 15:   Zee  12:  3;  Lu.  20:18;  Ko.9: 
33 ;  1  Pe.  2  :  8. 

scope  of  this  passage,  referring,  as  it 
manifestly  does,  to  the  general  rejec- 
tion of  the  Jewish  nation  and  the  call- 
ing in  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  privileges 
and  blessings,  which  they  had  forfeited 
through  unbelief.  Compare  Rom.  11  : 
1 1-25.  Bri7iging  forth  the  fruits  there- 
of. The  language  is  borrowed  from 
the  hire  or  rent  of  the  vineyard.  As 
the  good  and  faithful  husbandmen,  to 
whom  the  vineyard  was  rented  after 
the  wicked  men  were  dispossessed  of  its 
use,  would  bring  to  the  owner  his  portion 
of  the  fruits,  so  in  God's  spiritual  vine- 
yard, the  Gentiles,  to  whom  the  gospel 
was  to  be  sent,  would  receive  it  with 
joy  (see  Acts.  13  :  46-48),  and  improve 
its  blessings  and  privileges  to  the  glory 
of  God. 

44.  And  whosoever  shall  fall,  &c. 
The  prophetical  metaphor  of  the  re- 
jected stone  is  here  again  recurred  to. 
But  there  is  some  difficulty  iu  reaching 
the  precise  idea  contained  in  the  lan- 
guage made  use  of.  The  general  sense  is 
clear,  that  whoever  opposes  himself  to 
the  rule  of  the  Messiah  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. But  what  position  has  this 
corner-stone  in  the  building  that  it  can 
be  a  stumbling-stone  to  the  passer  by, 
and  at  the  same  time  be  in  a  position  to 
fall  upon  one  who  places  himself  rashly 
beneath  it?  Some  attempt  to  avoid 
this  difficulty,  by  supposing  the  stone 
to  be  placed  upright  against  the  corner, 
as  a  buttress  to  protect  it  from  external 
violence,  and  that  the  incautious,  as 
they  passed  along,  would  be  in  danger 
of  stumbling  against  it,  or  causing  it 
even  to  fall  to  his  own  or  some  other  per- 
son's destruction.  But  this  is  unnatural 
and  far-fetched.  A  stone  in  such  a  posi- 
tion could  not  easily  be  removed  from 
its  base,  for  in  such  a  case,  it  would 
defeat  the  very  purpose  for  which  it 
was  supposed  to  have  been  erected,  and 
would  not  be  suffered  to  remain  to  en- 
danger people's  lives  who  passed  under 


on  this  stone,  shall  be  broken : 
but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall, 
"  it  will  grind  him  to  powder. 


wis.  60:  12;  Da.  2  44. 


it.  Besides  this  is  not  the  position  of  the 
stone  in  the  new  spiritual  edifice.  It  is 
the  head  (stone)  of  the  corner,  a  founda- 
tion-stone, and  not  one  serving  merely* 
to  protect  the  corner  of  the  building. 
It  is  better  therefore  to  regard  the 
stone  as  here  referred  to  in  its  twofold 
aspect  of  a  stone  of  sttiinblinq  (see  1 
Pet.  2  :  8),  and  an  overhancfitig  rock 
irrespective  of  its  position  in  the  edifice. 
The  drapery  of  the  figure  is  somewhat 
changed.  The  stone  is  viewed  in  a  dif- 
ferent position  than  that  assigned  it  in 
the  building.  As  it  lay  on  the  ground, 
it  would  prove  a  stone  of  stumbling  to 
one  who  carelessly  passed  along,  and  a 
position  might  also  be  given  it,  for  the 
sake  of  conveying  the  idea  of  complete 
destruction,  in  which  it  might  fall  with 
crushing  weight  upon  some  one  who 
placed  himself  beneath  it.  The  senti- 
ment illustrated  is  the  various  degrees 
of  ruin,  which  follows  the  rejection  of 
Christ,  as  the  fall  of  a  heavy  stone 
upon  one  is  attended  with  a  more  ter- 
rible result,  than  the  mere  stumbling 
over  it.  How  dreadful  must  be  the 
fate  of  such  as  are  crushed  beneath  this 
stone,  when  he  who  stumbles  over  it 
shall  be  broken,  or,  as  the  word  hterally 
signifies,  shall  be  dashed  in  pieces,  broken 
up,  or  crushed  together.  Their  fate  is 
depicted  in  the  next  clause.  Will  grind 
him  to  powder ;  literally,  give  him  to  be 
winnoimd  by  the  winds,  i.  e.  will  so  crush 
him  to  pieces,  that  he  will  be  dissipated 
like  chaff  by  the  wind.  See  Dan.  2 : 
34,  35.  This  does  not  involve  the  idea 
of  a  winnowing  process,  by  which  the 
worthless  chaff  is  removed  and  the  pure 
wheat  retained,  but  such  a  crushing, 
grinding  fall  of  the  stone,  that  the 
whole  man  is  reduced  to  powder,  or 
made  chaff  of.  This  creates  no  con-' 
fusion  in  the  parable,  as  Alford  inti- 
mates, but  is  one  of  the  strongest  and 
most  natural  expressions  to  denote  com- 
plete destruction. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


275 


45  And  when  the  chief  priests 
and  Pharisees  had  heard  his  pa- 
rables, they  perceived  that  he 
spake  of  them. 

46  But  when  they  sought  to 
hiy  hands  on  him,  they  feared  the 
multitude,  because  ""  they  took 
him  for  a  prophet. 

a;  Ver.  11 ;  Lu.  7  :  15 ;  Jno.  T :  40. 


45,  46.  Andivhcn  the  chief  priests,  &c. 
They  now  fully  perceived  the  design  of 
the  parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen, 
and  were  exasperated  to  such  a  degree, 
that  they  were  restrained  from  laying 
violent  hands  upon  him,  only  through 
fear  of  the  people,  who  regarded  him  as 
a  prophet,  and  were  ready  to  protect 
him  from  violence.  But  when  they 
sought,  &c.  It  would  seem  from  this, 
that  they  made  some  demonstration  of 
their  evil  intention,  but  were  checked 
by  the  evident  determination  of  the 
people  to  protect  him.  Because  they 
took  him  for  a  proplict ;  literally,  since, 
indeed,  theif  held  him  as  a  prophet. 
They  regarded  him  as  a  divinely  ap- 
pointed teacher. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

1-14.  Parahle  of  the  Marriage  of 
THE  King's  Son.  Jemsalem.  Fourth 
day  of  the  Week.  As  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes  had  gone  away  in  a  rage 
(Mark  12  :  12),  Jesus  spake  this  parable 
of  the  marriage  of  the  king's  son  unto 
the  people.  Its  object  is  Hke  that  of 
the  preceding  parable,  to  set  forth  the 
rejection  of  the  Jews,  and  the  admission 
of  the  Gentiles  to  the  blessings  of  the 
gospel.  But  in  a  secondary  sense,  it  is 
also  applicable  to  all  in  every  age,  who 
reject  the  offers  of  salvation  through 
Christ.  This  parable  has  many  points 
of  resemblance  with  the  one  spoken 
in  Luke  14  :  15-24,  but  being  delivered 
at  a  later  date  in  our  Lord's  ministry, 
when  his  enemies  had  become  more 
infuriated,  it  is  an  advance  on  that, 
both  in  the  discourteous  terms  in  which 
the  invitation  was  refused,  and  in  the 
penalty  attached  thereto  by  the  king. 

2.  The   kingdom,  of  fieaven,  i.  e.  its 


A' 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
ND  Jesus  answered  "and  spake 
unto  them  again  by  parables, 
and  said, 

2  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
like  unto  a  certain  king,  which 
made  a  marriage  for  his  son, 

3  And  sent  forth  his  servants 

a  Lu.  14:16;  Ke.  19:7,  9. 

administration  or  dispensation,  in  the 
rejection  and  condemnation  of  those 
who  refuse  its  proflTered  blessings.  A 
certain  king.  The  householder  of  the 
preceding  parable.  A  marriage;  liter- 
ally, a  marriage  feast.  Such  feasts 
usually  continued  seven  days,  and 
were  celebrated  with  great  pomp  and 
rejoicings.  This  must  not  be  regarded  as 
the  exact  counterpart  of  the  great  mar- 
riage supper  of  the  Lamb  (Rev.  19:  9), 
for  there  the  bride  is  the  church,  which 
would  make  the  bride  here  to  be  the 
invited  guests,  an  absurdity,  which 
would  destroy  the  verisimilitude  of  the 
parable.  It  may  also  be  remarked  that 
the  marriage  feast  of  the  Lamb,  is  the 
consummation  of  the  union  of  believers 
with  him  (see  Eph.  5 :  27),  the  one 
here  represents  their  induction  into  his 
spiritual  household,  their  first  espousals 
to  him.  Alford  attempts  to  avoid  this 
difficulty,  by  regarding  this  ceremony 
as  an  enthronization,  in  which  the  peo- 
ple are  considered  as  being  espoused 
to  their  prince,  and  refers  to  Ps.  45  : 
10-17.  AH  this  is  unnecessary,  if  we 
regard  the  parable  as  a  simple  narration 
of  a  wedding  feast,  and  designed  to 
illustrate,  by  the  manner  in  which  the 
invitation  was  received,  the  rejection  of 
the  gospel  message  primarily  by  the 
Jewish  nation,  and  in  a  secondary 
sense,  by  all  who  refuse  its  invitations 
and  demands,  jp'or  his  son,  at  the 
marriage  of  his  son.  This  could  not  be 
a  ceremony  of  enthronization,  unless 
the  father  had  abdicated  in  favor  of 
his  son. 

3.  And  sent  forth  his  servants,  &c. 
On  festive  occasions  like  this,  invita- 
tions were  issued  some  time  previous, 
in  order  that  the  guests  might  be  in  a 


276 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


to  call  them  that  were  bidden  to 
the  wedding  :  and  they  would  not 
come. 

4   Again,   he   sent   forth  other 


general  state  of  readiness  (see  Luke 
14 :  17).  When  the  feast  was  fully 
prepared,  the  servants  were  sent  to 
call  those  who  had  been  previously  in- 
vited (see  Esth.  5:8;  6  :  14).  As  the 
persons  here  invited  had  been  furnished 
with  ample  time  to  make  the  necessary 
preparations  for  this  wedding  feast, 
their  refusal  to  come,  at  the  second 
summons,  was  the  more  insulting  and 
inexcusable.  This  of  course  represents 
God's  messages  and  invitations  of  mercy, 
conveyed  to  the  Jewish  nation  by  his 
servants  the  prophets.  The  servants  who 
were  now  sent  to  inform  them  that  the 
feast  was  all  ready,  must  of  necessity 
be  referred  to  John  the  Baptist,  the 
Twelve,  and  the  Seventy,  and  as  far  as 
Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  to 
him  also,  who  said  "  Come  unto  me  all 
ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest"  (11:  28).  That 
were  bidden,  not  about  to  be  bidden,  as 
some  render  it,  regardless  alike  of  the 
original  Greek,  and  of  Luke  14:  16,  17, 
where  a  previous  invitation  is  expressly 
referred  to.  And  they  woidd  not  come. 
They  refused  to  obey  the  summons. 

4.  Other  servants.  The  same  idea  of 
employing  servants  of  more  weight  and 
influence  to  convey  the  second  message, 
is  brought  to  view  here,  as  in  the 
parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen.  The 
great  mercy  and  forbearance  of  God  is 
represented  by  these  repeated  invita- 
tions. Alford  and  Trench  refer  this 
second  invitation  to  the  preaching  of  the 
apostles,  after  the  great  Sacrifice  was 
offered.  But  this  is  pressing  the  minor 
points  of  the  parable  too  far.  The 
oxen  and  fatlings  had  all  been  slain  and 
prepared,  before  the  servants  referred 
to  in  V.  3  had  been  sent  forth,  otherwise 
had  they  come  immediately  as  they 
were  bidden,  they  must  of  necessity 
have  been  compelled  to  wait  a  long 
time  for  the  slaughter,  preparation,  and 
cooking  of  the  animals  to  be  served  up 


servants,  sayinc,  Tell  them  which 
are  bidden,  Behold,  I  have  pre- 
pared my  dinner  :  *  my  oxen  and 
my  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all 
&  Pr.  9 :  2. 


to  the  guests.  The  parable  must  not  be 
rendered  unnatural  to  suit  fanciful  in- 
terpretations. Here  may  be  the  suit- 
able place  to  notice  Drunimond's 
reference  of  this  whole  parable,  "  to 
the  period  subsequent  to  Christ's  per- 
sonal ministry,  that  is  to  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  to  both  Jew  and  Gentile, 
from  the  day  of  Pentecost  down  to 
the  day  of  the  restitution  of  all  things." 
He  grounds  this  view  on  the  fact,  that  it 
was  "  after  he  died  that  he  specially 
received  the  character  of  Bridegroom. 
It  was  only  by  his  death  that  he  paid 
the  price  for  his  bride,  the  church,  and 
it  was  also  only  by  this  that  the  mar- 
riage of  the  King's  son  could  be  con- 
templated." I  cannot  but  think  that 
a  view  is  here  taken  of  its  being  a  mar- 
riage or  wedding  feast,  not  contem- 
plated in  the  parable.  This  greatest 
and  most  joyous  offcasts  was  selected, 
to  give  emphasis  to  the  criminality  of 
those  who  made  light  of  the  invitation 
to  partake  of  it,  it  being  in  ancient,  as 
well  as  in  modern  times,  an  acknow- 
ledged usage,  that  business  engage- 
ments were  not  to  interfere  with  an 
attendance  upon  such  occasions.  It 
must  be  admitted,  however,  that  the 
consequences  or  results  of  the  rejection 
of  Christ  by  the  Jews,  symbolized  in 
this  parable,  extend  on  from  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  to  the  end  of 
time.  But  this  is  true  also  of  the  preced- 
ing parable  of  the  wicked  husbandmen. 
They  slew  the  son  and  heir,  Jesus  was 
crucified.  The  vineyard  was  let  out  to 
others,  and  the  wicked  men  were  miser- 
ably destroyed,  that  is,  Jerusalem  was 
razed  to  the  ground,  and  God's  vine- 
yard of  covenant  blessings  and  privi- 
leges was  given  to  the  Gentiles,  to  be 
by  them  possessed,  until  their  fulh.e.'-s 
should  come,  when  the  Jews  were 
again  to  be  gathered  in.  That  the  same 
periods  of  time  are  designated  in  both 
parables,  is  evident  from  a  comparison 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIL 


277 


things  are  ready  :  come  unto  the 
marriage. 

5  But  they  made  light  of  it, 
and  went  their  ways,  one  to  his 
farm,  another  to  his  merchandise  : 


of  the  juain  features,  which  bear  a 
striking  resemblance  to  one  another. 
There  is  the  same  rejection  of  rightful 
authority  in  both,  the  same  abuse  of 
proifered  mercies,  and  the  same  terrible 
doom  denounced  upon  the  rebellious 
and  contumacious  servants.  What  is 
represented  by  letting  out  the  vineyard 
to  others,  in  the  first  parable,  is  repre- 
sented in  the  second  in  a  more  expanded 
form,  by  the  gathering  in  of  guests  to 
the  marriage  feast,  from  the  highway. 
It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  under 
varied  imagery,  the  same  great  events 
in  God's  economy  of  grace  are  referred 
to,  beginning  with  the  offers  of  mercy 
through  his  messengers,  and  ending 
with  the  death  of  his  Son,  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  the  excision  of  those  who  re- 
jected him,  and  the  letting  out  of  the 
vineyard  to  others,  or  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  the  second  parable,  the  calling 
in  of  other  guests  from  the  highways. 
The  second  parable  runs  on,  however, 
to  the  time  of  final  award,  when  all 
who  are  of  the  class  of  the  guest,  not 
luiving  on  the  wedding  garment,  will 
be  expelled  from  the  presence  of  their 
lord  and  from  the  feast. 

Tell  them  which  are  bidden,  &c.  The 
King  condescended  to  expostulate  with 
these  wicked  and  ungrateful  men  (see 
Isa.  1 :  18),  informing  them  of  the  ex- 
pensive provisions  which  he  had  made 
for  the  feast,  and  that  every  thing  was 
in  a  state  of  readiness,  so  that  no  time 
was  to  be  lost  in  their  attendance.  3fi/ 
dinner.  The  word  in  the  original  first 
signified  breakfast,  and  afterwards  the 
meal  taken  at  noonday.  In  process  of 
time  it  came  to  denote  the  principal  or 
chief  meal,  and  was  often  used  as  here, 
of  a  feast  or  banquet.  My  oxen  ;  lite- 
rally, bullocks.  Fatlings,  i.  e.  smaller 
animals,  such  as  sheep,  calves,  and 
the  like,  which  had  been  fattened  for 
tins  special  purpose.  Are  killed — are 
reiidji ;  literally,  my  oxen  and  fatlings 
killed,  and  all  things  read>j.     The  omis- 


6  And  the  remnant  took  his 
servants,  and  entreated  them  sjiite- 
fully,  and  slew  them. 

7  But  when  the  king  heard 
thereof,  he  was  wroth :    and  he 

sion  of  the  verb  imparts  to  the  invita- 
tion the  idea  of  extreme  haste.  Every 
thing  was  in  readiness  to  be  served  up 
on  the  table.  The  preparations  were 
so  far  advanced,  as  to  admit  of  no  delay. 

5.  They  made  light  of  it,  and  went 
their  U'ays ;  literally,  having  no  care 
(for  the  invitation)  they  went  away. 
They  received  the  message  with  indif- 
ference. They  bestowed  no  thought 
upon  it.  How  aptly  does  this  represent 
the  careless  reception  of  the  gospel 
message,  by  the  great  majority  of  its 
hearers.  One  to  his  farm  (i.  e.  farming 
business),  another  to  his  merchandise 
(i.  e.  his  commercial  pursuits).  These 
words  represent  the  two  great  branches 
of  business,  which  engage  the  atten- 
tion of  men. 

6.  And  the  remnant,  i.  e.  the  rest  of 
these  men,  who  seem  to  have  been 
more  malignant,  and  having  nothing 
else  to  do,  manifested  their  contempt 
of  the  king  by  abusing  and  murdering 
his  servants.  This  refers  to  the  ill- 
treatment  of  God's  prophets  by  the 
Jewish  nation.     See  N.  on  21  :  35. 

7.  Heard  thereof,  i.  e.  of  their  wick- 
ed conduct.  Sent  forth  his  armies  or 
troops.  This  as  Doddridge  remarks, 
is  said  by  way  of  anticipation,  as  their 
punishment  was  doubtless  deferred 
until  after  the  feast,  which  was  now 
ready  to  be  served  up.  As  a  matter  of 
historical  verity,  however,  the  Gentiles 
were  net  fully  inducted  into  the  inheri- 
tance and  privileges  of  the  Jews,  until 
after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but 
the  offers  of  the  gospel  were  made  to 
them  many  years  previous.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  the  expression,  his  armies, 
of  the  parable,  finds  its  reality  in  the 
Roman  armies,  which  beleaguered  and 
destroyed  Jerusalem.  Wicked  men  are 
often  chosen  as  the  instrument  of  God's 
judgment,  and  as  such  are  his  agents. 
See  Isa.  10  :  5  ;  13:5;  Jer.  25  :  9. 
Destroyed  those  murderers,  &c.  This 
was  verified  in  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 


278 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


sent  forth  his  '  armies,  and  de- 
stroyed those  murderers,  and 
burned  up  their  city. 

8  Then  saitii  he  to  his  servants. 
The  wedding  is  ready,  but  they 
which  were  bidden  were  not 
^  worthy. 

9  Go  ye  therefore  into  the 
highways,    and    as   many   as   ye 

cDa.9:  26;  Lu.  19:27.     £?  Ch.  10 :  11, 13 ; 

Ac.  13 :  46. 


salem,  and  the  other  Jewish  cities  by 
Vespasian  and  Titus.  Their  city. 
"  No  longer  Ais,  but  their  city,"  Alford. 
So  in  Matt.  23  :  38,  "  your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate."  Perhaps,  however, 
nothing  farther  is  meant,  than  that  the 
king  extended  his  invitation  to  the 
chief  men  of  the  surrounding  cities,  in 
one  of  which  dwelt  these  wicked 
men. 

8.  Wedding.,  i.  e.  wedding  feast. 
Were  not  worthy  of  the  high  honor  and 
privilege  offered  them.  Highways; 
literally,  the  passing  through  of  the  ways, 
i.  e.  where  the  ways  pass  through  or 
across  each  other,  and  the  greatest 
number  of  persons  might  be  seen  pass- 
ing along.  Trench  remarks,  that  "  we 
must  not  permit  the  English  expression, 
*  highways.,''  to  make  us  think  of  places  in 
the  country  as  contradistinguished  from 
the  town,  whither  the  servants  were 
sent ;  the  image  throughout  the  para- 
ble is  of  a  city,  in  which  the  rich  and 
great,  and  noble,  those  who  naturally 
■would  be  selected  for  the  king's  guests, 
refuse  to  come  to  his  banquet,  where- 
upon the  poor  of  the  same  city  are 
brought  in  to  share  it."  The  expression 
is  evidently  intended  to  represent  the 
gathering  of  a  promiscuous  multitude 
of  persons,  rich  and  poor,  high  and 
low,  which  is  strikingly  illustrative  of 
the  offer  of  salvation  made  to  men  of 
all  classes  of  society,  and  in  all  parts 
of  the  world.  As  many  as  ye  shall  find. 
The  invitation  was  to  be  extended  to 
all,  without  regard  to  their  condition 
or  circumstances. 

10.  And  gathered  together.  They  in- 
Tited  all  they  saw,  and  having  gathered 


shall  find,  bid  to   the  marriage. 

10  So  those  servants  went  out 
into  the  highways,  and  '  gathered 
together  all,  as  many  as  they 
found,  both  bad  and  good  :  and 
the  wedding  was  furnished  with 
guests. 

11  And  when  the  king  came 
in  to  see  the  guests,  he  saw  there 

e  Ch.  13 :  38, 47. 

them  in  a  company,  conducted  them 
to  the  feast.  This  represents  the  acces- 
sions made  from  time  to  time  to  the 
Christian  church.  It  is  a  comprehen- 
sive statement  of  the  great  end  and 
aim  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  all 
who  are  co-laborers  with  them  in  the 
work  of  saving  souls.  It  is  to  gather 
men  in  from  the  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city,  the  highways  and  hedges  (see 
Luke  14  :  21-23),  if  needs  be,  to 
the  feast  of  fat  things  (see  25  :  6) 
provided  in  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Both 
bad  and  good.  The  gospel  invitation  is 
to  all.  Many  ostensibly  accept  it,  who 
are  found  at  last  not  to  have  on  the 
wedding  garment.  This  is  the  explana- 
tion given  these  terms  by  some  exposi- 
tors. But  it  is  preferable  to  regard  it, 
as  designating  the  character  of  the 
men  when  first  invited.  Some  were 
of  such  uprightness  of  external  deport- 
ment, as  to  be  regarded  good  in  the 
estimation  of  their  fellow-men.  So  we 
speak  of  moral  and  immoral  men,  not 
intending  thereby,  that  the  former, 
equally  with  the  latter  class,  do  not  stand 
in  need  of  the  cleansing  blood  of  Christ, 
to  wash  away  their  sin,  and  render  them 
acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God.  Was 
furjiished.  All  the  places  at  the  table 
were  occupied  with  guests. 

11.  Here  commences  the  second 
division  of  the  parable,  which  is  an  ad- 
vance on  the  one  previously  narrated 
by  Luke  14  :  16-24.  The  rejection  by 
some  and  the  acceptance  by  others, 
of  the  gospel  message,  is  brought  to 
view  in  the  preceding  portion ;  now 
the  inquisition  into  the  character  of 
those   who   partake   of   the    marriage 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


279 


a  man  ^  which  had  not  on  a  wed- 
ding garment : 

/2  Co.  5:3;  Ep.  4  :  24;  Col.  3  :  10, 12 ;  Ee.  3: 
4,  &  16 :  15,  &  19 :  8. 


feast,  and  the  dreadful  doom  of  un- 
worthy guests,  are  symboHcally  set 
forth.  And  when  the  king  came  in. 
This  refers  to  his  pubUc  entry  into  the 
reception  room  or  hall,  as  was  usual 
when  such  great  men  made  feasts.  He 
passed  along  among  the  guests,  as  they 
reclined  at  the  table  (see  N.  on  9  :  lO), 
receiving  their  congratulations  and  in- 
quiring after  their  welfare.  It  hardly 
need  be  said,  that  reference  is  had  in 
this  portion  of  the  parable,  to  the  in- 
spection and  awards  of  the  final  judg- 
ment. A  man.  As  a  single  guest  only 
is  represented  as  not  having  on  the 
wedding  garment,  some  have  thought 
this  to  have  been  a  warning  especially 
addressed  to  Judas.  But  not  to  say 
that  the  parable  is  to  be  taken  in  its 
widest  scope  and  application,  as  illus- 
trative of  the  gospel  feast  in  all  time, 
there  is  an  universality  given  to  the 
warning,  an  assurance  that  the  costume 
of  not  a  single  guest  will  be  overlooked, 
which  brings  the  subject  home  to  every 
bosom,  and  cuts  off  all  hope  of  escaping 
the  searching  glance,  which  will  be 
directed,  at  the  king's  entrance,  to 
every  guest.  It  is  not  implied  that 
only  one  out  of  many  will  be  found  in 
this  sad  predicament,  any  more  than 
from  the  parable  of  the  ten  virgins, 
that  just  one  half  of  the  visible  church 
on  earth,  will  consist  of  those  who  are 
destitute  of  grace  in  their  hearts.  In 
both  these  instances,  a  class  of  per- 
sons is  represented,  leaving  it  wholly 
xmdetermincd,  how  small  or  great  a 
proportion  of  the  whole  number  is 
comprised  in  the  class.  Wedding  gar- 
ment. It  has  been  a  matter  of  doubt, 
whether  this  dress  was  provided  by  the 
guests  each  one  for  himself,  or  whether 
it  was  furnished  by  the  king.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  latter  is  the 
correct  opinion,  for  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, that  these  guests  were  invited 
and  brought  in  from  the  very  highways, 
along    which   they    were    passing   for 


12    And   he    saith    unto    him, 
Friend,  how  camest  thou  in  hith- 


pleasure  or  business,  and  it  is  very  un- 
reasonable to  suppose,  that  they  were, 
or  could  be  provided,  at  so  short  a 
notice,  with  appropriate  dresses.  Many 
of  them  were  doubtless  too  poor  to 
meet  the  expense  of  such  a  garment, 
had  time  been  given  them  to  procure 
one.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have 
abundant  evidence,  that  kings  were 
provided  with  extensive  wardrobes, 
from  which  each  invited  guest  was  fur- 
nished with  a  suitable  garment,  in 
which  he  was  expected  to  array  himself, 
before  he  came  into  the  royal  presence, 
or  incur  the  displeasure  of  his  sovereign. 
Compare  Gen.  46  :  22  ;  2  Kings  10  : 
22  ;  Esth.  6  :  8  ;  8  :  15  ;  Rev.  3  :  5. 
Instances  of  the  same  custom  are  found 
in  proliine  writings.  See  Xen.  Cyr. 
viii.  3.  §  1  ;  Hom.  II.  xxiv.  22ti,  iTt. 
This  man  had  therefore  being  guilty  of 
great  disrespect  to  his  king,  in  having 
neglected  to  clothe  himself  in  the  rol.e 
thus  gratuitously  furnished  him,  setting 
at  nought  the  rules  of  the  entertain- 
ment, by  appearing  in  his  own  common 
and  soiled  dress.  So  the  true  guests  of 
the  gospel  feast  throw  aside  their  per- 
sonal righteousnesses,  "  which  are  as 
filthy  rags  "  (Isa.  64  :  6),  and  are  clad 
in  the  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness 
(for  to  this  most  unquestionably  the 
wedding  garment  symbolically  refers), 
furnished  them  without  money  and 
without  price.  If  this  be  wanting, 
nothing  will  be  accepted  as  its  sub- 
stitute. It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
this  man's  condemnation  resulted 
from  his  own  wilful  neglect  of  a 
provision  made  for  his  wants,  as  much 
as  for  that  of  any  one  of  the  other 
guests.  Salvation  is  provided  in  the 
gospel  for  all.  If  any  are  lost,  it  will 
be  through  their  own  voluntary  rejec- 
tion of  its  blessings. 

12.  Friend.  See  N.  on  20:  13.  How 
camest  thou  in  hither,  &c.  The  king  was 
willing  to  hear  his  reasons,  if  he  had 
any,  ior  such  improper  conduct.    If  no 


280 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


er,  not  having  a  wedding  garment? 
And  he  was  speechless. 

13  Then  said  the  king  to  the 
servants,  Bind  him  hand  and  foot, 
and  take  him  away,  and  cast  him 
^  into  outer  darkness  ;  there  shall 

{7  Ch.  8 :  12. 

robe  had  been  provided  or  offered  him, 
so  humane  and  just  a  sovereign  would 
by  no  means  have  held  him  guilty.  He 
was  speechless ;  literally,  was  muzzled, 
i.  e.  put  to  silence  as  effectually,  as 
though  the  gag  had  been  applied.  He 
had  no  excuse,  and  therefore,  when  thus 
called  to  account,  was  struck  dumb.  In 
like  manner,  every  mouth  will  be 
stopped  (Rom.  3  :  19),  when  arraigned 
before  the  law  of  God  for  impeni- 
tence and  unbelief  Drummond  well 
remarks,  th.at  "  the  sinner  who  is  desti- 
tute of  Christ's  righteousness  at  last, 
will  not  be  rendered  speechless,  by  the 
unspeakable  terror  of  manifested  power 
and  glory,  but  by  the  unutterable  in- 
ward horror,  that  he  has  sinned  away 
his  own  mercies.  It  is  not  the  pressure 
of  irresistible  power,  which  will  con- 
sume him  with  misery,  but  the  fearful 
dawning  of  such  light  within  him,  re- 
vealing truth  despised andlove  slighted, 
which  will  make  him  speechless  in  his 
wretchedness." 

14.  Servants.  A  different  word  from 
that  translated  servants  in  the  previous 
verses.  These  were  a  higher  class  of 
servants,  giving  personal  attendance 
upon  the  guests  at  the  royal  feasts,  and 
standing  ready  to  execute  the  behests 
of  their  lord.  In  the  interpretation  of 
the  parable,  we  are  to  refer  them  to  the 
angels,  who  are  the  executioners,  so  to 
speak,  of  the  Judge,  at  the  great  day 
of  final  account.  See  13  :  41,  49. 
Bind  him  hand  and  foot ;  litferally, 
hnning  bound  his  feet  and  hands,  as  one 
against  whose  escape  more  than  ordi- 
nary precaution  is  to  be  observed.  In 
such  cases  the  hands  were  bound  toge- 
ther by  the  wrists,  or  sometimes  behind 
the  back,  and  the  feet  also  with 
shackles  around  the  ankles.  Take  him 
awai)  from  the  banquet-hall.  Outer 
darkness.     This  is  thought  to  refer  to 


be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

14  ''For  many  are  called,  but 
few  are  chosen. 

15  H  'Then  went  the  Pharisees, 
and  took  counsel  how  they  might 
entangle  him  in  his  talk. 

h  Ch.  20  :  16.        *  Ma.  12 :  13 ;  Lu.  20  :  20. 


the  darkness  without  the  palace,  which, 
compared  with  the  brilliant  light  of  the 
banquet  within,  was  dense  and  dismal. 
See  N.  on  8  :  12.  But  may  we  not  here 
refer  it  to  the  dungeon,  to  which  one 
who  had  so  deeply  affronted  his  king 
was  conveyed  ?  Such  an  idea  comports 
better  with  the  fact  that  he  was  pre- 
viously bound,  which  shows  that  a  more 
severe  punishment  was  inflicted  upon 
him,  than  mere  banishment  from  the 
light  and  splendor  of  the  feast.  In 
whichsoever  sense  it  be  taken  it  furnishes 
a  striking  illustration  of  the  utter  ex- 
clusion from  heaven,  of  all  whose  cha- 
racters are  not  approved  at  the  great 
day  of  final  account.  There  shall  be,  &c. 
See  N.  on  8  :  12. 

14.  J^or  many  are  called,  &c.  This 
proverbial  saying,  which  refers  back  to 
those  who  first  rejected  the  invitation 
to  the  feast,  as  well  as  to  the  expulsion 
of  the  guest  who  had  not  on  the  wed- 
ding garment,  has  here  a  slight  differ- 
ence of  application  from  that  which  it 
has  in  20  :  16,  where  it  seems  to  refer 
to  the  grades  of  dignity,  to  which  Christ 
appoints  his  followers.  Here  the  scope 
of  the  parable  gives  it  the  sense  :  Many 
are  invited  to  the  blessings  and  privi- 
leges of  the  gospel  feast,  but  compara- 
tively few  are  real  participants  of  the 
grace  of  God.  This  was  true  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  in  respect  to  whom  this 
parable  had  primary  application.  The 
people  in  general  were  obdurate  and 
unbelieving,  while  a  few  only  listened 
to  the  inspired  prophets.  Such  also  is 
the  sad  fact  in  respect  to  every  nation, 
even  those  most  highly  favored  with  the 
light  of  pure  Christianity.  The  masses 
go  down  in  impenitence  to  the  grave, 
and  comparatively  few  are  found  in  the 
way  that  leadeth  to  life  (7:13,  14). 

15-22.  Insidious  Question  of  the 
Pharisees,     respecting    Tribute    to 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


281 


16  And  they  sent  Out  unto  him 
their  disciples  with  the  Hero- 
dians,  saying,  Master,  we  know 
that  thou  art  true,  and  teachest 
the  way  of  God  in  truth,  neither 

C^SAR.  Jerusalem.  Fourth  day  of 
the  Week.  Mark  12  :  lo-lt  ;  Luke 
2U  :  20-26. 

15,  16.  Then  went  the  Pharisees,  &c. 
They  had  become  so  enraged  at  the 
parables  and  teachings  of  Jesus,  that 
they  went  forth  to  devise  measures  to  rid 
themselves  of  him  by  putting  him  to 
death.  Took  counsel,  i.  e.  held  a  con- 
sultation. How  they  might  entangle,  &c. 
The  fear  of  the  people  restrained  them 
from  open  violence,  and  they  were 
obliged,  therefore,  to  resort  to  their  old 
practice  of  endeavoring  to  ensnare  him 
by  proposing  knotty  questions,  and 
subtle  distinctions  of  the  moral  and 
ceremonial  law.  But  they  had  met 
with  so  little  success  in  questions  of 
this  sort,  that  they  now  determine 
on  pressing  him  with  some  inquiry, 
the  reply  to  which  may  involve  him  in 
political  difficulties,  and  furnish  occa- 
sion for  accusing  him  to  the  Romans. 
Entangle  him;  literally,  ensnare  him, 
the  word  being  used  of  taking  birds  in 
a  snare.  It  very  aptly  denotes  the  wily 
and  desperate  eiforts  of  those  wicked 
men,  to  entangle  him  by  difficult  and 
perplexing  questions.  In  his  talk.  The 
word  his  is  not  in  the  original,  and  ob- 
scures the  sense,  since  it  was  by  their 
own  talk  or  conversation  with  him, 
that  they  sought  to  ensnare  him. 
ITiey  (i.  e.  the  Pharisees)  sent  out  (from 
the  place  of  secret  conclave)  tlieir  dis- 
ciples with  the  Herodians.  These  latter 
were  a  political  party  who  had  es- 
poused the  cause  of  the  Romans,  and 
were  stanch  supporters  of  their  au- 
thority. They  were  now  associated 
with  their  bitter  enemies,  the  Pharisees, 
thinking,  perhaps,  that  Jesus  would  be 
less  on  his  guard,  seeing  this  union  of 
parties  so  opposite,  made  apparently 
for  the  purpose  of  having  some  point  of 
dispute  settled  between  them.  These 
Herodians  would  also  be  very  keen  to 
discover  any  disposition  of  our  Savior 


carest  thou  for  any  man :  for 
thou  regardest  not  the  person  of 
men. 

17    Tell   us   therefore,    What 
thinkest  thou?     Is  it  lawful  to 


to  cast  off  the  Roman  yoke.  Their  dis- 
ciples. They  attempted  to  conceal  their 
design  by  sending  some  of  their  scholars 
or  followers,  who  pretended  to  be  sin- 
cere inquirers  after  truth.  They  little 
thought  that  they  were  dealing  with 
one,  who  needed  not  that  any  should 
testify  of  man,  for  he  knew  what  was 
in  man  (John  2  :  25).  Master.  See  N. 
on  19  :  16.  We  knoto,  &c.  This  was 
no  exaggerated  language  when  applied 
to  Christ,  but  in  their  mouths  it  was  hy- 
pocritically uttered  for  the  purpose  of 
throwing  him  off  his  guard,  in  replying 
to  friends  so  apparently  sincere  and 
zealous  for  the  truth.  True.  Truthful, 
upright.  Wag  of  God,  i.  e.  doctrines 
and  precepts  which  God  approves.  In 
truth.  In  accordance  with  truth.  For 
any  man,  i.  e.  for  the  applause  or  cen- 
sure of  any  one.  For  thou  regardest,  &c. 
They  compliment  the  Savior,  for  not 
shaping  his  instructions  and  reproofs  to 
suit  the  external  condition  of  men,  re- 
gardless of  their  real  character.  This 
stands  as  a  reason,  why  he  regarded 
not  the  applause  or  censure  of  men. 
Person  of  men  is  here  put  for  their  ex- 
ternal appearance  or  condition. 

17.  Tell  US  therefore.  Such  being 
your  sincerity  and  truthfulness,  answer 
this  question  which  we  are  about  to 
propose.  ]]liat  thinkest  thou  ?  "What 
is  your  opinion?  This  formal  intro- 
duction was  designed  to  draw  from  him 
a  direct  reply,  which  should  leave  no 
doubt  as  to  his  sentiments  on  the  sul)- 
Ject  of  their  inquiry.  Is  it  lawful,  &c. 
This  question  was  so  conceived  and 
shaped,  that  a  reply  either  affirmative 
or  negative  would  involve  our  Lord  in 
trouble.  Had  he  replied  in  the  affir- 
mative, the  people,  smarting  under  the 
Roman  yoke,  would  have  regarded  him 
as  an  enemy  to  his  own  countrymen. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  negative  reply 
would  have  furnished  ground  of  ac- 
cusing him  before  Pilate,  as  a  Gahlean, 


282 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33, 


give  tribute  unto   Cesar,  or  not  ? 

18  But  Jesus  perceived  their 
wickedness,  and  said,  Why  tempt 
ye  me,  ye  hypocrites  ? 

19  Shew  nie  the  tribute  money. 
And  they  brought  unto  him  a 
penny. 


who  was  teaching  seditious  doctrines. 
Tims  either  answer  would  have  effected 
his  ruin.  In  order  to  obtain  a  plain 
yef:  or  no  to  their  question,  Mark  repre- 
sents them  as  repeating  it  in  a  more 
simple  form,  "  shall  we  give  or  shall  we 
not  give  ? "  There  seemed  to  be  no  way 
left  of  evading  the  question,  or  shun- 
ning the  snare,  which  they  had  so  art- 
fully laid  for  him.  Tribute.  This  was 
the  poll-tax  levied  upon  Judea  as  a  con- 
quered province,  to  be  paid  to  the  Ro- 
man emperor.  Besides  this,  there  was 
the  tax  for  the  support  of  the  kings, 
ethnarchs,  tetrarchs,  and  other  pro- 
vincial rulers,  and  also  the  tax  for 
the  temple  service  (17  :  24).  These 
heavy  taxes,  made  still  more  burden- 
some by  the  extortion  and  rapacity  of 
tax-gatherers,  reduced  the  people  to 
despair,  and  eventually  caused  them, 
after  many  partial  insurrections,  to 
take  up  arms  against  their  oppressors, 
■which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  their 
city  and  temple,  and  the  downfall  of 
the  nation.  Ccesar.  This  was  the  gen- 
eral title  of  the  Roman  emperors,  as 
successors  of  Julius  Cresar.  The  em- 
peror, in  the  time  of  our  Lord's  min- 
istry, was  Tiberius  Caesar. 

18.  Perceived  their  wickedness.  The 
word  here  translated  wickedness,  is 
more  definitely  expressed  in  Mark  by 
hypocrisy,  and  in  Luke  by  craftiness. 
Matthew,  however,  gives  definiteness 
to  it  by  the  term  hypocrites,  which 
the  Savior  applied  to  them.  He  thus 
showed  them,  that  he  well  understood 
their  true  character  and  motives  in 
proposing  the  question.  Mliy  tempt 
ye  me  ?  Why  do  you  strive  to  bring  me 
into  difficulty  by  your  captious  ques- 
tions ?  To  tempt,  to  ascertain  my  views 
with  evil  intent. 


20  And  he  saith  unto  them, 
Whose  is  this  image  and  super- 
scription ? 

21  They  say  unto  him,  Cesar's. 
Then  saith  he  unto  them,  ^Eender 
therefore  unto   Cesar  the   things 

;fcCh.  17:25;  Eo.l3:T. 


19.  Tribute  money ;  literall}',  the  cvr- 
rent  money  of  the  tribiite,  i.  e.  the  coin 
in  which  it  was  paid.  This  was  the 
Roman  denarius,  on  the  value  of  which 
see  N.  on  18  :  28. 

20.  Image  and  superscription.  The 
image  of  the  reigning  emperor,  with  his 
name  and  title,  was  stamped  upon  the 
coin.  The  circulation  of  this  imperial 
coin,  as  current  money,  was  a  sign  of 
the  subjection  of  the  Jews  to  his  regal 
authority,  and  as  this  coin  was  found  in 
their  possession,  it  furnished  evidence, 
on  the  spot,  of  their  hypocrisy  in  pro- 
posing this  question  to  him. 

21.  They  say  unto  him  Ccesar''s.  He 
would  have  them  convicted  by  their 
own  mouth.  Render  (litcrall)',  give  or 
pay  back),  unto  Casar,  &c.  That  this 
was  Cfesar's  coin,  was  evident  from  the 
image  and  superscription  enstamped 
upon  it.  It  was,  therefore,  to  be  given 
up  to  him,  whenever  he  required  it. 
This  was  plain  and  undeniable,  and  es- 
tablished the  principle,  that  every 
thing  which  belonged  to  Coesar  was 
to  be  rendered  up  to  him  at  his  com- 
mand. This  being  admitted,  it  followed 
as  an  inevitable  consequence,  that 
every  thing  which  belonged  to  God,  was 
in  like  manner  to  be  rendered  to  him. 
What  a  flood  of  light  does  this  answer 
pour  upon  the  duty  of  submitting  to 
the  established  government,  ard  how 
inseparably  does  it  bind  together  our 
civil  and  religious  duties.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  this  is  the  only  instance 
in  which  our  Lord  refers  to  the  Roman 
jurisdiction  over  his  countrymen,  and 
this  reference  he  only  made,  when 
driven  thereto  by  a  direct  and  pressing 
question.  The  yoke  of  Ca>sar  was  gall- 
ing and  oppressive.  As  a  Jew,  he 
doubtless  felt  a  deep  sympathy  in  the 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


283 


which  are  Cesar's  ;  and  unto  God 
the  things  that  are  God's. 

22  When  they  had  heard  ihese 
tvords,  they  marvelled,  and  left 
him,  and  went  their  way. 

23  ^  '  The  same  day  came  to 
him  the  Sadducees,  '"  which  say 
that  there  is  no  resurrection,  and 
asked  him, 

24  Saying,  Master,  "Moses  said. 
If  a  man  die,  having  no  children, 
his  brother  shall  marry  his  wife, 

I  Ma.  12  :  18 ;  Lu.  20  :  27. 

wrongs  of  his  countrymen.  But  his 
mission  was  not  to  preach  rebellion 
aj;;ainst  the  Romans,  or  a  redress  of 
civil  wrongs.  He  came  to  preach  deli- 
verance to  the  captive,  but  it  was  the 
captive  of  sin  and  death.  He  aimed  to 
make  the  heart  of  man  better,  to  teach 
the  duty  of  love  to  God  and  our  fellow- 
men,  knowing  well  that  if  the  gos- 
pel was  cordially  embraced,  the  great 
social  and  political  evils  would  in  due 
time  be  removed. 

22.  Thei/  viarvelled.  The  reply  was 
so  brief,  comprehensive,  and  convinc- 
ing, that  the  Herodians,  in  whose  favor 
the  question  had  been  virtually  decided, 
were  astonished  as  well  as  the  Phari- 
sees. Luke  (20:  26)  says,  "they  held 
their  peace."  They  could  make  no 
reply,  so  clearly  had  their  motives  been 
detected  and  their  plans  frustrated. 
Went  their  way.  They  returned  to  the 
chief  priests  and  scribes,  by  whom  they 
had  been  sent. 

23-33.  Insidious  Question  of  the 
Sadducees  on  the  Resurrection.  Jeru- 
salem. Fourth  day  of  the  Week.  Mark 
12 : 18-27 ;  Luke  20  :  27-40. 

23.  Our  Lord's  enemies  seem  on  this 
day  to  have  made  the  most  desperate 
efforts,  to  find  some  occasion  against 
him,  by  proposing  difficult  questions  for 
him  to  answer.  The  Pharisees  and 
Herodians  had  just  left  him,  baffled  and 
ashamed  at  their  total  failure.  The 
Sadducees  now  approach  him  with  simi- 
lar intent,  and  press  in  the  form  of  a 
question,  an  objection  to  the   doctrine 


and  raise  up  seed  unto  his  bro- 
ther. 

25  Now  there  were  with  us 
seven  brethren :  and  the  first, 
when  he  had  married  a  wife,  de- 
ceased, and  having  no  issue,  left 
his  wife  unto  his  brother : 

26  Likewise  the  second  also, 
and  the  third,  unto  the  seventh. 

27  And  last  of  all  the  woman 
died  also. 

28  Therefore,  in  the  resurrec- 

m  Ac.  23 :  8.       n  De.  25 :  5. 


of  a  resurrection  and  of  a  future  state. 
For  an  account  of  the  Sadducees,  see 
N.  on  3  :  7. 

24.  Master.  See  N.  on  19  :  16.  The 
design  of  these  Sadducees  seems  to 
have  been  less  malicious  than  that  of 
the  previous  questioners,  their  principal 
object  being  to  puzzle  and  confound 
him,  by  what  they  regarded  as  an  un- 
answerable objection  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection.  Moses  said.  Com- 
pare Deut.  25  :  25.  The  sense  of  the 
passage  is  quoted,  and  not  the  very 
words.  The  Sadducees  believed  in  the 
Pentateuch  and  in  the  Prophets,  but 
rejected  all  traditions.  Raise  up  seed. 
The  firstborn  son  from  this  marriage 
with  the  widow  of  a  deceased  brother, 
was  to  succeed  to  his  name  and  estate, 
and  was  to  be  regarded  in  all  the  civil 
relations  of  life  as  his  son.  This  was 
to  prevent  the  extinction  of  any  family 
of  the  tribe  or  nation. 

25.  Now  there  ivere,  &c.  They  now 
proceed  to  state  a  case,  in  which  this 
law  of  Moses  was  applicable.  It  was  a 
singular  one,  but  yet  not  at  all  improba- 
ble. It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to 
regard  it  as  an  actual  fact,  but  one  sup- 
posed for  the  sake  of  illustration. 

26.  Likewise  the  second,  &c.  As  the 
second  brother  died  childless,  the  law 
required  that  the  third  brother  should 
marry  the  widow. 

28.  Therefore  in  the  resurrection. 
The  Sadducees  here  admit  the  truth  of 
the  resurrection,  for  the  sake  of  argu- 
ment.    Whose  wife,  &c.      Their  error 


284 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


tion,  whose  wife  shall  she  be  of 
the  seven  ?  for  they  all  had  her. 

29  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  Ye  do  err,  ■*'  not  know- 
ing the  Scriptures,  nor  the  power 
of  God. 

p  Jn.  20  :  9. 

lay  in  the  gross  material  views  which 
they  had  of  the  spiritual  world,  or  they 
would  never  have  gravely  advanced  so 
frivolous  an  objection  against  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection  and  a  future 
state.  Perhaps,  like  some  modern  cav- 
illers, they  did  not  see  how  God  could 
raise  the  dead,  whose  bodies  had  mould- 
ered away  to  dust,  which  had  entered, 
perhaps,  into  the  organic  existence 
of  other  bodies.  They  evidently 
limited  the  divine  power,  as  appears 
from  what  our  Lord  said,  in  v.  29. 
This,  with  their  mistaken  views  of 
the  Scriptures,  led  them  to  believe  that 
the  soul  and  the  body  died  together, 
and  that  there  was  no  resurrection. 

29.  Ye  do  err;  literally,  have  luan- 
dered  from  the  truth.  Not  knowing  the 
Scriptures.  This  was  the  cause  of  their 
erroneous  views.  They  were  ignorant 
of  the  true  spiritual  sense  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, supposing  them  to  teach  that 
the  future  state  was  a  continuation  of 
the  present,  with  the  same  physical 
laws,  passions,  and  conditions.  In  this 
they  greatly  erred.  For  while  the  Old 
Testament  is  less  clear  and  explicit 
on  this  great  subject  than  the  Xew 
Testament,  yet  ample  evidence  is 
even  there  furnished  of  its  truth  and 
nature.  The  passage  quoted  by  our 
Lord,  in  reply  to  their  question,  is  but 
one  of  many  texts  in  the  Old  Testament, 
which  bring  out  the  doctrine  of  tlie 
soul's  immortality,  and  the  nature  of  its 
existence  beyond  the  grave.  Compare 
2  Sam.  12  :  23  ;  Ps.  lY  :  15  ;  Isa.  26  :  19 ; 
Dan.  12:  2.  Tlie  poiver  of  God.  The 
question  has  been  asked  ever  since  the 
days  of  Paul,  by  many  who  restrict  the 
power  of  God,  or  measure  it  by  man's 
limited  faculties,  "how  are  the  dead 
raised  up  ?  "  The  objections  advanced 
by  these  opponents  of  the  doctrine,  are 
numerous  and  multiform,  but  when  ana- 


30  For  in  the  resurrection  they 
neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in 
marriage,  but  *  are  as  the  angels 
of  God  in  heaven. 

31  But,  as  touching  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  have  ye  not 

2'  IJn.  3 :  2. 


lyzed,  are  all  found  to  result  from  "  not 
knowing  the  power  of  God."  He  who 
weighs  the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a 
balance,  and  whose  omniscient  eye  sur- 
veys all  things,  can  easily  gather  up  the 
dust  of  those  who  sleep  in  Jesus,  to  be- 
come spiritual  bodies,  bearing  the  image 
of  the  heavenly  (see  1  Cor.  15  :  35-54). 
30.  In  the  resurrection.  In  the  fu- 
ture life,  commencing  at  the  general 
resurrection  (see  Mark  12:25).  In 
Luke,  the  idea  is  expanded :  "  They 
which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to 
obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,"  reference  being  had  es- 
pecially to  the  condition  of  the  righteous 
beyond  the  grave.  Marry  refers  to  the 
male  contracting  marriage ;  are  given 
in  marriage,  to  the  female.  The 
Jewish  Rabbins  differed  on  this  ques- 
tion of  marriage  in  heaven ;  some 
affirming,  others  denying  it.  They 
generally  believed  that  the  body  would 
be  reunited  to  the  soul,  and  that  its 
office  and  functions  would  be  similar  to 
what  they  were  in  this  world.  This 
latter  view  contained  the  error  which 
our  Lord  here  refutes.  Some  took  the 
opposite  extreme,  and  denied  that 
those  who  were  raised  would  have  any 
bodies.  There  were  some,  however, 
who  had  correct  views  of  the  subject. 
As  the  angels  of  God.  Luke  says,  equal 
to  the  angels,  i.  e.  similar  in  the  cir- 
cumstances of  their  being,  and  in  their 
freedom  from  earthly  passions  and 
relations,  but  not  equal  in  intelligence 
and  power.  It  is  not  affirmed  that  the 
glorified  saints  will  be  like  the  angels, 
as  composed  of  spirit  only,  but  simply 
in  the  spiritual  laws  of  their  being.  It 
is  clear  from  1  Cor.  15 :  35-44,  that  the 
body  is  to  be  raised  and  reunited  with 
the  soul,  and  thus  to  exist  for  ever. 
We  are  to  notice  here  that  our  Lord 
indirectly  asserts  the  existence  of  an- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


285 


read  that  which  was  spoken  unto 
you  by  God,  saying, 

32  ''  I  ain  the  God  of  Abraham, 
and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob  ?     God  is  not  the 

»•  Ex.  8  :  6, 16  ;  Ma.  12 :  26  ;  Lu.  20  :  87 ;  Ac.  7 : 
32 :  He.  11 :  16. 

gels,  which  the  Sadducees  denied.  In 
heaven.  These  words  refer  to  the 
angels,  but  may  be  in  sense  attached 
also  to  the  risen  saints,  who  will  also 
have  their  fixed  abode  in  heaven. 

31.  As  touching,  i.  e.  concerning, 
having  reference  to.  The  resurrection 
oftJie  dead  (see  N.  on  8  :  20).  In  Luke 
20 :  35  ;  Acts  4  :  2,  "  resurrection  from 
the  dead,"  with  no  difference  in  mean- 
ing. Having  exposed  their  erroneous 
views  of  the  nature  of  spiritual  beings, 
our  Lord  proceeds  to  prove  from  the 
Pentateuch,  the  portion  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament held  in  particular  repute  by 
the  Sadducees,  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection, and  the  continued  existence  of 
the  soul  after  its  departure  from  the 
body  at  death.  JIave  ye  not  read? 
See  N.  on  19:4.  Which  was  spoken 
unto  ymi.  The  words  of  this  quotation 
are  addressed  to  all  the  readers  of 
God's  Word,  although  primarily  spoken 
to  Moses. 

32.  /  am  the  Ood.  Not  I  was  the 
God,  as  would  have  been  the  form  of 
words,  had  these  patriarchs  ceased  to 
exist  at  the  hour  of  death.  God  is 
not  the  God  of  that  which  has  no  ex- 
istence, and  hence  the  passage  proves 
most  incontestably  the  existence  of  the 
soul  after  death.  The  resurrection,  in 
its  restricted  sense  to  that  of  the  body 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  is  not  here  di- 
rectly asserted.  But  the  existence  of 
the  soul  after  its  departure  from  the 
body,  is  a  cardinal  truth,  which  lies  at 
the  basis  of  the  final  resurrection,  and 
which  was  denied  by  the  Sadducees. 
The  significancy  of  the  expression,  God 
of  Abraham,  &c.  may  be  found  in  the 
fact,  that  with  these  patriarchs  God 
entered  into  covenant,  to  be  their 
God,  and  they  and  their  descendants, 
to  be  his  people.  See  Gen.  17  :  1-14  , 
22  :  16-18  ;  26  ;  24  ;  28  :    13-15  ;  35  : 


God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  liv- 
ing. 

33  And  when  the  multitude 
heard  this,  'they  were  astonished 
at  his  doctrine. 

S  Ch.  7  :  28. 


10-15.  Hence  we  do  not  find  this 
form  of  words  used  of  their  posterity, 
because  these  were  included  in  the 
covenant  made  with  Abraham  and  re- 
newed with  Isaac  and  Jacob.  Of  the 
dead,  i.  e.  of  those  utterly  extinct  or 
annihilated.  But  of  the  living.  The 
patriarchs  here  mentioned,  were  living 
in  God's  presence,  although  they  had 
long  departed  this  hfe.  He  was  their 
God,  the  author  of  their  continued  ex- 
istence and  enjoyments,  as  he  was  when 
they  lived  on  earth.  What  was  true  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  is  true  of 
all  men.  This  is  shown  by  the  words 
added  in  Luke,  "  for  all  live  unto 
him,"  i.  e.  all  men  as  well  as  the  holy 
patriarchs  (see  Acts  17  :  28).  Olshau- 
sen,  however,  refers  all'm  Luke,  not  to 
the  mass  of  men,  but  only  to  the  spirit- 
ual seed  of  Abraham.  But  unto  does 
not  seem  to  refer  here  to  the  spiritual 
union  of  believers  with  God,  so  that  his 
life  is  theirs,  but  to  the  essence  of  im- 
mortality shared  by  all  men,  good  and 
bad,  from  their  being  made  after  God's 
image,  both  in  holiness  from  which 
they  fell  (Gen.  3  :  1-19),  and  in  the 
immortality  of  their  being,  which  sin  it- 
self has  not  been  able  to  destroy.  How 
simple  and  unansM'erable  is  the  argu- 
ment of  our  Lord.  The  Sadducees 
were  silenced.  Their  flimsy  objections 
were  all  dispersed  to  the  wind.  They 
dared  not  press  him  any  further  with 
their  vain  questions  (Luke  20  :  40). 
They  went  away  confounded  and  put  to 
shame  in  the  eyes  of  the  multitude, 
who  had  listened  to  their  question  and 
its  reply  (see  v.  33).  Luke  (20  :  39) 
says,  that  "  certain  of  the  scribes  an- 
swering said.  Master,  thou  hast  well 
said."  They  were  Pharisees,  who  were 
less  bitter  in  their  opposition  to  Jesus 
than  others  of  their  class,  and  hearing 
the  doctrine  of  a  future  state  and  the 


286 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


34  ^  '  But  when  the  Pharisees 
had  heard  that  he  had  put  the 
Sadducees  to  silence,  they  were 
gathered  together. 

35  Then  one  of  them,  which  was 


<Ma.  12:  28. 


mLu.10:  25. 


resurrection  so  ably  proved,  they  could 
not  withhold  their  applause  (see  vs. 
15  :  22). 

34.  But  when  the  Pharisees,  &c. 
These  malignant  enemies  of  our  Lord, 
again  united  to  embarrass  him,  and  find 
some  ground  of  accusation  against  him. 
They  seem  in  their  secret  assemblage 
(see  V.  15)  to  have  found  no  way  to  get 
rid  of  him,  and  now,  hearing  of  his 
triumphant  refutation  of  the  Saddu- 
cees, they  came  together  both  to  exult 
over  them,  and  to  make  further  efforts 
to  ensnare  Jesus.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  suppose  that  the  Pharisees  had  dis- 
persed after  our  Lord's  reply  to  the 
Sadducees,  and  now  reassembled,  but 
that  they  grouped  together  more  close- 
ly, to  hold  private  conference  respect- 
ing Jesus.  They  were  joined  doubtless 
by  some  who  had  not  been  present 
when  he  silenced  the  Sadducees,  but 
were  drawn  to  the  scene  by  the  report 
of  the  transaction. 

35.  A  lawyer.  In  Mark,  "  one  of  the 
scribes."  He  was,  as  Alford  says,  one 
of  the  Mosaic  jurists,  whose  special 
province  was  the  interpretation  of  the 
law.  Tempting  him.  This  must  here 
be  taken,  in  a  good  sense,  of  making 
trial  of  our  Lord's  knowledge  of  the 
Scriptures,  since  the  account  given  of 
this  lawyer  in  Mark  (1 2  :  28),  shows  that 
he  was  a  sincere  inquirer  after  truth. 
But  within  hearing  were  these  deadly 
enemies  of  Jesus,  the  Pharisees,  and 
the  question  may  have  been  suggested 
by  them,  and  thus  have  been  in  reality 
one,  the  design  of  which  was  to  ensnare 
Jesus.  The  scribe  might  thus  have 
been  their  agent,  without  being  aware 
of  their  wicked  plans  and  purposes. 

36.  Wliich  is  the  great  (i.  e.  the  great- 
est) commandment,  &c.  The  Pharisees 
divided  the  commandments  into  great 
and  small,  giving  the  preference  to  the 
ceremonial  laws.     But  it  would  seem 


"  a  lawyer,  asked  him  a  question, 
tempting  him,  and  saying, 

36  Master,  which  is  the  great 
commandment  in  the  law  ? 

37  Jesus  said  unto  him,  '  Thou 

(B  De.  6  :  5,<&10  :  12,  &  30:  6;  Lu.  10  :  27. 


that  this  question  had  reference  to  a 
still  nicer  point,  as  to  which  of  the 
commandments  was  greatest  of  all. 
This  is  shown  by  the  answer  in  v.  38, 
as  well  as  from  the  parallel  passage  in 
Mark  12  :  28.  I  cannot  therefore  agree 
with  Alford,  in  thinking  the  question 
to  be  this  :  which  (what  kind  of)  cotn- 
mandment  is  great  in  the  law  ?  The 
words  in  the  law,  are  not  to  be  limited 
here  to  the  ten  commandments,  but 
include  the  whole  Mosaic  code,  moral 
and  ceremonial. 

37.  Thou  shall  love,  &c.  This  is 
quoted  from  Deut.  6  :  5,  the  preceding 
verse  being  also  quoted  in  Mark.  It 
was  one  of  the  passages  written  on 
their  phylacteries  (see  23  :  5),  and 
hence  could  give  no  offence  in  being 
declared,  as  it  really  was,  the  greatest 
of  God's  commandments,  involving  the 
spirit  of  all  the  rest.  It  is  the  first 
duty  of  all  God's  intelligent  creatures, 
to  love  him  supremely.  Where  this 
love  is  wanting  there  is  no  genuine 
obedience.  With  all  thy  heart,  &c.  It 
is  not  the  design  to  make  a  metaphysi- 
cal distinction  between  these  faculties 
of  the  mind,  but  to  give  emphasis  by 
grouping  them  together.  A  full  and 
complete  dedication  of  ourselves  is  to 
be  made  to  him.  We  are  to  give  him 
our  heart  the  seat  of  our  affections, 
and  our  soul  with  all  its  powers.  In 
like  manner,  our  mind  or  understand- 
ing, is  to  be  subordinate  to  his  will. 
All  our  mental  and  physical  faculties 
are  to  be  consecrated  to  Him.  Mark 
adds  "  with  all  thy  strength,"  which 
accords  in  sense  with  the  original,  but 
the  words,  "  with  all  thy  mind,"  are 
added  by  both  him  and  Matthew.  The 
general  sense  is  not  impaired  thereby. 

38.  This  is  the  first  and  greatest,  &c. 
It  contains  the  great  principle,  which 
underlies  all  the  other  commandments 
of  the  decalogue.     Hence  it  is  ^rst  in 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


287 


shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind. 

38  This  is  the  first  and  great 
commandment. 

39  And  the  second  is  like  unto 
it,  ^Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself. 

40  '  On  these  two   command- 

j/Le.  19 :  18 ;  ch.  19  :  19 ;  Ma.  12 :  SI ;  Lu.  10  : 
2T;  Eo.  13:  9;  Ga.5:14;  Ja.2:  8. 


importance,  and  great,  because  if  thus 
kept,  all  the  rest  which  are  but  specifi- 
cations of  it,  will  be  duly  observed. 

39.  And  the  second  in  importance — 
Is  like  unto  it  in  spirit,  for  love  to  God 
implies  love  to  man.  Yet  as  the  object 
of  love,  in  the  latter  case,  is  so  infinite- 
ly below  that  of  the  former,  it  is  to  be 
regarded  of  secondary  rank.  27iou  shalt 
love,  &c.     See  N.  on  19  :  19. 

40.  On  these  two  cotmnandments,  &c. 
The  first  contains  the  essence  of  the 
first  table  of  the  decalogue,  embracing 
our  duties  to  God,  the  second,  the  es- 
sence of  the  table,  in  which  are  laid 
down  our  duties  to  man.  Hang,  i.  e. 
are  dependant  upon,  as  great  rules  and 
principles  of  action.  The  law  and  the 
prophets  (see  N.  on  5  :  17).  The  spirit 
and  intent  of  the  Scriptures,  is  to  pro- 
mote love  to  God  and  man  (see  Rom. 
13  :  10).  Upon  these  as  great  central 
truths  they  depend.  Every  precept 
and  rule  of  action,  embodies  the  great 
idea,  that  first  of  all  God  is  to  be  loved, 
and  that  the  principle  of  love  is  also  to 
regulate  our  conduct  towards  our  fel- 
low-men. On  the  phrase  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  see  N.  on  5  :  17.  Mark 
adds  to  this  account  of  Matthew,  that 
the  scribe  acknowledged  the  correct- 
ness of  the  reply,  adding  that  these 
commands  were  in  importance  far 
above  the  ceremonial  law  relating  to 
burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  which 
the  Pharisees  regarded  of  such  binding 
obligation.  His  reply  was  approved 
by  Jesus,  and  he  was  declared  to  be 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  that 
is,  he  was  far  more  likely  to  accept  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom,  than  though  he 


ments  hang  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets. 

41  ^  "While  the  Pharisees  were 
gathered  together,  Jesus  asked 
them, 

42  Saying,  What  think  ye  of 
Christ  ?  whose  son  is  he  ?  They 
say  unto  him,  The  son  of  David. 

43  He  saith  unto  them,  How 

eCh.  7:12;  ITi.l  :5.        aMa.l2:85; 
Lu.  20 :  41. 

had  entertained  erroneous  views  of  the 
nature,  extent,  and  obligation  of  the 
divine  law.  Mark  also  adds,  "  no  man 
after  that  durst  ask  him  any  question." 
He  had  shown  himself  so  conversant 
with  the  Scriptures,  and  so  able  to  ex- 
pose sophistical  arguments  and  captious 
objections  to  the  truth,  that  no  one 
dared  propose  to  him  any  more  of  these 
ensnaring  questions. 

41,  42.  The  Pharisees  now  gathered 
around  him  in  great  numbers  (see  N. 
on  V.  34),  to  watch  his  movements  and 
note  down  any  word  or  transaction, 
which  would  furnish  a  ground  of  accu- 
sation. Jesus  now  in  turn  proposed  to 
them  a  question,  respecting  the  appa- 
rent incongruity  of  the  relations,  which 
the  Messiah  sustained  to  David  as  his 
son  and  Lord.  What  think  ye  of 
Christ  ?  What  is  your  opinion  of 
his  person,  nature,  and  dignity  ?  Wliose 
son  is  he  ?  This  question  was  proposed 
to  draw  from  them  the  open  reply  that 
he  was  David's  son.  This  they  could 
answer,  but  to  the  following  question 
they  could  make  no  reply. 

43.  How  then  doth  David,  &c.  The 
point  of  this  inquiry  has  reference  to 
the  twofold,  and  apparently  irrecon- 
cilable relations,  which  the  Messiah  held 
to  David  as  his  Son  and  Lord.  If  he 
was  to  be  a  temporal  king,  according 
to  the  belief  of  the  Pharisees,  however 
extensive  his  sway  and  illimitable  his 
power,  according  to  the  ideas  of  those 
times,  he  could  not  be  the  Lord  of  his 
ancestor,  David.  As  his  son  he  must 
even  be  regarded  as  his  inferior.  No 
temporal  greatness  could  change  this 
relation  to  one  of  superiority.     Hence 


288 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


then  doth  David  in  spirit  call  him 
Lord,  saying, 

44  *  The   Lord   said  unto  my 

&P8. 110:1;    Ac.  2:34;  1  Co.  15:25;  He.  1 : 
13,  &  10  :  12, 13. 

this  question  confounded  the  Pharisees, 
and  could  only  be  answered  by  those  who 
understood  the  Scriptures  as  teaching, 
that  the  Messiah  was  to  have  a  divine  as 
■well  as  a  human  nature,  and  that  his 
kingdom  was  to  be  a  spiritual  and  not  a 
temporal  one.  In  Christ's  human  na- 
ture, he  was  David's  son  ;  in  his  divine 
nature,  he  was  his  Lord.  In  spirit,  i.  e. 
inspired  of  the  Spirit.  See  Mark  12  : 
36  ;  also  2  Pet.  1  :  21,  compared  with 
1  Pet.  1:11.  This  shows  that  our  Sa- 
vior regarded  the  writings  of  the  Old 
Testament,  as  inspired  of  God.  Call 
him  Lord.  This  was  a  term  applied 
only  by  an  inferior  to  a  superior.  How 
then  did  David,  a  powerful  and  inde- 
pendent monarch,  who  acknowledged 
no  one  but  God  as  his  Lord  and  Master, 
address  a  descendant  of  his  by  this  title. 
Here  lay  the  difficulty,  which  the  Pha- 
risees by  their  silence  confessed  their 
inability  to  remove.  It  appears  to  us 
strange  .that  with  this  declaration  of 
David  before  them,  the  wise  men  of  the 
Jewish  nation  did  not  attain  to  juster 
views  of  the  nature  and  dignity  of  the 
Messiah.  But  they  were  blinded  by 
prejudices,  arising  from  their  ambitious 
views  and  desires  for  the  temporal  pros- 
perity of  the  country,  and  from  a  mis- 
interpretation of  those  passages,  in 
which  the  Messiah  is  figuratively  spoken 
of  as  a  king,  conquering  his  foes,  ruling 
triumphantly  over  his  enemies,  and  sit- 
ting upon  the  throne  of  his  father  David. 
This  caused  them  to  lose  sight  of  those 
passages,  in  which  he  was  represented 
as  possessing  meekness  and  lowliness 
of  mind,  as  being  despised  and  rejected 
of  men,  having  no  comeliness  or  beauty 
that  any  should  desire  him,  as  being 
bruised  for  human  iniquity,  passages 
utterly  inconsistent  with  the  idea,  that 
he  was  to  be  a  temporal  king  and  con- 
queror. 

44.  The  Lord  said,  &c.  This  quota- 
tion is  from  Ps.  110  :  1,  and  is  in  the 
exact  words  of  the  original.  TTie  Lord 
is  here  the   translation  of  the  Hebrew 


Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 
till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footstool  ? 


word  Jehovah.  Unto  my  Lord,  i.  e. 
the  Messiah.  The  language  is  David's, 
and  my  Lord  means,  therefore,  David^s 
Lord.  Sit  thou,  &c.  The  right  hand 
was  the  seat  of  honor  and  exaltation. 
No  one  took  this  seat  but  the  heir  of 
the  throne,  or  one  raised  to  a  partici- 
pation in  the  regal  power  and  dignity. 
A  seat  at  God's  right  hand  was,  there- 
fore, an  honor  to  which  no  human  being, 
however  high  his  station,  could  attain. 
Hence  this,  as  well  as  David's  acknow- 
ledgment of  inferiority  in  the  words,  my 
Lord,  indicated  clearly  that  the  Messiah 
was  a  personage  having  a  divine  as  well 
as  a  human  nature.  Until.  This  does 
not  limit  the  time  of  the  Messiah's 
exaltation.  It  only  declares  the  fact 
that  the  Messiah  is  to  be  thus  ex- 
alted, until  the  oveithrow  of  his  ene- 
mies, whenever  that  may  be,  for  this 
indcfiniteness  of  time  is  distinctly 
marked  in  the  original  Greek.  After 
their  prostration  at  his  feet,  it  is  not  im- 
plied in  this  passage,  that  the  Messiah 
is  to  descend  from  his  exalted  seat  at 
God's  right  hand.  The  very  opposite 
of  this  idea  underlies  the  whole  train  oi 
thought,  both  here  and  in  all  the  Mes- 
sianic predictions  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament.  The  reader  has  onl  v  to  turn 
to  Heb.  10  :  12  ;  Luke  1  :  S3  ;'Ps.  45  : 
6;  145:  13  ;  Dan.  2  :  44  ;  7  :  14;Kev.  11: 
15,  to  find  the  most  explicit  assertions 
that  Christ's  exaltation  is  to  be  for  ever, 
and  that  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  end.  Thine  enemies.  Including  the 
wicked  on  earth,  the  bad  angels,  and 
death  itself,  the  last  enemy  to  be  de- 
stroyed (1  Cor.  15  :  26).  Thy  footstool ; 
literally,  the  footstool  of  thy  feet.  Al- 
lusion is  here  had  to  the  custom  oi  kings 
putting  their  feet  on  the  necks  of  con- 
quered foes,  as  the  sign  of  their  com- 
plete subjugation.  See  Josh.  10  :  24  ; 
2  Sam.  22  :  41  ;  Ps.  18  :  40.  As  illus- 
trative of  Christ's  victory  over  his 
enemies,  see  Ps.  2  :  9  ;  45  :  3-5  ;  1  Cor. 
15  :  25  ;  Rev.  17  :  14  ;  19  :  11-21. 
45.  If  David  then,   &c.     Our   Lord 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


289 


45  If  David  then  call  him 
Lord,  how  is  he  his  son  ? 

46  '  And  no  man  was  able  to 
answer  him  a  word,  "^  neither 
durst    any   man,   from    that    day 

c  Lu.  14 :  6, 

now  inquires  how  this  twofold  and  ap- 
parently incongruous  relation,  which 
the  Messiah  sustains  to  David  as  his  Son 
and  Lord,  is  to  be  harmonized.  To 
this  question  the  Pharisees  could  give 
no  reply.  Their  views  of  the  Messiah 
were  thus  shown  to  be  false,  inasmuch 
as  they  did  not  meet  the  conditions  of 
his  twofold  nature  laid  down  in  the  pro- 
phetical writings. 

46.  And  no  man  was  able,  &c.  Re- 
ference is  had  to  the  persons,  who  had 
endeavored  to  ensnare  him  by  ques- 
tions. No  one  of  them  could  reply  to 
the  question,  which  he  had  in  turn  pro- 
posed to  them,  and  so  fearful  were  they 
of  the  effect  in  his  favor,  which  such 
conversations  would  have  upon  the 
people,  that  they  durst  ask  him  no  other 
question  of  the  kind  referred  to.  They 
were  thus  driven  to  other  and  more 
open  measures  to  rid  themselves  of  one, 
who  was  rendering  himself  more  and 
more  an  object  of  their  deadly  hatred. 

This  chapter  is  remarkable,  as  con- 
taining the  last  and  most  desperate 
efforts  of  our  Lord's  enemies,  to  lead 
him  to  say  or  do  something,  which 
would  either  expose  him  to  the  odium 
of  his  countrymen  or  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Romans.  He  had  just  pro- 
nounced the  parable  of  the  marriage  of 
the  king's  son,  in  which  he  depicted  the 
final  rejection  and  condemnation  of  the 
Jewish  people,  and  his  enemies  felt  that 
unless  he  could  be  silenced,  he  would 
so  impress  the  common  people  with  his 
true  character  and  mission,  that  all 
their  influence  would  be  at  an  end. 
They  dared  not  lay  violent  hands  upon 
him,  for  the  people  were  already  so  con- 
vinced of  his  divine  mission  (21  :  46), 
that  they  would  have  risen  in  his  de- 
fence. There  was  no  way  left  but  to 
approach  him  with  subtle,  insidious,  en- 
snirhig  questions,  and  under  pretence 
of  inquiring  after  truth,  to  lead 
Vol.  I.— 13 


forth,  ask  him  any  more  questions. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THEN  spake  Jesus  to  the  mul- 
titude, and  to  his  disciples, 

d  Ma.  12 :  34 ;   Lu.  20  :  40. 

him  to  drop  some  word  or  expression, 
which  they  could  turn  into  a  ground 
of  accusation  against  him.  Pharisees, 
Sadducees,  Herodians,  sects  utterly  at 
variance  in  other  things,  were  united  in 
the  one  great  object  of  effecting  his 
destruction.  But  with  what  wisdom 
did  he  reply  to  their  captious  questions. 
How  completely  did  he  refute  their  vain 
arguments,  and  put  them  to  shame. 
With  one  simple  question  respecting  the 
nature  and  dignity  of  the  Messiah,  how 
did  he  expose  their  profound  ignorance 
of  the  Scriptures,  which  pi-edicted  the 
coming  and  glory  of  that  long-expected 
personage.  Baffled  and  ashamed,  these 
proud  men,  who  claimed  to  be  the 
authorized  expounders  of  God's  Word, 
were  obliged  to  give  up  the  contest, 
and  resort  to  other  and  more  violent 
means  against  the  object  of  their  deep 
and  malignant  hatred.  It  is  truly  a 
wondrous  and  glorious  chapter  in  our 
Lord's  history,  which  we  cannot  but 
read  with  admiration  and  love  to  Him, 
who  for  our  sake  was  thus  willing  to 
endure  such  contradiction  of  sinners 
(Heb.  12  :  3). 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

1.  TTien  spake  Jesus,  &c.  There  were 
doubtless  many  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  present,  when  our  Lord  pro- 
nounced these  terrible  woes,  but  they 
either  feared  to  interrupt  him,  or  were 
silent  through  hope  that  in  the  vehe- 
mence of  his  feelings,  he  would  say 
something  which  they  could  turn 
against  him.  This  discourse  against 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  has  three 
parts;  vs.  2-12  describe  their  character, 
and  admonish  against  their  evil  exam- 
ple ;  vs.  13-33  contain  the  woes  pro- 
nounced against  them ;  vs.  34-37,  the 
conclusion  and  mournful  lamentation 
over  Jerusalem.  77ie  multitude.  The 
common  people,  who   had  hailed  with 


290 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


2  Saying,  "  The  scribes  and  the 
Pharisees  sit  in  Moses'  seat : 

3  All  therefore  whatsoever  they 
bid  you  observe,  that  observe  and 
do ;    but   do   not   ye  after  their 

o  Ne.  8  :  4,  8  ;  Mai.  2  :  T  ;  Ma.  12  :  38 ; 
Lu.  20 :  45. 

acclamations  his  advent  into  the  city, 
and  who  had  assembled  in  the  temple, 
in  the  court  of  the  Israelites,  from  day  to 
day  to  hsten  to  his  words.  And  to  his 
disciples.  This  refers  more  especially 
to  the  apostles  and  other  disciples,  who 
had  followed  him  from  Galilee. 

2.  Sit  in  Moses'  seat;  literally,  have 
seated  themselves.  They  claimed  to  be 
the  sole  expounders  of  the  Mosaic  law, 
and  as  religious  guides  and  teachers  oc- 
cupied, as  it  were,  his  seat.  AVhile 
expounding  the  law,  the  Jewish  doctors 
sat,  and  to  this  allusion  is  here  made. 
Some  think  that  by  Moses'  seat  is  meant 
the  pulpits,  which  Ezra  caused  to  be 
made  for  the  expositors  of  the  law  (see 
Neliem.  8  :  4),  and  from  which  the 
Rabbins,  in  subsequent  times,  delivered 
in  a  sitting  posture  their  discourses. 

3.  All  therefore.  This  is  an  inference 
from  what  precedes.  The  scribes  were 
the  acknowledged  teachers  of  religion, 
and  expounders  of  the  law.  The  peo- 
ple were  therefore  to  give  heed  to  their 
instructions,  as  the  expositors  of  truth. 
The  word  all,  is  to  be  restricted  to  such 
observances  as  were  in  accordance  with 
the  Mosaic  law,  and  not  based  on  mere 
tradition.  The  Pharisees,  although  very 
corrupt  in  their  practices,  taught  much 
that  was  right  and  proper  for  the  people 
to  follow,  and  were  very  orthodox  on 
many  points  of  belief.  But  even  if  we 
refer  all  to  the  whole  Pharisaic  round 
of  rites  and  ceremonies,  yet  no  valid 
objection  can  be  made  against  the 
direction,  since  the  observance  or  non- 
observance  of  mere  rites  involved  no 
moral  principle,  and  our  Lord  may  have 
designed  to  guard  against  inciting  the 
people  to  cast  off  all  respect  for  their  re- 
ligious teachers,  which  would  have  been 
an  insurrectionary  movement.  Thei/  bid 
in  their  public  teachings.  Observe;  lite- 
rally, watch,  keep  your  eye  upon.     When 


works  :  for  *  they  say,  and  do  not, 
4  'For  they  bind  heavy  burdens, 
and  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  lay 
them  on  men's  shoulders ;  but 
they    themselves   will    not   move 

b  Eo.  2  :  19,  &c.  c  Lu.  11 :  46 ;  Ac.  15  :  10 ; 

Ga.  6 :  13. 

referring  as  here  to  the  commands  and 
precepts  of  the  law,  it  signifies  to  do, 
keep,  perform.  Hence  observe  and  do 
are  here  joined  to  impart  fulness  and 
emphasis.  But  do  ye  not  after  their 
works.  Follow  not  their  example.  Imi- 
tate not  their  conduct.  The  reason  is 
given  in  the  next  clause,  for  they  say 
(i.  e.  teach  many  things  rightly)  and  do 
not,  i.  e.  their  teaching  and  practice  are 
directly  at  variance. 

4.  I^or  they  bind,  &c.  They  impose 
upon  others  strict  obedience  to  the 
minutest  forms  and  observances,  thus 
rendering  God's  law  most  burdensome 
and  oppressive.  The  imagery  is  taken 
from  heavy  burdens,  bound  together  and 
laid  upon  beasts  and  upon  men's  shoul- 
ders, to  be  borne.  Reference  is  not  had 
to  traditionary  observances  alone,  but 
to  the  more  onerous  duties  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  which  the  Phai-isees  were 
ready  to  impose  on  others,  but  very 
unwilling  to  do  themselves  (see  Rom. 
2:  21-23).  Thus  beneath  the  oppres- 
sive weight  of  traditional  ceremonies, 
added  to  the  most  rigorous  demands  of 
the  Mosaic  ritual,  the  Jewish  people 
were  crushed  down,  as  beasts  of  burden, 
overloaded  by  cruel  owners.  The  law, 
properly  explained  and  applied,  would 
have  been  far  otherwise  in  its  effect, 
although  still  burdensome,  especially 
in  its  ceremonial  requirements,  as  com- 
pared with  the  liberty  of  the  gospel 
(compare  11 :  28-30).  But  they  them- 
selves, &c.  They  neglected  these  bur- 
densome forms  themselves,  and  paid 
little  or  no  regard  to  the  duties,  which 
they  so  exactingly  imposed  upon  others. 
This  is  represented  by  their  unwilling- 
ness to  apply  one  of  their  fingers  (i.  e. 
to  make  the  slightest  effort),  to  assist  in 
moving  the  heavy  burden,  which  they 
had  laid  upon  others. 

6.  But  all   their  works,    &c.     They 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


291 


them  with  one  of  their  fingers. 
5  But  ''■  all  their  works  they  do 
for  to  be  seen  of  men :  '  they 
make  broad  their  phylacteries, 
and  enlarge  the  borders  of  their 
garments, 

d  Ch.  6  :  1,  2,  5,  16.        e  Nu.  15  :  38  ;  De.  6  : 8, 
&22:12;  Pr.  3:3. 

were  not  altogether  neglectful  of  the 
rites  and  ceremonies,  which  they  so 
unscrupulously  heaped  upon  the  com- 
mon people.  But  all  which  they  did, 
was  done  to  make  an  external  show  of 
piety,  to  be  seen  of  men  (see  N.  on  6  :  .5), 
and  not  from  any  real  regard  of  God's 
law.  The  moral  precepts  were  wholly 
neglected  by  them.  This  will  appear 
more  fully,  in  the  exposure  of  their  true 
character  made  by  our  Lord  in  the 
verses  which  follow.  Tlieij  make  h'oad, 
&c.  The  Jews  understood  such  pas- 
sages as  Ex.  13:  9,16;  Deut.  6:  8; 
11 :  18,  in  a  literal  sense.  They  there- 
fore bound  around  their  left  arm  and  on 
their  forehead  strips  of  parchment,  on 
which  were  written  four  passages  of 
Scripture,  viz.  Ex.  13:  1-10;  11-16; 
Deut.  5:4-9;  11:  13-21.  These  pieces 
of  parchment  were  rolled  up  in  the 
form  of  certain  Hebrew  letters,  and 
placed  in  receptacles  of  leather,  and 
bound  upon  their  forehead  and  arms  by 
thongs  of  leather.  The  Pharisees  made 
these  phylacteries  or  amulets  broad,  in 
order  that  they  might  be  conspicu- 
ous, and  thus  render  more  prominent 
the  character  for  sanctity  of  those  who 
wore  them.  Enlarge  the  borders,  &c. 
Moses  commanded  (Num.  15:  38-40), 
that  fringes  should  be  made  upon  the 
borders  of  the  outer  garment  or  cloak, 
together  with  a  blue  ribbon,  as  a  me- 
morial of  God's  statutes.  This  fringe 
or  border  the  Pharisees  enlarged  be- 
yond its  usual  breadth,  as  an  evidence 
of  their  scrupulous  regard  for  even  the 
minor  points  of  God's  law.  Our  Lord 
refers  to  these  practices,  as  an  illustra- 
tion of  what  he  had  just  said,  that  all 
their  works  they  did  to  be  seen  of  men. 
6.  And  love,  i.  e.  have  a  desire  for, 
seek  to  obtain.  Uppermost  rooms  at 
feasts.     A    more    correct     translation 


6  -^And  love  the  uppermost 
rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief 
seats  in  the  synagogues, 

7  And  greetings  in  the  markets, 
and  to  be  called  of  men,  Rabbi, 
Rabbi. 


/Ma.  12:1 


);  Lu.  11:  43,  &  20: 46; 
3  Jo.  9. 


would  be,  chief  reclining  places  at  their 
feasts.  The  orientals  in  ancient  times 
reclined,  at  their  meals,  on  couches, 
each  one  of  which  accommodated  three 
persons.  These  couches  were  three  in 
number,  and  hence  received  the  name 
triclinium.  They  were  so  arranged  as 
to  form  a  square,  leaving  a  vacant 
place  in  the  centre,  and  an  opening  on 
one  side,  so  that  the  guests  could  be 
conveniently  served  by  the  attendants. 
The  middle  place  on  each  couch,  par- 
ticularly that  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
table,  was  the  most  honorable,  and 
hence  was  coveted  by  the  Pharisees. 
Chief  seats  in  the  synagogues.  In  the  sy- 
nagogues, built  somewhat  after  the  mo- 
del of  the  temple,  there  was  a  court  with 
porches.  In  the  centre  of  the  court 
was  a  chapel,  supported  by  lour  col- 
umns, in  which,  on  an  elevation  pre- 
pared for  it,  was  placed  the  Book  of  the 
Law.  The  seats  here  referred  to,  wore 
those  nearest  this  chapel,  although 
some  think  that  they  were  seats  in 
front  of  the  desk  of  the  reader,  upon 
which  they  sat  with  their  back  to  the 
desk,  and  their  face  turned  toward  the 
people. 

7.  Greetings  in  the  markets,  i.  e.  re- 
spectful salutations,  honorable  titles, 
polite  attentions.  The  markets  were 
places  of  general  resort,  and  thither 
the  scribes  repaired,  in  order  to  feed 
their  pride  with  tokens  of  public  re- 
spect, liabbi,  a  Hebrew  word,  signi- 
fying a  great  one.  It  was  an  hon- 
orary title  given  to  the  Jewish  teach- 
ers, much  like  our  doctor,  teacher. 
Three  grades,  or  degrees  of  respect, 
were  indicated  by  its  form.  Rab  (the 
lowest  degree),  Master ;  Rabbi,  my 
Master  ;  Rabboni,  my  great,  or  honored 
Master.  The  last  form  was  of  rare  use, 
having   been  given,  it  is  said,  to  only 


292 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


8  '  But  be  not  ye  called  Rabbi : 
for  one  is  your  Master,  even 
Ciirist ;   and  all  ye  are  brethren. 

flrJa.  3:1;  see  2  Co.  1:24;  lPe.5:3. 

seven  very  eminent  persons  of  the 
school  of  Hillel.  Jesus  was  twice  ad- 
dressed by  this  term,  once  by  Barti- 
meus  (Mark  10:  51),  and  once  by  Mary 
at  the  sepulchre  (John  20:  16).  Some- 
times the  word  Rabbi  was  repeated 
twice,  give  emphasis  to  tlie  appellation. 
8.  But  he  not  ye  called  (i.  e.  suffer  not 
yourselves  to  be  called)  Rabbi.  The 
nature  and  extent  of  this  prohibition 
will  appear,  from  the  assumption  and 
domination  in  religious  matters  of  the 
scribes,  against  which  it  was  aimed.  It 
was  not  with  them  a  mere  title  of  lite- 
rary or  theological  attainments,  as  the 
degree  of  Doctor  is  with  us.  They 
claimed  the  prerogative  of  supreme 
jurisdiction  in  all  religious  matters,  im- 
posing whatever  rites,  forms,  or  cere- 
monies they  pleased,  and  lording  it  over 
the  consciences  of  the  common  people. 
It  was  therefore  with  them  a  title  of 
spiritual  rank  and  dignity,  which  no 
man  had  a  right  to  assume.  This  un- 
lawful stretch  and  possession  of  spir- 
itual power,  was  implied  in  the  word 
Rabbi  in  its  Jewish  use,  and  hence  it 
was  prohibited  by  our  Lord.  But  this 
prohibition  is  neither  in  form  or  spirit 
against  our  use  of  Reverend  or  Doctor, 
employed  for  the  sake  of  professional 
distinction,  or  as  harmless  titles  of  re- 
spect. A  rigid  application  of  this  pro- 
hibition to  these  titles  as  used  by  us,  if 
applied  to  the  directions  in  5  :  39-42, 
and  similar  passages,  would  involve  us 
in  such  absurdities  and  impracticable 
rules  of  action,  as  to  render  the  com- 
mand, inevitably  null  and  void.  For 
one  is  your  Maxter,  &c.  This  shows 
that  the  term  Rabbi  indicated  a  do- 
minion over  the  religious  belief  of  men, 
and  hence  was  not  to  be  assumed  by 
Christ's  disciples,  as  he  alone  had  the 
power  to  impose  religious  forms  and 
duties,  and  bind  the  conscience  of  men 
to  their  observance.  In  many  MSS. 
the  word  Christ  is  omitted,  and  a  ditt'er- 


9  And  call  no  man  your  father 
upon  the  earth  :  ''  for  one  is  your 
Father,  which  is  in  heaven. 

10  Neither  be  ye  called  mas- 

h  Mai.  1 :  6. 

ent  Greek  word  for  Master  is  used,  than 
the  one  thus  translated  in  v.  10.  This 
reading  is  adopted  by  Alford,  and  is 
considered  by  him  as  revealing  the 
Trinity,  the  Holy  Spirit  being  the 
teacher  in  this  verse,  God  the  Father 
being  referred  to  in  the  next  verse,  and 
Christ  our  Master,  in  v.  10. 

9.  Call  no  man,  &c.  This  and  the 
following  injunction  against  being  called 
masters,  are  a  continuation  in  varied 
form,  of  the  sentiment  of  the  preceding 
verse.  We  are  not  forbidden  the  use  of 
the  -vfov A  father,  as  denoting  the  pater- 
nal relation  (see  15:4;  Ephes.  6 :  1-3), 
or  as  a  term  of  respect  to  aged  and 
venerable  men  (see  Acts  7:2;  22  :  1  ; 
1  John  2  :  13,  14).  But  we  are  to 
apply  this  term  to  no  man,  as  expressive 
of  his  supervisory  and  paternal  autho- 
rity over  matters  pertaining  to  religious 
feith  and  duty,  which  belong  only  to 
God  our  Heavenly  Father.  In  this  for- 
bidden sense  it  was  used  of  the  Jewish 
doctors,  and  has  been,  and  is  now,  used 
of  the  Romish  Pontiff,  who  is  styled  and 
addressed  by  his  followers  as  the  Holy 
Father.  In  assuming  this  title,  he  arro- 
gates to  himself  the  title  and  preroga- 
tive of  God.  Upon  the  earth  is  here 
opposed  to  the  words,  which  is  in  hea- 
ven, in  the  next  clause,  the  former  de- 
noting lowness,  weakness,  imperfection, 
the  latter,  the  highest  glory  and  exalta- 
tion. 

10.  Neither  he  ye  called  (see  N.  on 
V.  8)  masters ;  literally,  leaders,  ffuides. 
This  word,  like  Rabbi  and  Father  in  the 
preceding  verses,  refers  to  the  assump- 
tion of  religious  authority  in  matters  of 
religious  belief,  and  in  the  enforcement 
of  the  ceremonial  law.  All  these  titles 
are  forbidden  to  Christ's  disciples,  in 
the  sense  in  which  they  wore  appUed  to 
the  scribes,  but  not  as  titles  of  respect 
to  our  superiors  in  age,  influence,  and 
acquirements.  The  idea  that  we  are  to 
stand  covered  in  the  presence  of  civil 


A.D.33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


293 


ters :  for  one  is  your  Master,  even 
Christ. 

11  But  'he  that  is  greatest 
amoug  you  shall  be  your  servant. 

12  *  And  whosoever  shall  exalt 

i  Ch.  20  :  26, 27.  k  Job.  22 :  29 ;  Pr.  15 :  33,&  29 : 
83;  Lu.  14:11,  &18:  14;  Ja.4:6;l  Pe.  5:5. 

rulers,  and  address  them  in  the  plainest 
language,  that  we  are  to  bestow  upon 
the  aged  and  honorable  no  other  terms 
of  respect,  than  upon  those  who  are  our 
juniors  and  inferiors,  that  in  language 
all  rank  and  distinction  are  to  be 
ignored,  cannot  be  deduced  from  this 
or  any  portion  of  God's  Word.  Equally 
preposterous  and  untenable  is  the  notion, 
that  Uterary  titles  and  distinctions  fall 
beneath  the  ban  of  our  Lord's  prohibi- 
tion in  this  passage. 

11,  12.  But  he  that  is  greatest,  &c. 
See  N.  on  20  :  26.  Servant.  The 
same  word  in  the  original,  which  is 
translated  minister  in  20  :  26.  Shall 
exalt  himself,  i.  e.  shall  be  ambitious  of 
distinctions,  or  become  haughty  and 
arrogant  through  vain  conceit,  assum- 
ing to  be  a  leader  of  his  fellow-men. 
Shall  he  abased,  i.  e.  brought  down  into 
the  depths  of  humiliation.  This  proves 
true  oftentimes  in  this  world,  but  its 
complete  fulfillment  is  reserved  for  the 
future  state.  The  verb  is  the  same, 
which  in  the  next  clause  is  rendered 
shall  humble.  There  is  a  play  on  the 
word  (see  N.  on  5  ;  19)  thus  employed 
in  two  such  opposite  significations, 
which  is  not  unfrequently  found  in  pro- 
verbial sentences.  Shall  humble  him- 
self. This  is  the  opposite  of  what  is 
condemned  in  the  preceding  clause, 
and  implies  an  humble  estimate  of  one's 
own  abilities,  a  meek  and  lowly  mind, 
a  disregard  of  what  the  world  calls 
greatness,  and  a  contentment  with  the 
lot  which  Providence  has  assigned  to  us. 
Shall  be  exalted.  This  is  to  be  taken 
iu  a  spiritual  sense,  although  we  often- 
times see  this  promise  verified  in  a  tem- 
poral point  of  view.  This  was  a  favor- 
ite sentiment  of  our  Lord  and  frequent- 
ly enforced.  Doddridge  says  that  it 
occurs  at  least  ten  times  in  the  Evan- 
gelists.    This  shows   how  much  stress 


himself  shall  be  abased ;  and  he 
that  shall  humble  himself  shall  be 
exalted. 

13  ^  But  '  wo  unto  you,  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye 


our  Savior  laid  upon  humility  and  low- 
liness of  mind. 

13-36.  These  woes  constitute  the 
second  division  of  this  discourse  against 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  The  prece- 
ding verses  were  spoken  to  his  disci- 
ples, in  the  hearing  of  these  wicked 
men,  but  he  now  directly  addresses 
them  in  language,  which,  for  severity  of 
dcnimciation  and  a  searching  exposure 
of  their  enormous  wickedness,  has 
never  been  equalled.  Considered  as 
spoken  by  Him  who  is  to  be  the  Judge 
of  the  moral  universe,  and  from  whose 
eyes  nothing  is  hid,  it  is  the  most 
solemn  and  awful  address  which  the 
mind  can  conceive.  No  one  with  a 
proper  sense  of  his  own  shortcomings 
can  read  these  woes,  without  fearing 
lest  he  himself  may  be  chargeable  with 
something  of  that  Pharisaic  spirit, 
which  is  here  condemned  in  such 
strong  language  by  our  Savior.  It  is 
to  be  feared  that  the  exposures  of  the 
last  day  will  reveal  many  acts,  which 
in  this  world  seemed  to  indicate  great 
sanctity,  to  have  been  done  as  a  mere 
cloak  to  conceal  the  moral  loath- 
someness and  corruption  within. 

13.  This  verse  is  placed  in  Dr.  Robin- 
son's Harmony  after  the  next  verse, 
which  is  thus  made  parallel  with  Mark 
12  :  40;  and  Lidve  20  :  47.  Woe  unto 
you,.  See  N.  on  11  :  21.  There  can  be 
hardly  a  doubt  that  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  referred  to  in  22  :  41,  were 
present  and  directly  addressed  in  the 
pronunciation  of  these  woes.  It  was 
the  last  discourse  which  he  ever  utter- 
ed in  their  presence,  and  was  a  concen- 
tration of  the  various  reproofs,  which 
on  several  occasions  he  had  before  ad- 
ministered unto  them.  Olshausen  re- 
marks that  Matthew  seems  purposely 
to  have  placed  this  discourse  against  the 
Pharisees,  in  contrast  with  the  Sermou 


294 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  men  :  for  ye  neither  go 
in  yourselves.,  neither  suflfer  ye 
them  that  are  entering  to  go  in. 

fwMa.  12:  40  ;  Lu.  20:  4T;2  Ti.  3  : 6;  Tit.  1 :  11. 

on  the  Mount,  with  which  in  his  gospel 
Jesus  commenced  his  ministry.  The 
beatitudes  in  that  sermon,  and  the 
woes  in  this  closing  discourse  are  con- 
trasted, both  being  presented  as  an  act 
of  the  judicial  work  of  Christ.  Scribes 
and  Pharisees.  See  N.  on  3  :  7.  Hy- 
pocrites. See  N.  on  6  :  2.  This  word 
is  added  as  explanatory  of  the  charac- 
ter of  these  persons.  For  ye  shut  vp, 
&c.  This  is  given  as  the  reason  why 
this  woe  was  pronounced.  It  will  be 
seen  that  each  woe  is  thus  followed  by 
a  casual  or  explanatory  clause.  Shut 
up  ;  literally,  close  against  by  locking 
up.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  claim- 
ed to  be  the  true  and  only  interpreters 
of  the  Scriptures.  By  their  false  teach- 
ings, they  kept  the  people  in  ignorance 
of  the  true  way  of  salvation,  and  sub- 
stituted vain  and  cumbrous  ceremonial 
rites  for  purity  of  heart  and  life,  and 
obedience  to  God.  They  misinterpreted 
the  prophecies  relating  to  the  Messiah, 
and  infused  into  the  mind  of  the  people 
false  views  of  his  official  character,  and 
thus  were  a  great  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  our  Lord's  reception  by  the  Jews  as 
the  true  Messiah.  In  this  way  they  shut 
up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men. 
In  Luke  11  :  52,  they  are  said  to  have 
taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge,  that 
is,  they  had  locked  up  the  door,  and 
retaining  in  their  possession  the  key, 
had  left  no  way  by  which  the  people 
could  enter.  Against  (literally  before) 
men,  i.  e.  in  the  face  of  men.  For  ye 
neither,  &c.  They  were  guilty  of  self-de- 
struction, and  also  of  the  ruin  of  others, 
and  thus  their  sin  was  greatly  aggra- 
vated. Nor  suffer,  &c.  By  taking 
from  the  people  the  true  key  of  pro- 
phecy, the  Messiah  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  hidden  from  their  view,  and 
an  earthly  king  and  conqueror  was 
substituted  in  his  stead.  Thus  they 
effectually  precluded  the  nation  from 
becoming  partakers   of   the    spiritual 


14  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  "  for  ye 
devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a 
pretence  make  long  prayer :  there- 


blessings  of  Christ's  kingdom.  That 
are  entering,  i.  e.  desiring  or  ready  to 
enter.  The  minds  of  the  common 
people  were  greatly  turned  towards  our 
Lord,  and  had  they  not  been  overawed 
and  otherwise  influenced  against  him 
by  these  priests  and  rulers,  in  all  hu- 
man probability  the  nation  as  such 
would  have  received  and  acknowledged 
Jesus,  and  their  ruin  been  averted. 

1-1.  For  ye  devour,  &c.  Ye  take 
away  by  fraud  and  extortion  the  sub- 
stance of  helpless  widows.  An  illustra- 
tion of  this  charge  against  the  Phari- 
sees, is  furnished  in  the  priestly  device 
of  the  Papal  church  to  obtain  the  prop- 
erty of  females,  both  those  who  come 
to  the  possession  of  it  while  young  and 
inexperienced,  and  those  who,  left  in 
widowhood,  are  predisposed  to  make 
the  sacrifice  required  of  them  by  their 
priestly  confessors.  Houses  are  here 
put  for  goods,  property,  a  use  of  the 
word,  common  in  all  languages.  For 
a  pretence,  i.  e.  the  better  to  deceive 
them,  by  concealing  under  a  rehgious 
mask,  their  avaricious  purpose.  Make 
long  prayer ;  literally,  praying  long. 
Their  prayers  were  said  to  be  some- 
times three  hours  in  length.  In  this 
way,  they  acquired  the  reputation  of 
great  sanctity,  and  obtained  such  an 
ascendency  over  the  minds  of  these 
females,  that  they  were  persuaded  to 
commit  to  them  their  property  for  re- 
hgious uses.  There  is  nothing  here 
condemnatory  of  long  prayers,  but  only 
of  the  purpose  for  which  they  were 
made.  In  general,  however,  it  may  be 
said  that  long  prayers  are  to  be  avoid- 
ed, especially,  by  such  as  lead  the  de- 
votions of  God's  people.  The  mind 
becomes  wearied  and  distracted,  and 
oftentimes  totally  lost  in  wandering 
thought,  under  the  influence  of  prayers 
drawn  out  to  an  immoderate  length. 
Greater  damnation,  i.  e.  more  tremen- 
dous suffering  in  the  world  of  despair. 


A.  D.  S3.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


295 


fore  ye  shall  receive  the  greater    ye  make  him  twofold 
damnation.  nl>;irl  nf  imil  thnv,  ^Tr^,^y 


15  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye 
compass  sea  and  laud  to  make  one 
proselyte  ;   and  when  he  is  made. 


n  Ch.  15  :  14 ;  ver.  24. 


This  is  evident  from  v.  30,  where  is 
given  the  full  idea,  damnation  in  hell. 
What  an  appalling  truth,  and  how 
terrible  the  doom  of  one,  who  puts  on 
the  cloak  of  religion,  to  accomplish  the 
more  surely  and  effectually  his  wicked 
ends. 

15.  Ye  compass  sea  and  land,  i.  e. 
make  the  most  incredible  efforts.  Sea 
and  la?id  is  here  put  for  the  whole  earth, 
and  the  expression  is  proverbial,  to  de- 
note the  greatest  activity  and  exertion. 
The  zeal  of  the  Jews  for  proselytism 
was  so  great,  that  enactments  were 
made  against  it  by  the  Roman  authori- 
ties. Proselyte.  This  word  literally 
signifies,  one  who  has  come  to  or  in,  and  is 
here  applied  to  a  convert  from  Pagan- 
ism to  Judaism.  These  converts  were 
divided  into  two  classes,  the  circum- 
cised or  righteotis  proselytes,  and  the 
uncircumcised  or  proselytes  of  the  gate. 
The  former  took  upon  themselves  the 
observance  of  the  whole  Mosaic  ritual, 
and  were  received  into  the  privileges 
of  Jewish  citizenship.  The  proselytes 
of  the  gate  were  worshippers  of  the 
one  God,  but  did  not  take  upon  them- 
selves the  observance  of  all  the  cere- 
monial laws  of  Moses.  They  frequented, 
however,  the  synagogues  in  company 
with  the  Jews,  and  offered  sacrifices  at 
the  temple  through  the  priests.  The 
persons  here  spoken  of  by  our  Lord, 
were  probably  the  proselytes  of  right- 
eousness. Twofold  more  the  child  of  hell, 
i.  e.  twice  as  deserving  of  hell.  Child 
of  hell,  a  Hebraism  for  worthy  of  or 
doomed  to  hell.  Compare  1  Sam.  20  : 
31  ;  2  Sam.  12  :  6,  where  the  phrase 
son  of  death  in  the  original,  is  employed 
in  the  sense,  shall  surely  die,  shall  be 
doomed  to  certain  death.  The  prose- 
lytes were  many  of  them  so  had,  that 
they  were  called  the  scabs  of  Israel.  They 


j^  „ ....„   „„„^v. more   the 

child  of  hell  than  yourselves. 

16  Woe  unto  you,  "  ye  blind 
guides,  which  say,  "Whosoever 
shall  swear  by  the  temple,  it  is 
nothing ;     but     whosoever    shall 


aCh.  5:83,  34. 


brought  with  them  their  heathen  vices 
and  notions,  and  in  order  to  display  the 
sincerity  of  their  conversion,  outdid  the 
Pharisees  in  acts  of  bigotry  and  super- 
stition. 

16.  Blind  guides.  SeeN.  on  15  :  14. 
Our  Lord  here  varies  his  address  from 
the  usual  form,  "  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
hypocrites,"  to  one  expressive  of  the 
false  teachings  and  interpretations  of 
Scripture,  by  which  they  misled  the 
people.  The  fiUse  and  subtle  distinc- 
tions, which  they  made  in  the  nature  of 
oaths,  is  here  exposed  and  condemned. 
This  he  had  before  done  (5  :  33-37), 
under  a  somewhat  different  aspect, 
however,  and  in  a  less  expanded  form. 
There  all  swearing  was  forbidden,  on 
the  ground  that  an  oath  by  any 
inanimate  thing,  was  of  binding  force, 
and  the  same  as  though  sworn  by  the 
name  of  God ;  here,  by  the  same  rea- 
soning, he  teaches  these  scribes  and 
Pharisees  the  sanctity  and  vahdity  of 
every  oath.  Whosoever  shall  swear,  &c. 
It  appears  from  this  passage,  that  they 
considered  oaths  by  the  gold  of  the 
temple  or  its  sacrifices,  of  binding  obli- 
gation, but  those  made  by  the  temple  or 
altar,  of  no  force.  By  attaching  such  su- 
perior honor  to  the  votive  offerings  and 
sacrifices  of  the  temple  worship,  they 
led  the  people  to  believe  that  in  no  way 
could  they  so  please  God,  as  in  the 
abundance  and  richness  of  gifts  ded- 
icated to  his  service.  By  the  words 
gold  of  the  temple,  some  commentators 
understand  the  golden  utensils  and 
adornments  of  the  temple.  But  it  ac- 
cords better  with  what  follows,  respect- 
ing the  altar  and  the  sacrifices  brought 
to  be  laid  thereon,  to  refer  this  term  to 
the  money  consecrated  and  set  apart 
for  sacred  purposes,  and  which  was 
easily  convertible  to  their  private  use. 


296 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  83. 


swear  by  the  gold  of  the  temple, 
he  is  a  debtor  ! 

17  Yc  fools,  and  blind :  for 
whether  is  greater,  the  gold,  ^  or 
the  temple  that  sanctifieth  the 
gold  ? 

18  And,  Whosoever  shall  swear 
by  the  altar,  it  is  nothing;  but 
whosoever  sweareth  by  the  gift 
that  is  upon  it,  he  is  guilty. 

19  Ye   fools,   and    blind :    for 

p  Ex.  30 :  29.        q  Ex.  29  :  ST. 


Is  a  debtor,  i.  e.  is  under  obligation  to 
keep  his  oath. 

17.  Ye  fools  andblmd,  i.  e.  blind  and 
ignorant  Ibols.  For  whether  is  c/reater, 
&c.  The  form  of  the  question  shows 
what  answer  the  Savior  would  himself 
give,  viz.  that  the  temple  erected  to  the 
service  of  Jehovah,  far  excelled  in  dig- 
nity any  of  its  votive  offerings  or  orna- 
ments, lliat  sanctifieth.  A  gift  conse- 
crated to  the  temple  service,  was  set 
apart  thereby  from  a  common  to  a 
sacred  use.  In  this  sense  it  was  sanc- 
tiiied  by  the  temple,  and  received  ad- 
ditional worth  and  dignity,  by  being 
thus  regarded  holy  and  sacred. 

18,  19.  And,  Whosoever  sweareth,  &c. 
These  are  the  words  of  the  Pharisees. 
7he  altar.  This  word  is  here  general 
in  sense,  although  some  refer  it  to  the 
altar  for  burnt  offerings  (see  N.  on  v. 
'io).  The  article  in  the  original  seems 
to  refer  it  to  the  particular  altar,  upon 
which  the  sacrifice  happened  to  be  laid. 
So  the  article  with  the  word  rendered 
gift,  refers  it  to  the  particular  gift, 
which  happened  to  be  made  at  any 
time.  It  is  generic  in  its  applica- 
tion, and  not  to  be  limited  to  any 
one  altar  or  gift.  Is  cfuilty,  provided 
he  violates  his  oath.  The  word  trans- 
lated is  guilt;i,  is  the  same  as  that  ren^ 
dered  in  v.  IG,  is  a  debtor,  and  as  the 
sense  is  the  same,  it  should  have  been 
translated  by  the  same  word  in  both 
verses.  The  gift  or  the  altar.  It 
w^as  the  altar  of  consecration  which 
gave  the  offering   additional  value  to 


whether  is  greater,  the  gift,  or 
'  the  altar  that  sanctifieth  the 
gift? 

20  Whoso  therefore  shall  swear 
by  the  altar,  sweareth  by  it,  and. 
by  all  things  thereon. 

21  And  whoso  shall  swear  by 
the  temple,  sweareth  by  it,  and 
by  'him  that  dwelleth  therein. 

22  And  he  that  shall  swear  by 
heaven,   sweareth  by  ^  the  throne 

r  1  Ki.  8:13;  2Ch.  G:2;  Ps.2C:  8,  &  132:14. 
sCh.  5:34;  Ps.  11:4;  Ac.  7:49. 

what  it  naturally  possessed.  Tliat  sanc- 
tifeth.  See  N.  on  v.  17.  Compare  also 
5  :  34. 

20.  Whoso  therefore  shall  swear,  &c. 
Our  Lord  now  lays  down  the  true  na- 
ture and  obligation  of  an  oath.  What- 
ever it  may  be  sworn  by,  whether  the 
gift,  altar,  or  temple,  it  is  an  oath  vir- 
tually by  God,  and  as  such,  if  lawful 
(see  N.  on  1-1  :  9),  should  be  kept.  Its 
sucredness  did  not  depend  upon  the 
absurd  distinctions  made  by  the  Pha- 
risees. 

i\.  Stvearethbyit,kc.  Such  an  oath 
is  in  effect  sworn  by  the  eternal  God, 
whose  presence  fills  the  temple,  and  to 
whom  it  had  been  solemnly  dedicated. 
The  temple  had  been  greatly  profaned, 
yet  it  was  God's  house  (21  :  12,  13), 
having  been  dedicated  to  his  service, 
and  being  the  place  whither  the  pious 
Jews  resorted  to  worship,  and  pray  for 
the  appearance  of  the  Consolation  of 
Israel  (see  Luke  2  :  25,  38).  It  is 
noticeable  that  our  Lord  does  not  deign 
to  refer  to  the  gold  of  the  temple, 
which  in  the  Pharisaic  view  alone  gave 
sanctitv  to  an  oath. 

22.  'Tlie  throne  of  God.  See  5  :  35  ; 
Acts  7  :  49.  By  him  that  sitteth  thereon, 
i.  e.  by  God  himself  Thus  step  by  step 
our  Lord  leads  us  to  the  great  truth, 
that  there  is  nothing  by  which  an  oath 
can  be  taken,  which  as  constituting  God's 
works,  is  not  the  same  as  his  own  great 
and  adorable  Name,  and  that  an  oath  of 
any  sort  implies  that  He  is  called  to 
witness  the  truth  of  what  is  affirmed. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


297 


of  God,  and  by  him   that  sitteth 
thereon. 

23  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites !  '  for  ye 
pay  tithe  of  mint  and  anise  and 


tLu.  11:42. 


At  the  same  time  he  teaches  in  5  :  33- 
36,  that  trivial  oaths,  as  some  re- 
gard them,  are  not  to  be  made,  but  that 
men,  unless  required  in  a  court  of  justice 
(see  26  :  63  ;  Jer.  42  :  5  ;  Ruth  3:13; 
1  Sam.  14  :  45  ;  20  :  3,  21,  &c.),  are  to 
content  themselves  with  a  simple  aflir- 
mative  or  denial,  a  yea  or  nay  (see 
James  5  :  12). 

23.  Pay  tithe  of  mint,  &c.  In  order 
to  .show  their  sanctity  and  great  respect 
for  the  Mosaic  ritual,  they  overstrained 
Levit.  27  :  30,  to  apply  to  these  smallest 
and  most  insignificant  of  herbs.  In 
regard  to  paying  tithes,  the  practice  was 
very  ancient  and  prevalent.  Abraham 
paid  tithes  to  Melchizedek  (Gen  14  :  20), 
and  Jacob  vowed  unto  God  the  tenth 
of  his  income  (Gen.  28  :  22).  The 
custom  is  referred  to  in  various  parts 
of  the  Bible,  and  Moses  gave  precepts 
in  respect  to  it  (Deut.  12:  11-19;  14: 
22,  23).  The  tithes  were  to  be  pre- 
sented at  the  Tabernacle,  as  a  thank 
ofl'ering,  except  that  on  every  third  year, 
people  might  make  a  festival  at  their  own 
houses,  for  the  benefit  of  their  servants 
and  the  poor  (Deut.  14:  28,  29;  26: 
12-15).  These  were  called  the  second 
tithes,  in  reference  to  one  previously 
t.aken,  called  therefrom  the  first,  which 
belonged  to  God  as  their  King,  and  was 
assigned  to  the  support  of  the  Levites 
(Levit.  27  :  30;  Numb.  18  :  20-24 ;  Deut. 
14 :  22,  23).  When  the  tithe  was  of  a 
kind  difficult  of  transportation,  by  ad- 
ding thereto  a  fifth  part  of  its  esti- 
mated value,  it  might  be  commuted 
with  money,  and  thus  the  labor  and 
expense  of  transportation  be  avoided. 
Mint.  A  sweet-scented  herb,  like  our 
garden  or  spearmint,  with  which  the 
Jews  strewed  the  floors  of  their  houses 
and  synagogues.  It  grew  in  great  pro- 
fusion. Anise.  An  aromatic  plant  an- 
swering to  our  dill.  Cummin.  The 
Vol.  I.— 13* 


cummin,  and  "have  omitted  the 
weightier  matters  of  the  hiw, 
judgment,  mercy,  and  faith  : 
these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and 
not  to  leave  the  other  undone. 

wlSa.  15:  22;  Ho.  6:6;   Mi.  6:8;  Ch.  9  :  13, 
&  12  :  7. 


seeds  of  this  plant  were  of  a  warm, 
bitterish  taste,  like  our  caraway  seeds, 
and  were  used  by  the  ancients  as  a 
condiment.  These  plants  were  of 
little  repute,  and  so  abundant  as  to  be 
within  reach  of  all.  In  extending  the 
payment  of  tithes  to  things  of  so  little 
value,  the  Pharisees  made  an  ostenta- 
tious display  of  their  rigid  observance 
of  the  Mosaic  law.  And  have  omitted, 
&c.  While  they  sedulously  paid  exter- 
nal respect  to  the  most  minute  pre- 
cepts of  the  ceremonial  law,  in  order  to 
draw  upon  themselves  the  eyes  of  the 
people,  all  the  precepts  of  God's  moral 
law,  aiming  to  eradicate  from  the  heart, 
selfishness,  injustice,  pride,  anger,  ha- 
tred, envy,  and  the  like,  they  wholly 
neglected.  'By  judgment  we  are  here  to 
understand,  the  great  principles  of 
justice,  the  rendering  to  all  their  just 
dues,  whether  as  magistrates  or  private 
citizens.  Mercy  refers  to  acts  of  good- 
ness, generosity,  benevolence,  and 
love  to  man,  which  is  the  very  essence 
and  spirit  of  the  law  (22 :  39).  By 
faith  may  be  understood,  good  faith, 
fidelity  in  keeping  promises,  sincerity 
of  intercouse  between  man  and  man. 
It  can  hardly  be  referred  here  to  what 
is  called  Christian  or  evangelical  faith. 
These  great  duties  of  the  moral  law, 
were  grossly  and  shamefully  disre- 
garded by  the  Jewish  scribes  and 
Pharisees.  They  were  unjust,  revenge- 
ful, oppressive,  selfish,  hyjiocritical. 
They  trampled  the  high  and  holy  re- 
quisitions of  God's  law  under  their  feet, 
but  paid  their  tithes  of  mint,  anise, 
and  cummin,  as  though  their  salvation 
depended  upon  the  exact  observance 
of  these  minute  externals.  Tliew  onriht 
Ife,  &c.  Our  Lord  does  not  here  con- 
demn the  tithe-payment  of  these valiK- 
less  herbs.  The  law  in  its  minutest 
details  is  to  be  obeyed.     If  the  tithes 


298 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


24  Ye  blind  guides,  which 
strain  at  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a 
camel. 

25  Woe  imto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,    hypocrites !    ""  for    ye 

icMa.  7:4;  Lu.  11 :  39. 


were  honestly  thought  to  include  these 
herbs,  they  were  to  be  paid.  But  his 
reproof  rests  on  the  neglect  of  the 
weightier  points  of  the  law,  which 
ought  on  no  consideration  to  have  been 
left  undone. 

24.  Ye  blind  ffuides.  The  pronoun 
1/e  is  here,  as  in  v.  16,  added  by  the 
translators,  and  weakens  the  energy  of 
the  expression.  The  same  is  true  in  vs. 
17,  19,  and  26,  where  the  pronoun  is 
needlessly  added.  The  blindness  of 
these  men  was  manifested  in  neglecting 
the  great  duties  of  God's  law,  and  pay- 
ing such  scrupulous  regard  to  points  of 
trivial  importance.  Strain  at.  The  trans- 
lation should  be  strain  out,  reference 
being  had  to  the  filtering  or  straining 
of  the  wine,  into  which  gnats  and  other 
small  insects  might  fall,  or  even  breed, 
and  which  on  religious  scruples  (found- 
ed upon  Levit.  11  :  20,  23,  41,  and  17  : 
10-14),  as  well  as  the  common  princi- 
ples of  cleanliness,  would  be  separated 
from  the  liquid  by  the  Jew.  The  small- 
est of  insects  is  here  opposed  to  the 
camel,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  ill- 
shaped  animals,  and  ceremonially  un- 
clean. The  little  gnat,  on  the  mere 
apprehension  that  it  might  be  classed 
with  the  flying,  creeping  things  which 
were  unclean,  was  carefully  strained 
out,  while  the  large  camel,  of  whose 
uncleanness  there  was  no  doubt,  was 
swallowed  down  without  hesitation. 
The  expression  was  proverbial,  to  de- 
note the  great  pains  taken  by  some  to 
avoid  a  trifling  irregularity,  while  the 
groat  and  fundamental  principles  of 
right  and  wrong,  they  entirely  disre- 
garded. Its  application  to  the  Pharisees, 
who  tithed  mint,  anise,  and  cummin, 
and  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of 
judgment,  mercy,  and  faith,  was  ob- 
vious and  striking.  Swallow  ;  literally, 
gulp  down,  as  we  say,  when  used  as 
here  of  solids,  swallow  down  whole. 


make  clean  the  outside  of  the 
cup  and  of  the  platter,  but  within 
they  are  full  of  extortion  and  ex- 
cess. 

2(5  Thou  blind  Pharisee,  cleanse 


25.  The  Savior  now  passes  to  an  ex- 
posure of  their  desire  to  appear  to  men, 
under  a  different  character  from  what 
they  really  possess.  Ye  make  clean,  &c. 
Ye  are  careful  to  cleanse  and  polish  the 
outside,  so  that  it  will  appear  bright 
and  untarnished  to  the  beholder.  Cup 
and  platter  are  here  put  generically  for 
drinking  vessels  and  dishes,  on  which 
solid  food  is  served  up  and  eaten.  The 
platter  was  properly  a  side-dish  or  plate 
for  sweetmeats  and  other  dainties. 
The  great  pains  taken  by  the  Pharisees 
to  polish  and  brighten  the  outside  of 
these  dishes,  and  their  comparative 
neglect  of  the  inside,  is  seized  upon  by 
our  Lord  to  illustrate  their  spiritual 
condition.  They  had  the  external  ap- 
pearance of  great  purity  of  hfe  and 
conduct,  but  at  heart  were  vile,  impure, 
full  of  extortion  and  excess.  Extortion 
was  the  ruling  passion  of  the  Pharisees, 
and  is  here  put  for  the  many  oppres- 
sive practices,  by  which  they  enriched 
themselves  at  the  expense  of  others. 
The  word  rendered  excess,  signifies  in- 
continence, self-indulgence,  and  refers 
to  their  greediness  of  gain,  ever  crav- 
ing, and  never  satisfied.  Their  cup  and 
platter  were  said  to  be  filled  with  the 
fruits  of  their  rapacity  and  greediness, 
because  their  wealth  had  been  acquired 
by  acts  of  extortion  and  injustice. 

26.  Cleanse  first,  &c.  The  cleansing 
of  the  inside  of  the  cup  and  platter,  ■ 
with  which  the  food  came  in  contact, 
was  fiir  more  important  than  that  of  the 
outside.  So  with  the  spiritual  man. 
Internal  purity  was  more  to  be  desired 
than  an  external  show  of  piety.  The 
heart  was  first  to  be  cleansed.  Then 
would  appear  the  fruit,  in  a  conscien- 
tious regard  for  the  great  principles  of 
eternal  right,  and  a  restoration  of  their 
ill-gotten  gains  to  those,  who  had  been 
the  victims  of  their  rapacity.  In  this 
way  only  could   the   outside    become 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


299 


first  that  which  is  within  the  cup 
and  platter,  that  the  outside  of 
them  may  be  clean  also. 

27  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  "for  ye  are 
like  unto  whited  sepulchres,  which 
indeed  appear  beautiful  outward, 

yLu.  11:44;  Ac. 23:  3. 


really  clean.  This  is  expressed  under 
the  duty  of  alms-giving  or  deeds  of 
chanty  and  mercy,  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sage, Luke  11  :  41,  which  should  be  in- 
terpreted in  harmony  with  this  direction 
in  Matthew.  ITiat  which  is  within, 
i.  e.  the  inside  as  opposed  to  the  outside 
in  the  next  clause.  The  words  which  is, 
are  added  by  the  translators,  the  literal 
rendering  being  the  luithin. 

27.  This  woe  contemplates  an  ad- 
vance of  wickedness  over  the  preceding 
one.  That  was  directed  against  false 
pretensions  to  morality,  this  against 
hypoci'isy  in  religion,  the  most  odious 
and  abominable  of  sins.  Whited  sepul- 
chres. See  Acts  23 :  3.  These  tombs 
were  generally  excavations  of  the 
earth,  although  sometimes  they  were 
cut  out  of  rocks.  The  entrance  was  by  a 
descent  of  several  steps,  and  was  closed 
by  a  stone  door,  or  slab  of  stone  placed 
against  the  mouth  of  it.  Annually,  on 
the  25th  day  of  the  month  Adar,  the 
Jews  painted  or  whitewashed  this  stone 
door,  and  indeed  the  whole  external 
portion  of  the  sepulchres,  in  order  that 
those  who  came  up  to  the  passover 
might  distinguish  them,  and  not  defile 
themselves  (Numb.  19  :  16)  by  ap- 
proaching too  near.  The  point  of  our 
Lord's  comparison  is  not,  as  some 
think,  that  the  Pharisees  were  to  be 
shunned  as  these  tombs  and  sepul- 
chres, but  that  as  these  places  were 
externally  clean  and  white,  and  in  ap- 
pearance the  very  opposite  of  the  loath- 
some contents  within,  so  the  Pharisees 
appeared  outwardly  pure,  but  were  full 
of  moral  corruption  within.  This  is 
evident  from  the  following  verse.  Beau- 
tiful. Great  pains  was  taken  to  make 
the  external  appearance  of  these  tombs 
beautiful  and  imposing.     This  was  not 


but  are  within  full  of  dead  men''s 
bones,  and  of  all  uncleaniiess. 

28  Even  so  ye  also  outwardly 
appear  righteous  unto  men,  but 
within  ye  are  full  of  hypocrisy 
and  iniquity. 

29  '  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 

sLu.  11:47. 


always  done  as  a  mere  display  of  wealth, 
but  as  a  manifestation  of  respect  for 
the  deceased.  There  is  nothing  wrong 
in  giving  to  the  burial-places  of  the 
dead,  a  neat  and  tasteful  appearance. 
Indeed  this  springs  naturally  from  a 
well-grounded  conviction,  that  the  pre- 
cious dust  there  deposited  will  be 
guarded,  preserved,  and  raised  at  the 
last  day,  to  be  reunited  with  the  soul 
in  inseparable  union.  In  view  of  this 
glorious  resurrection  and  reunion  with 
the  immortal  spirit,  the  body  becomes 
a  most  highly  cherished  deposit  in 
the  grave.  It  is  only  a  rank  and  be- 
sotted infidelity  which  casts  out  the 
bodies  of  the  dead,  to  moulder  away 
and  be  forgotten  Hke  senseless  clods  of 
the  earth.  Dead  melt's  bones;  literally, 
bones  of  dead  bodies  or  corpses.  All 
uncleanness  refers  to  the  loathsome 
corruption  of  dead  bodies  in  the  tombs. 

28.  Even  so  ye  also,  &c.  Here  is  the 
point  of  resemblance.  There  was  an 
outward  appearance  of  sanctity  in  the 
Pharisees,  which  only  served  to  con- 
ceal the  moral  defilement  within.  No 
imagery  could  better  have  expressed 
this,  than  that  which  our  Lord  has  here 
employed.  Righteous,  i.  e.  strict  ob- 
servers of  the  Mosaic  law.  Hypocrisy, 
one  of  the  most  glaring  and  odious  sins. 
In  the  depth  of  their  depravity,  they 
not  only  practised  wickedness,  but 
sought  to  conceal  it  under  a  mask  of 
pretended  goodness  and  purity.  How 
offensive  to  God  is  the  sin  of  hypocrisy, 
may  be  seen  in  Isa.  33  :  14  ;  Job.  15  : 
34  ;  8  :  13.  And  iniquity.  This  em- 
braces all  the  sins  and  evil  doings  which 
have  their  seat  in  the  heart,  and  which 
may  be  concealed  from  men  by  the 
veil  of  hypocrisy. 

29.  Because  ye  build,  &c.     Our  Lord 


300 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  because  ye 
build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets, 
and  garnish  the  sepulchres  of  the 
righteous, 

30  And  say.  If  we  had  been 
in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we 
would  not  have  been  partakers  with 

aAc.  T:51,  52;  lTh.2:15. 

does  not  censure  this  manifestation  of 
respect  for  the  martyred  prophets,  but 
their  inconsistency  and  hypocrisy  in 
doing  this,  while  their  whole  conduct 
showed  that  they  belonged  to  the  class 
of  their  murderers.  Tombs,  as  they 
were  anciently  constructed,  had  to  be 
frequently  rebuilt  or  repaired.  Espe- 
cially was  this  true  of  the  gateways 
and  doors,  which  were  more  liable 
to  be  out  of  repair.  Atid  garnish, 
&c.  In  their  hypocritical  preten- 
sions of  respect  for  the  prophets,  they 
took  much  pains  to  beautify  and  deco- 
rate their  tombs  with  garlands,  flowers, 
columns,  carved  doors,  and  the  like. 
The  word  righteous  does  not  refer  to  a 
different  class  of  men  than  the  pro- 
phets, but  is  used  in  a  more  general 
sense,  to  include  other  persons.  Nor 
are  we  here  to  seek  for  a  distinction 
between  tombs  and  septdchres.  There 
is  a  sort  of  parallelism  between  the  two 
members  of  the  sentence,  by  which  the 
sentiment  of  the  first  is  repeated  in 
varied  language  in  the  second. 

30.  If  we  had  been,  kc.  If  they  did 
not  express  this  in  words,  they  gave 
virtual  utterance  to  the  sentiment,  by 
the  pains  they  took  to  adorn  their  se- 
pulchres, and  perpetuate  the  memory  of 
these  righteous  men.  Woidd  not  have 
been  partakers,  &c.  We  would  not 
have  joined  in  putting  these  holy 
men  to  death,  but  would  have  exerted 
ourselves  to  defend  them  from  violence 
Partakers  ivith  them  in  the  blood.  So 
we  say  companions  in  crime,  associates 
in  sin,  and  the  like.  Blood,  by  a  com- 
mon figure  of  speech,  is  here  put  for 
death. 

31.  Wherefore.  The  inferential  force 
of  this  word  is  not  very  clearly  seen, 
unless  we  supply  the  words  expressed 
in   the  parallel   passage  in  Luke    11  : 


them  in  the  blood  of  the  prophets. 

31  Wherefore  ye  be  witnesses 
unto  yourselves,  that  "ye  are  the 
children  of  them  which  killed  the 
prophets. 

32  ''Fill  ye  up  then  the  measure 
of  your  fathers. 

&Ge.  15:16;  1  Th.  2:16. 


48,  "  truly  ye  bear  witness  (i.  e.  your 
lives  show)  that  ye  allow  (i.  e.  approve) 
the  deeds  of  your  fathers,"  wherefore 
(by  this  virtual  concurrence  in  their 
wicked  deeds),  ye  are  witness  to  your- 
selves (i.  e.  you  know  in  your  conscience, 
you  cannot  deny)  that  ye  are  the  chil- 
dren. Some  render  :  ye  be  witnesses 
against  yourselves.  This  interpretation 
accords  well  with  the  original,  but  seems 
less  natural.  The  word  children  here 
signifies  those  possessed  of  the  same 
spirit  and  temper.  In  this  sense  we 
often  employ  the  word  so7i.  At  the 
very  time  our  Lord  uttered  these  words, 
they  were  plotting  his  death,  although 
he  had  given  them  the  most  indubitable 
evidence  of  his  divine  mission,  in  the 
purity  of  his  life,  the  heavenly  nature  of 
his  doctrines,  and  the  stupendous  mira- 
cles which  he  had  wrought.  His  ap- 
peal to  their  own  consciousness  of  the 
murderous  spirit  which  possessed  their 
bosom,  ought  to  have  convinced  them, 
that  they  were  listening  to  the  denun- 
ciations of  no  common  man,  and  caused 
them  to  pause  in  their  career  of  wicked- 
ness. 

32.  Mil  ye  up  then,  &c.  The  imagery 
is  drawn  from  a  vessel,  which,  when 
filled  to  the  brim,  overflows.  So  there 
is  a  measure  of  iniquity,  which,  when 
filled  to  overflowing,  brings  upon  the 
transgressor,  without  further  delay,  the 
punishment  due  to  his  sins.  Until 
this  point  is  reached  his  doom  is  de- 
ferred, but  when  the  measure  is  full,  the 
stroke  is  inflicted,  and  oftentimes  with 
a  severity  proportionate  to  the  long- 
suffering  which  has  been  abused.  Some 
expositors  think  that  our  Lord  uttered 
this  as  a  prediction  :  Ye  shall  fill  up  the 
measure  of  your  fathers,  and  then  the 
long-delayed  vengeance  will  overtake 
you.     But  it  is  better  to  regard  it  as  a 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXUI. 


301 


33  Ye  serpents,  ye  'generation 
of  vipers,  bow  can  ye  escape  the 
damnation  of  hell  ? 

34  '^  Wherefore,  behold,  I  send 

c  Ch.  3  :  7,  &  12  :  ai.        d  Ch.  21 :  34,  35 ; 
Lu.  11 :  49. 

kind  of  ironical  concession,  an  indignant 
leaving  of  them  to  the  consequences  of 
their  wicked  conduct.  It  is  clear  from 
the  following  verses,  that  reference  is 
had  to  the  fearful  ruin,  which  was  about 
to  come  upon  the  nation.  "  As  the  in- 
dividual man  may  fill  up  the  measure 
of  forbearance  granted  him  by  God,  and 
thus  come  to  destruction,  so  may  a  peo- 
ple, viewed  as  a  body,  or,  as  it  were,  as 
a  larger  individual."  Olshausen.  The 
phrase,  measicre  of  your  fathers,  refers 
to  what  remained  to  be  tilled  of  the 
measure,  which  their  fathers  had  been 
filling  up.  The  national  sin  had  been 
accumulating  for  centuries,  and  was  now 
to  be  increased  beyond  the  limits  of 
God's  forbearance,  by  the  deep  and 
aggravated  sin  of  the  rejection  and 
crucifixion  of  his  Son,  by  these  wicked 
scribes  and  Pharisees.  We  have  a 
parallel  instance  of  judgment  delayed 
in  the  history  of  the  Amorites.  Abra- 
ham's descendants  could  not  take  im- 
mediate possession  of  Canaan,  because 
the  iniquity  of  the  Amorites  was  not 
yet  full  (Gen.  15  :  16).  It  was  not  till 
more  than  400  years  after  the  promise, 
that  the  Canaanites  had  reached  their 
cuhninating  point  in  wickedness,  and 
were  in  consequence  exterminated  from 
the  land.  So  God  had  been  provoked 
for  centuries  by  his  people  the  Jews, 
but  it  was  not  until  they  had  slain  many 
of  his  prophets,  and  last  of  all  the 
Lord  of  life  and  glory,  and  persecuted 
his  church,  that  the  measure  of  their 
iniquity  was  filled,  and  their  doom  no 
longer  stayed. 

33.  Ye  serpents  ;  literally,  serpents. 
See  N.  on  v.  24.  The  serpent  as  the 
emblem  of  wisdom,  is  sometimes  used 
in  a  good  sense  (see  N.  on  12  :  16),  but 
here  it  has  the  opposite  and  more  usual 
signification  of  low  and  malignant  cun- 
ning. Generation  of  vipers.  See  N. 
on  3  :  7  ;  12  :  37.     How  can  ye  escape., 


unto  you  prophets,  and  wise 
men,  and  scribes  :  and  '  some  of 
them  ye  shall  kill  and  crucify  ;  and 
^some  of  them  shall  ye  scourge  in 


eAc.5:40,  &7:  58,  52,  &  22  :  19. 
17;  2  Co.  11:24,25. 


/Ch.  10: 


&c.  The  thing  is  well  nigh  impossible. 
Your  heart  is  so  corrupt,  and  your  habits 
of  sin  so  confirmed,  that  reformation 
in  you  is  not  to  be  expected.  Damna- 
tion of  hell,  i.  e.  the  condemnation  and 
sentence  of  punishment  in  hell,  to  be 
pronounced  by  the  Judge,  at  the  day 
of  final  account.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  it  refers  to  the  future  pun- 
ishment of  these  wicked  men  in  the 
world  of  woe.  The  language  is  of  the 
most  awful  import,  and  spoken  by 
Christ  himself  the  Judge,  it  has  all  the 
certainty  and  terror  of  the  final  sentence 
itself. 

34.  Wherefore.  The  train  of  thought 
is  this :  Since  you  are  determined  on 
filling  up  the  measure  of  national  wick- 
edness, and  there  is  no  hope  of  your 
reformation,  therefore  I  shall  continue 
to  send  you  messengers  of  grace,  by 
the  ill-treatment  of  whom,  you  will  soon 
pass  beyond  the  limits  of  divine  for- 
Ijearance,  and  bring  upon  yourselves 
the  judgments  so  long  delayed.  /  se7id 
has  the  force  of  the  future,  I  will  send. 
Christ  here  distinctly  announces  his 
Messianic  power  and  authority.  They 
were  planning  his  death.  They  were 
determined  to  silence  that  voice,  which 
was  pronouncing  those  terrible  woes. 
But  he  avers  that  he  shall  still  be  seat- 
ed on  the  throne  of  power,  that  he 
will  continue  to  send  his  messengers, 
with  the  same  warnings,  threaten- 
ings,  and  calls  to  repentance,  until 
the  measure  of  their  iniquity  was  full, 
and  they  were  ripe  for  destruction. 
Prophets,  &c.  Reference  is  had  in  these 
terms,  used  of  the  Jewish  doctors 
and  teachers,  to  the  apostles  and  other 
Christian  teachers.  These  as  the  true 
expounders  of  God's  word,  were  the 
only  ones  to  whom  these  titles  properly 
belonged.  The  Jewish  scribes  were 
impostors,  ignorant  themselves  of  the 
divine  law,   and  leading  astray  all  who 


302 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


your    synagogues,   and   persecute 
them  from  city  to  city  : 

35  ^  That  upon  you  may  come 


fir  Be.  18:  24. 


submitted  themselves  to  their  instruc- 
tion. I  cannot,  with  Alford,  attach  to 
these  terms  such  particularity,  as  to 
make  prophets  represent  the  apostles ; 
wise  men,  Stephen  and  others  like  him  ; 
and  scribes,  Apolloa,  Paul  (who  was 
all  three  of  these),  and  such  leading 
ministers  of  the  early  church.  So7ne  of 
them  ye  shall  kill.  This  was  fulfilled 
in  Stephen  (Acts  7  :  59),  and  James 
(Acts  12  :  2).  A7id  crucify.  There 
were  doubtless  instances  of  this  in  the 
persecutions  of  the  Jewish  church,  but 
the  history  of  those  times  is  so  brief, 
that  they  have  not  been  handed  down 
to  us.  The  Jews  never  themselves  in- 
flicted this  kind  of  punishment,  but 
through  the  agency  of  the  Romans,  as 
in  the  case  of  our  Savior,  could  easily 
eifect  it  whenever  they  wished.  Paul 
doubtless  would  have  been  thus  put  to 
death,  had  they  secured  his  condemna- 
tion before  the  Roman  tribunal  (Acts 
21  :  36 ;  22  :  22 ;  24  :  1-9).  Olshausen's 
view,  that  our  Lord  included  himself 
among  the  number  of  those  whom  he 
was  about  to  send,  is  therefore  unne- 
cessary as  well  as  untenable.  Shall 
scourge.  See  N.  on  10  :  17.  See  also 
Acts '5  :  40  ;  22  :  19.  And  persecute, 
&c.  This  had  a  very  general  fulfillment 
among  the  early  Jewish  Christians.  See 
Acts  8  :  1,  4  ;  11  :  19. 

35.  That  upon  you,  &c.  So  dreadful 
a  punishment  would  follow  their  wick- 
edness, that  it  would  seem  as  though 
God  had  visited  upon  them  the  blood 
of  all  his  martyred  servants,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  world  down  to 
that  time.  Our  Lord  does  not  mean  to 
teach  that  they  were  personally  guilty 
of  their  fathers'  sins  (see  Ezek.  18  : 
20),  but  that  the  effect  of  those  sins 
would  be  brought  out,  in  the  terrible 
judgments  visited  upon  the  nation. 
Thus  the  crimes  of  parents,  so  far  as 
temporal  judgments  are  concerned,  are 
often  visited  upon  their  children.  Igno- 
rance and  beggary  are  bequeathed  to  a 


all  the  righteous  blood  shed  upon 
the  earth,  ^frorn  the  blood  of 
righteous  Abel,  unto  '  the  blood 

AGe.4:8;  IJo.  3:12.     f  2  Ch.  24 :  20,  21. 


family  by  an  intemperate  father.  The 
political  condition  of  a  country  or  com- 
munity, is  affected  injuriously  by  the 
acts  of  generations,  that  have  long 
since  passed  away.  The  scribes  and 
Pharisees  poured  the  last  drops  into  the 
cup,  which  had  been  previously  filling 
up  with  the  sins  of  their  ancestors. 
Upon  them  fell  the  national  judg- 
ments long  threatened  and  long  accu- 
mulating, just  as  upon  the  Canaanites 
of  Joshua's  day,  was  visited  the  exter- 
minating wrath  of  God,  which  had  been 
predicted,  so  long  previous  (Gen.  15  : 
16),  and  which  every  generation  of  that 
wicked  people  had  helped  to  bring 
upon  their  descendants,  upon  whom 
fell  the  final  blow.  All  the  righteous 
blood,  i.  e.  all  the  judgments  for  the 
slaughter  of  righteous  men.  Righteous 
Abel,  the  first  martyr.  Upon  the  earth, 
i.  e.  the  land  of  Judea.  Zacharias  son 
of  Barachias.  This  has  been  referred 
by  some  to  Zechariah,  one  of  the  minor 
prophets.  There  is  no  rehable  evi- 
dence, however,  that  he  was  put  to 
death.  The  words  son  of  Barachias 
were  doubtless  added  by  some  tran- 
scriber, who  took  it  for  granted,  that 
the  above-named  prophet  was  referred 
to(seeZech.  1  :  1).  Some  have  suppos- 
ed that  the  person  here  spoken  of,  was 
an  individual  of  that  name,  put  to  death 
and  well  remembered  by  the  Pharisees, 
although  the  incident  has  not  reached 
us.  Others  have  thought  from  a  tra- 
dition referred  to  by  Origen,  that  Zach- 
arias, the  father  of  John  the  Baptist, 
is  referred  to.  But  neither  suppositions 
are  tenable.  It  is  more  probable  that 
Zechariah,  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  slain  by 
the  order  of  king  Joash  (2  Chron.  24  : 
20-22),  in  the  court  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  is  the  martyr  spoken  of.  If 
Jehoiada,  as  is  thought  by  some,  had 
also  the  najne  Barachias,  the  words 
son  of  Barachias,  may  be  considered 
genuine,  although  they  are  omitted  by 
Luke  (11  :  61).     The  Jews  had  often 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


303 


of  Zacharias  son  of  Barachias, 
•whom  ye  slew  between  the  temple 
and  the  altar. 

36  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  All 
these  things  shall  come  upon  this 
generation. 

k  Lu.  13  :  34 


two  names  as  was  the  case  with  Jude, 
called  also  Lebbeus  and  Thaddeus  (see 
N.  on  10  :  3),  and  with  Matthew,  called 
also  Levi,  and  Nathaniel  who  had  also 
the  name  Bartholemew.  Dr.  Ebrard 
thinks  that  Zechariah  was  the  grandson 
of  Jehoiada,  and  that  an  oral  tradition 
preserved  the  name  of  the  father  of 
Zechariah.  A  reference  to  '2  Chron. 
24  :  15,  will  show  that  Jehoiada  had  al- 
ready died  at  the  age  of  130  years,  be- 
fore the  prophetical  Spirit  descended 
npon  Zechariah,  and  he  was  slain.  The 
expression /co/Ti  Abel  to  Zechariah,  the 
first  and  last  martyrs  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament,  was  a  proverbial  one, 
including  all  the  martyrs  within  these 
extremes.  Of  similar  use  was  the  local 
expression/ro»2  Danto  Beersheba,  to  de- 
note the  whole  land  between  these  ex- 
treme northern  and  southern  towns. 
Whom  ye  slew.  The  scribes  whom  our 
Lord  addressed,  were  said  to  have  done 
this,  as  being  the  representatives  of  the 
past  wicked  generations,  both  in  pos- 
sessing the  same  malignant,  persecuting 
character,  and  in  suffering  the  dreadful 
judgments,  which  so  long  a  time  had 
been  impending  over  the  nation.  The 
altar  for  burnt  offering,  which  stood 
in  the  court  of  the  priests,  before  the 
entrance  of  the  edifice  itself. 

36.  Verily  I  say,  &c.  An  emphatic 
repetition  of  the  previously  uttered  sen- 
timent, with  the  express  declaration, 
that  the  judgments  referred  to  were  to 
fall  upon  that  very  generation.  Al- 
though Jerusalem  was  not  taken  by  the 
Romans,  until  about  40  years  after  this 
prediction,  yet  many  whom  he  address- 
ed, may  be  supposed  to  have  lived 
nntil  that  event.  There  were  also 
dreadful  and  bloody  tumults  and  insur- 
rections against  Roman  authority,  some 
years  before  the  final  catastrophe  took  | 


37  *  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
thou  that  killest  the  prophets, 
'  and  stonest  them  which  are  sent 
unto  thee,  how  often  would  '"  I 
have  gathered  thy  children  toge- 
ther, even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 

Z2Ch.  24:21.      mDe.32:ll,  12. 

place.  It  was  literally  true,  therefore, 
that  God's  judgments  fell  upon  the  men 
of  that  generation,  according  to  the 
prediction  of  our  Lord. 

37.  In  view  of  this  terrible  doom,  he 
breaks  out  into  an  apostrophe,  which 
for  tenderness  and  pathos  has  never 
been  equalled.  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusa- 
lem. This  city  was  the  seat  and  centre 
of  wickedness.  It  possessed  great 
privileges,  all  of  which  had  been 
abused.  It  had  slain  the  prophets,  and 
soon  was  to  put  to  open  shame  and 
crucify  the  Savior  of  the  world.  But 
now  it  was  on  the  eve  of  destruction. 
The  dreadful  siege  which  it  was  to  un- 
dergo from  the  Romans,  its  attendant 
horrors  and  tragical  termination,  all  rose 
up  before  the  omniscient  eye  of  the  com- 
passionate Son  of  God.  Beyond  also  were 
the  retributions  of  eternity,  which  he 
only  could  foresee  and  fully  realize.  With 
what  pathos,  in  view  of  its  dreadful 
doom,  did  he  exclaim,  "  0  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem."  With  what  divine  com- 
passion, did  he  mourn  over  its  wicked- 
ness, and  rapidly  approaching  downfall. 
Thou  that  killest  (literally,  hast  been  in 
the  habit  of  killing)  the  prophets.  Here 
was  the  seat  of  the  Jewish  persecuting 
power.  So  frequently  had  the  city 
been  stained  with  their  blood,  that  it 
had  become  a  proverb,  that  no  prophet 
could  perish  out  of  Jerusalem  (Luke 
13 :  33).  And  sent  unto  thee,  as  mes- 
sengers of  truth  from  the  Lord.  Would 
I  have  gathered,  in  order  to  serve  and 
protect  them.  Thy  children.  The  chil- 
dren of  a  city,  in  Oriental  language,  are 
its  inhabitants.  As  a  hen  gathereth,  &c. 
An  expressive  comparison,  and  full  of 
beauty,  tenderness,  and  love.  And  ye 
would  not  come  to  me  for  protection. 
The  Jews  would  not  receive  Jesus  as 
their  Messiah,  nor  listen  to  his  instruc- 


304 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  83. 


chickens  "  under  her  wings,   and 
ye  would  not ! 

38  Behold,  your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate. 

39  For  I  say  unto  you.  Ye  shall 
not    see    me    henceforth,    till    ye 

toPs.  17:8,  &91:4.      oPs.ll8:20;  ch.21:9. 


tions,  but   rejected    and    put    him   to 
death. 

38.  Your  house.  Some  refer  this  to 
the  temple,  which  was  soon  to  be  in 
ruins.  But  in  that  case,  we  should 
have  expected  the  more  usual  form,  the 
house  of  God.  It  is  better  to  refer  it 
to  the  "whole  city,  the  nietropohs  of  the 
nation.  Rome  was  styled  the  house  or 
domicilium  of  the  republic  (compare 
Cic.  in  Cat.  II.).  Desolate,  i.  e.  laid 
waste,  in  ruins. 

39.  Ye  shall  not  see  me,  &c.  The 
explanation  of  this  passage  is  attended 
with  some  difficulty.  Some  think  that 
our  Lord  declares,  that  he  will  not 
again  be  seen  by  them  until  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  designated  in 
the  next  chapter  by  "  the  coming  of  the 
Lord."  But  his  coming  to  bring  about 
that  awful  event,  was  not  hailed,  as 
here  predicted,  by  "  blessed  is  he  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  or  in 
other  words,  he  was  not  then  received 
and  acknowledged  by  the  nation  as 
their  Messiah.  Some  regard  these 
words  as  added  to  give  emphasis  to  the 
declaration  that  they  should  see  him 
no  more,  the  condition  being  added,  of 
their  acknowledgment  of  him  as  Mes- 
siah, which  he  knew  they  would  not 
do.  It  was,  therefore,  a  virtual  declara- 
tion, that  his  presence  would  be  granted 
them  no  more.  But  this  does  not  seem 
to  quite  meet  the  wants  of  the  passage. 
The  sense  evidently  is,  that  the  Jews,  in 
some  future  time,  would  acknowledge 
Jesus  as  their  Messiah,  and  that  he 
would  then  return  to  receive  their  hom- 
age and  praise.  No  one  can  doubt 
that  there  is  to  be  such  a  time 
in  the  history  of  this  remarkable  peo- 
ple. It  has  not,  indeed,  yet  been 
reached,  save  that  now  and  then  an 
individual  of  the  nation  has  been  con- 


shall    say,    °  Blessed   is   he    that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AND  "  Jesus  went  out,  and  de- 
parted from  the  temple 

a  Ma.  13  : 1 ;  Lu.  21 :  5. 


and 


verted  to  Christianity.  But  prophecy 
discloses  to  us  the  great  and  cheering 
fact,  that  the  Jewish  nation,  as  such, 
will  eventually  acknowledge  Jesus  as 
their  Messiah.  He  will  then  come,  not 
in  bodily  form,  but  in  Spirit,  to  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  father  David, 
and  then  shall  be  uttered,  in  loud 
hosannas  of  praise,  "  Blessed  is  he  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  It 
appears  to  me,  therefore,  to  be  pri- 
marily a  sentence  of  rejection  of  this 
rebellious  nation,  but  secondarily,  a 
glorious  prediction  of  the  final  conver- 
sion of  the  Jews,  and  the  acknowledg- 
ment of  Jesus  as  their  Messiah. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

1-42.  Christ  Foretells  the  De- 
struction OF  Jerusalem.  3fount  of 
Olives.  Fourth  day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  13  :  1-37  ;  Luke  21  :  5-36. 

1.  Ayid  Jesus  icetit  out.  Before  he 
left  the  temple,  he  pronounced  his 
eulogy  upon  the  widow  who  cast  her 
mite  into  the  treasury  (Mark  12  : 
41-44 ;  Luke  21  :  1-4). "  At  this  time 
also  certain  Greeks  who  were  pro- 
selytes desired  to  see  Jesus,  and  a 
voice  from  heaven  was  heard,  which 
the  people  variously  interpreted  to 
be  thunder,  or  the  voice  of  an  angel 
(John  12  :  20-36).  He  appears  soon 
after  to  have  departed  from  the 
temple.  As  he  was  going  out,  his 
disciples,  struck  with  wonder  and  as- 
tonishment at  the  splendor  and  magni- 
ficence of  the  temple,  and  its  vast  and 
massive  foundations,  called  his  atten- 
tion to  the  structure.  They  did  this 
partly,  that  he  might  participate  in  the 
pleasure  and  wonder  which  the  sight 
inspired,  and  partly,  to  divert  his  mind 
from  those  subjects  with  which  it  had 
been  overtasked  during  the  day.    Came 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


505 


his  disciples  came  to  him  for  to 

shew  him   the    buildings   of    the 

temple. 

5  1  Ki.  9:  7;  Je.  26:18;  Mi.3:12;  Lu.l9:4i. 

to  him.  A  usual  form  of  expression, 
■when  his  disciples  were  about  to  ad- 
dress him  on  some  particular  subject. 
To  show  him,  i.  e.  to  call  his  attention 
to  the  subject.  The  buildings,  i.  e.  the 
surrounding  porches  and  edifices,  which 
belonged  to  the  temple.  Mark  and 
Luke  speak  of  the  goodly  stones  and 
gifts,  as  objects  to  which  they  also  di- 
rected his  attention.  According  to 
Josephus,  some  of  these  stones  were 
forty-five  cubits  long,  five  high,  and 
si.^  broad.  These  stones  doubtless 
composed  the  wall  built  up  from  the 
bottom,  on  three  sides  of  the  hill 
Moriah,  and  filled  in  with  earth,  so  as 
to  form  an  area  on  which  to  rear 
the  edifice.  Among  the  costly  gifts 
belonging  to  the  temple,  was  a  golden 
table  given  by  Pompey,  and  several 
golden  vines  of  great  size,  having  clus- 
ters, as  Josephus  says,  as  tall  as  a  man. 
The  same  Jewish  historian  says,  that 
the  marble  of  the  temple  was  so  white, 
that  at  a  distance  it  appeared  hke  a 
mountain  of  snow,  and  the  gilding, 
when  the  sun  shone  upon  it,  was  so 
dazzling  and  beautiful,  that  it  caused 
those  who  forced  themselves  to  look 
upon  it  to  turn  away  their  eyes,  as  they 
would  have  done  at  the  sun's  own  rays. 
Tacitus  speaks  also  of  the  great  opu- 
lence of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

2.  See  ye  not  all,  &c.  This  question 
served  to  direct  their  attention  to  the 
prophetic  doom,  which  he  was  about 
to  pronounce  upon  the  temple  and  its 
environs.  Mark  (13  :  2)  puts  this  ques- 
tion in  an  affirmative  form.  The  sense 
is  the  same.  Tliere  shall  not  be  left, 
&c.  This  was  one  of  the  most  definite 
and  literally  fulfilled  prophecies  which 
was  ever  spoken.  What  more  unlikely 
to  human  foresight,  than  that  this 
temple,  which  had  stood  so  many  years 
as  the  pride  of  the  nation,  and  it  may 
be  added,  of  the  Roman  governors  who 
resided  at  Jerusalem,  should  be  so 
completely  razed  to  its  foundation,  as 


2  Aud  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
See  ye  not  all  these  things  ?  verily 
I  say  unto  you,  ''  There  shall  not 


was  here  predicted.  There  was  at  the 
time  of  the  utterance  of  this  predic- 
tion, no  sign  of  so  obstinate  and  san- 
guinary a  war  as  that  which  closed  with 
the  destruction  of  the  temple.  The 
Jews  had  borne  the  yoke  of  Roman 
servitude  for  many  yeai-s.  There  were 
local  insurrections,  but  these  were  soon 
and  easily  quelled.  The  same  state  of 
things  seemed  likely  to  continue  for 
years,  if  not  ages  to  come.  But  the 
rapacity  and  tyrannical  oppression  of 
the  Roman  procurators,  drove  the  peo- 
ple to  a  rebellion,  which,  with  the  sud- 
denness of  a  tornado,  broke  upon  the 
land,  and  ended  in  the  ruin  of  the  na- 
tion. The  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple, too,  was  one  of  the  least  probable 
events,  when  all  things  are  taken  into 
consideration,  which  could  have  been 
contemplated.  It  was  the  express  com- 
mand of  Titus,  that  this  magnificent 
structure  should  be  saved  ;  and  when  a 
Roman  soldier,  as  Josephus  says,  "  hur- 
ried on  by  a  certain  divine  fury,"  cast  a 
blazing  brand  through  one  of  the 
golden  windows,  and  news  came  to  the 
Roman  commander  that  the  temple  Avas 
on  fire,  he  ran  thither  with  the  utmost 
haste,  and  by  command  and  gesture 
exerted  himself  to  stay  the  conflagra- 
tion. But  it  was  all  in  vain.  The  din 
and  tumult  were  such  that  they  neither 
heard  his  voice  nor  attended  to  his  sig- 
nals, and  soon  the  whole  building  was 
enveloped  in  a  sheet  of  fire  and  iell  to 
ruins,  a  little  more  than  639  years  after 
its  rebuilding  by  Haggai.  But  the  pro- 
phecy received  not  only  a  general  but 
also  a  particular  fulfilment.  The  walls 
of  the  city,  and  those  also  of  the  tem- 
ple, were  ordered  by  Titus  to  be  demol- 
ished, and  this  was  done  so  thoroughly, 
says  Josephus,  "that  there  was  left 
nothing  to  make  those  who  had  come 
thither,  believe  it  had  ever  been  in- 
habited." One  stone  ripon  another,  &c. 
A  proverbial  and  somewhat  hyperboli- 
cal expression,  although  in  this  instance 


306 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


be  left  here  one  stone  upon  an- 
other, that  shall  not  be  thrown 
down. 


literally  fulfilled.  That  shall  not  be 
thrown  down,  is  added  to  give  emphasis 
to  the  previous  words,  and  convey  the 
idea  of  complete  demolition. 

3.  And  as  he  sat,  &c.  The  forego- 
ing prophecy  was  spoken,  as  they  were 
leaving  the  temple.  They  had  now 
passed  out  of  the  city  and  ascended  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  from  which  a  com- 
manding view  was  had  of  the  temple 
and  whole  city.  Here,  as  our  Lord  was 
resting  from  the  labors  of  the  day,  now 
drawing  to  a  close,  his  disciples  (Peter, 
James,  John,  and  Andrew,  according 
to  Mark)  came  to  him  privately  (i.  e. 
apart  from  the  other  disciples),  and  ques- 
tioned him  more  particularly  in  respect 
to  the  strange  and  startling  prediction 
which  he  had  just  before  uttered.  2'ell 
us,  when  shall  these  things  be,  &c.  There 
has  been  great  diversity  of  views 
among  expositors,  as  to  the  intent  and 
scope  of  this  inquiry.  In  view  of  its  ap- 
parently threefold  natui-e,  some  refer  it 
to  three  distinct  events  ;  1.  The  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  ;  2.  The  ac- 
knowledgment of  Jesus'  Messiahship, 
referred  to  in  the  close  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter  (on  which  see  N.)  ;  3.  The 
final  advent  of  Christ  to  judge  the 
world,  which  was  then  to  come  to  an 
end.  But  although  it  is  evident,  that 
our  Lord  in  his  reply,  made  a  transi- 
tion from  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
to  the  scene  of  the  final  judgment, 
which  that  event  so  aptly  typified,  yet 
one  can  hardly  suppose  that  the 
question  of  the  disciples  embraced  in 
its  scope  any  thing,  save  the  ruin  of 
the  city  and  temple,  which  Jesus  had 
just  predicted.  This  catastrophe,  if  it 
ever  took  place,  according  to  the  pre- 
valent ideas  of  the  Jews,  was  to  be  con- 
nected with  great  physical  changes  in 
the  constitution  and  order  of  things. 
They  supposed  that  Jerusalem  and  its 
temple,  under  the  Messianic  dispensa- 
tion, would  be  as  enduring  as  time,  and 
whenever  these  came  to  an  end,  there 


3  ^1  And  as  he  sat  upon  the 
mount  of  Olives,  '  the  disciples 
came  unto  him  privately,  saying, 


cMa.  13:  3. 


would  be  a  closing  up  of  the  present 
constitution  of  things,  and  a  new  era 
and  economy  take  place.  The  question 
then  of  these  disciples  must  be  regarded 
as  a  simple  one,  proposed  in  a  varied 
form,  as  questions  often  are  where  a 
full  and  explicit  answer  is  demanded.  It 
is  substantially  this  :  When  shall  Jeru- 
salem and  its  temple  be  destroyed,  as 
thou  hast  just  now  declared,  and  what 
signs  shall  precede  thy  coming  to  bring 
about  this  catastrophe,  and  effect  the 
final  change  in  the  constitution  of 
things,  which  may  be  denominated  the 
end  of  the  world?  Thus  explained,  the 
question  is  simple,  pertinent,  and  the 
very  one  which  might  be  expected  from 
men,  who  had  just  heard  with  alarm 
and  astonishment,  that  the  city  and 
temple  which  they  thought  would  stand 
through  time,  was  to  be  utterly  de- 
stroyed. 

In  answer  to  their  inquiry,  our 
Lord  informed  them  of  the  signs  which 
should  precede  the  downfall  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  as  they  had  erroneously  con- 
nected with  this  event  the  end  of  the 
world,  his  reply  embraces  also  that  ca- 
tastrophe. But  these  two  events  are  not, 
as  Allord  thinks,  referred  to  in  parallel 
interpretations  running  through  the 
chapter,  as  far  as  v.  28,  the  destiuc- 
tiou  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  final  judg- 
ment being  enwrapped  in  the  word.--, 
the  former  however,  predominating, 
after  which  (i.  e.  from  v.  28),  the  lesser 
subject  beginning  to  be  swallowed  up 
in  the  greater,  until  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  chapter  and  the  whole  of  the  next, 
the  second  advent,  and  at  last  the  en- 
suing Jinal  jndgtnent,  being  the  subjects. 
Instead  of  such  an  admixture  of  the 
two  events,  utterly  forbidden  by  the 
great  time-text  v.  34,  and  also  by  the 
plain  and  simple  reply,  which  our 
Lord  nmst  be  conceived  to  have 
made  to  the  interrogatories  of  his  disci- 
ples, the  one  event  nmst  be  regarded 
as  the  sole  subject  of  the  prediction 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


307 


^  Tell  us,  when  shall  these  things 
be  ?  and  what  shall  he  the  sign  of 
thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the 
world  ? 


c?iTh.5:i. 


until  V.  43,  where  is  a  distinct  and 
well-marked  transition,  and  following 
which  there  is  nothing  which  can  well 
be  referred  to  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
rusalem,  but  every  thing  points  to  the 
final  coming  of  our  Lord  at  the  day  of 
judgment.  In  interpreting  this  chap- 
ter, therefore,  we  must  ever  keep  in 
mind  the  great  fact,  which  is  the  only 
key  to  its  true  exposition,  that  our  Lord 
is  replying  to  a  simple  question,  as  to 
the  time  and  premonitory  signs  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  inasmuch 
as  the  disciples  had  connected  these 
with  the  end  of  the  world,  he  passes  at 
V.  43,  to  the  consideration  of  that  event, 
which  is  still  further  developed  in  the 
following  chapter,  especially  in  vs. 
31-46. 

Those  expositors  who  find,  as  has 
been  stated  above,  three  distinct  ques- 
tions proposed  by  the  disciples,  main- 
tain that  our  Lord  in  his  reply  em- 
ployed language  which  could  be  applied 
to  them  singly  or  combined,  and  that 
he  intermingled  expressions,  some  of 
which  referred  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  others  to  the  day  of 
final  judgment.  '■  But  this,  as  has  before 
been  intimated,  is  based  on  the  false 
assumption,  that  the  disciples  regarded 
the  final  consummation  of  things  as 
something  distinct  from  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  whereas,  as  we  have 
shown,  they,  in  common  with  their  na- 
tion, looked  upon  the  two  events  as 
strictly  contemporaneous.  It  also  makes 
their  question  too  general,  its  only 
point  being  the  time  and  signs  of  the 
destruction  of  their  city  and  temple, 
which  their  Master  had  just  predicted 
in  the  most  express  terms.  Besides 
this  objection  to  the  question  being  re- 
garded as  threefold,  such  a  view  com- 
pels its  supporters  to  make  the  answer 
of  our  Savior  confused  and  enigmatical 
to  the  highest  degree.     One  verse  they 


4  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  '  Take  heed  that   no 
man  deceive  you. 
.  5  For  •'  many  shall  come  in  my 

eEp.5:6;  Col.2:3,18;  2Th.2:3;  lJo.4:l. 
/  Je.  14  :  14,  &  23 :  21,  25 ;  ver.  24 ;  Jn.  5 :  43. 


refer  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
another  to  the  coming  of  Christ  at  the 
final  judgment,  and  again  another,  by  a 
kind  of  double  sense,  to  both  events,  as 
their  conceptions  of  the  language  and 
imagery  may  seem  to  justify.  Such  a 
principle  of  interpretation  disregards 
the  general  scope  of  thought,  and 
readily  adopts  any  conjecture  which 
mere  verbal  imagery  and  resemblances 
may  suggest.  This  will  be  more  clearly 
seen  in  the  exposition  of  the  chapter. 

These  things,  i.  e.  the  destruction  of 
the  temple  as  predicted.  Sign  of  thy 
coming  to  subvert  the  present  order  of 
things,  and  take  vengeance  on  thy  ene- 
mies. The  unbelief  and  opposition  of 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  had  been 
such,  that  the  disciples  thought  one  of 
the  first  acts  of  the  coming,  conquering 
Messiah,  would  be  to  inflict  vengeance 
upon  them,  and  on  the  ruins  of  the 
Jewish  polity  to  establish  a  new  order 
of  things.  It  is  not  strange,  if  with 
minds  only  partially  enlightened  as  to 
the  true  nature  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom, they  should  have  confounded 
all  these  events  in  the  question  they 
proposed.  End  of  the  world.  See  N. 
13  :  39. 

4.  Our  Lord  does  not  immediately 
reply  in  direct  terms  to  their  question. 
He  first  speaks  of  the  great  number  of 
false  teachers  and  impostors,  which 
should  throng  the  land,  corrupting 
many  from  the  truth,  and  preparing 
the  nation  for  its  approaching  doom. 
Take  heed;  hterally,  see  to  it,  watch 
earnestly.  A  similar  form  of  earnest 
caution  is  found  in  Eph.  5:6;  Col.  2  : 
8  ;  2  Thes.  2  :  3.  Deceive  you  by  the 
various  acts  and  devices,  with  which 
impostors  seek  to  mislead  the  unstable 
and  uiyvary. 

5.  For  many  shall  come,  &c.  This 
is  the  reason  why  they  were  to  take 
special  heed  against  impostors.      The 


308 


MATTHEAV. 


[A.  D.  33. 


name,  saying,  I  am  Christ ;    ^  and 
shall  deceive  many. 

6  And  ye  shall  hear  of  wars, 
and  rumours  of  wars  :  see  that  ye 
be   not   troubled :    for   all   these 

g  Ver.  11. 


land  was  to  abound  with  them.  Such 
was  the  fact.  Josephus  says  that  dur- 
ing the  procuratorship  of  FeHx,  there 
were  numbers,  "  who  deceived  and  de- 
hided  the  people  under  pretence  of  di- 
vine inspiration,"  instancing  an  Egyp- 
tian false  prophet,  who  got  together 
30,000  deluded  men,  and  led  them  to 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  where  they  were 
met  by  the  Roman  soldiers,  and  the 
greater  part  slain  or  made  prisoners. 
He  also  speaks  of  Theudas  (not  the  one 
mentioned  in  Acts  5  :  36,  37,  who  must 
have  lived  nearly  40  years  previous),  a 
certain  magician,  who  persuaded  many 
people  to  follow  him  to  the  Jordan, 
■which  he  promised  to  divide  for  their 
easy  passage  over  it.  He  and  his  fol- 
lowers perished  miserably,  having  been 
unexpectedly  fallen  upon  by  a  troop  of 
Roman  horsemen.  Simon  Magus, 
Dositheus,  and  others  might  be  men- 
tioned, as  among  the  deceivers  of  that 
time.  In  my  name.  Not  in  the  name 
or  authority  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  but 
claiming  the  title  of  Messiah,  which  be- 
longed to  him  alone.  /  am  Christ. 
This  explains  what  is  meant  by  their 
coming  in  our  Lord's  name.  Luke  here 
adds,  "  and  the  time  draweth  near," 
which  are  not  the  words  of  Christ,  but 
of  these  false  prophets,  who  inspired 
the  people  with  vain  hopes,  that  the 
time  of  deUverance  from  Roman  servi- 
tude was  at  hand.  Shall  deceive  many. 
Thousands  followed  these  impostors, 
expecting  to  see  great  signs  and  won- 
ders, followed  by  a  speedy  deliverance 
from  the  Roman  yoke. 

6.  And  ye  shall  hear  of  wars,  &c.  For 
many  years  previous  to  tlie  final  war, 
there  wei'e  rebellions,  outbreaks,  and 
risings  of  the  people  against  Roman 
rule,  so  that  the  whole  land  was  in  a 
state  of  commotion,  and  much  blood 
was  shed.  Reference  is  thought  by 
some  to  be  had  also  to  the  wars  and 


things  must  come  to  pass,  but  the 
end  is  not  yet. 

7  For  ^  nation  shall  rise  against 
nation,  and  kingdom  against  king- 
dom :  and  there  shall  be  famines, 

A 2  Ch.  15:16;  Is.  19:  2;  He.  2  :  22;  Zee.  14: 18. 


commotions,  which  about  that  time 
agitated  the  Roman  empire,  in  which 
four  emperors,  in  the  short  space  of 
eighteen  months,  came  to  a  violent 
death.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  when 
our  Lord  uttered  this  prediction,  the 
Roman  empire  internally  was  in  the  en- 
joyment of  profound  peace.  Rimiors 
of  loars.  The  country  was  kept  in  agi- 
tation and  alarm,  by  reports  of  wars 
and  invasions  which  never  actually 
took  place.  Josephus  particularly  re- 
fers to  several  of  these  reported  hostil- 
ities, as  the  declaration  of  war  against 
the  Romans  by  Bardanes,  and  after- 
wards by  his  brother  Volagases,  both 
Parthian  kings.  But  special  reference 
is  doubtless  had  to  rumors  and  reports 
of  risings  and  rebellions  in  the  land  of 
Judea,  against  Roman  domination,  and 
of  threats  of  Roman  invasion  to  punish 
the  refractory  Jews,  which  kept  the 
people  in  a  state  of  continual  agitation 
and  alarm.  Be  not  troubled,  i.  e.  have 
no  fears  of  immediate  danger,  for  these 
are  but  signs  of  what  is  afterwards  to 
come  upon  the  land.  Must  come  to  pass 
according  to  the  divinely  constituted 
arrangement  and  order  of  events,  by 
which  these  wars  and  rumors  of  wars 
are  to  precede  the  final  catastrophe. 
But  the  end,  i.  e.  the  end  of  the  world 
referred  to  in  v.  3,  and  in  the  disciples' 
estimation,  equivalent  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Jewish  state.  See  N.  on  v. 
3. 

"7.  For  nation  shall  rise,  &c.  An 
expression  of  the  sentiment  of  the  pre- 
ceding verse.  Wars  and  commotions 
were  to  agitate  the  whole  civilized 
world,  and  especially  the  land  of  Judea. 
Alford  from  Josephus  and  Philo  Judseus, 
refers  to  the  disturbances  among  the 
Jews  at  Alexandria,  the  massacre  of 
50,000  Jews  at  Seleucia,  and  a  similar 
tumult  at  Jamnia,  a  city  near  Joppa. 
There  is  no  difference  to  be  sought  for 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


309 


and  pestilences,  and  earthquakes 
in  divers  places. 

in  the  terms  nation  and  kingdom,  unless 
perhaps  the  latter  is  intended  to  more 
specifically  refer  to  countries  under 
kingly  rule.  The  general  idea  is,  that 
wars  and  commotions  were  to  convulse 
the  whole  world.  Shall  rise,  i.  e.  rouse 
themselves  up  to  carry  on  war.  The 
metaphor  is  based  upon  the  rising  up 
of  a  man  from  his  seat,  when  about  to 
do  violence  to  another.  Famines,  pes- 
tilences. These  evils  are  often  joined 
together  in  profane  writings,  inasmuch 
as  pestilence  usually  follows  upon  the 
footsteps  of  famine.  The  Greek  words 
Aj/tios,  famine,  and  Ao«/ixdy,  pestilence, 
are  nearly  alike.  The  etymological 
signification  of  both  is  a  pining  or 
wasting  away.  This  prediction  of  our 
Lord  was  fully  verified.  The  famine 
in  the  days  of  Claudius,  mentioned  in 
Acts  11  :  28,  which  by  a  reference  to 
the  historian  Josephus,  will  be  seen 
to  have  lasted  with  gre.ater  or  less 
severity  for  many  years,  under  the  two 
procuratorships  of  Cuspius  Fadus,  and 
Tiberius  Alexander,  was  probably  but 
one  of  many,  which  raged  not  only  in 
Judea,  but  the  neighboring  country. 
There  were  also  pestilences,  one  of 
which  is  recorded  by  Josephus,  as  hav- 
ing raged  in  Babylonia,  in  the  reign  of 
Caius  Caligula,  and  another  is  spoken 
of  by  Tacitus,  as  having  visited  Italy, 
A.  D.  66.  Earthquakes.  These  phe- 
nomena were  regarded  by  the  ancients, 
as  evidence  of  the  anger  of  the  Deity, 
and  the  impending  of  divine  judgments. 
Some  take  the  word  here  as  metaphori- 
cally denoting  civil  commotions,  but 
the  context,  in  which  natural  events 
are  spoken  of,  forbids  such  an  interpre- 
tation. In  the  time  here  referred  to, 
there  were  many  violent  earthquakes. 
One  took  place,  according  to  Tacitus, 
in  the  reign  of  Claudius.  In  Asia 
Minor  during  Nero's  reign,  several  cities 
were  destroyed  by  an  earthquake. 
Pompeii  was  nearly  destroyed  by  a 
similar  convulsion  of  nature.  In  divers 
places.  Although  this  clause  belongs 
grammatically  to  earthquakes,  yet  it  is 
to  be  referred  in  sense  also  to  the  pre- 


8  All  these  are  the  beginning 
of  sorrows. 

ceding  evils,  famines  and  pestilences. 
All  these  were  widely  prevalent  in  the 
earth.  Luke  adds  in  this  connection, 
"and  fearful  sights  and  great  sifiiis 
shall  be  from  heaven."  Although  theie 
is  scarcely  any  thing,  which  is  to  be  re- 
ceived with  more  caution  and  even  dis- 
trust, than  reports  of  remarkable  sights 
and  appearances  seen  by  individuals, 
and  even  by  an  excited  community,  yet 
there  is  no  doubt  that  many  strange 
and  wonderful  sights  preceded  the 
downfall  of  Jerusalem.  Josephus  says 
that  "a  star  (i.  e.  meteor)  resembling 
a  sword  stood  over  the  city,  and  a  comet 
that  continued  a  whole  year."  Pre- 
vious to  the  final  rebellion  and  war, 
while  the  people  in  crowds  were  attend- 
ing the  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  at 
the  ninth  hour  of  the  night,  a  light 
shone  around  the  altar  and  the  holy 
house,  as  bright  as  day,  and  lasting  ibr 
half  an  hour.  The  eastern  gate  of  the 
temple,  which  was  so  heavy,  that  it  was 
with  difficulty  shut  by  20  men,  and  had 
been  as  usual  strongly  barred  and  bolt- 
ed, was  seen  to  be  opened  of  its  own 
accord,  about  the  sixth  hour  of  the 
night.  A  little  before  sunset,  chariots 
and  troops  of  soldiers  in  their  armor, 
were  seen  running  about  among  tlie 
clouds  and  surrounding  cities.  At  the 
feast  of  Pentecost,  as  the  priests  were 
going  by  night  into  the  inner  temple, 
to  perform  their  accustomed  ministra- 
tions, they  felt  a  quaking,  after  which 
they  heard  a  great  noise,  and  the  sound 
as  of  a  multitude  saying,  "  let  us  go 
hence."  A  man  of  the  common  people, 
Jesus  by  name,  four  years  before  the 
war  began,  when  the  city  was  in  peace 
and  prosperity,  came  to  the  feast  of 
tabernacles,  and  began  on  a  sudden  to 
utter  in  a  loud  voice  woes  against  tlie 
city.  This  he  continued  to  do  by  day 
and  night,  in  all  the  streets  and  lanes 
of  the  city.  He  was  terribly  scourged, 
but  at  every  stroke  of  the  whip,  his  re- 
ply was,  "wo,  wo  to  Jerusalem."  He 
continued  this  melancholy  cry  for  seven 
years  and  five  months,  when  during  the 
siege,  as  he  was  going  round  upon  the 


310 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


9  '  Then  shall  they  deliver  you 
up  to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill 
you :  and   ye    shall   be   hated   of 

i  Ch.  10  :  17;  Ma.  13  :9;  Lu.  21 :  12;  Jn.  15: 
20,  &  16  :  2 ;  Ac.  4 :  2,  3,  &  T  :  59,  &  12  : 1,  &c. ; 
IPe.  4:  16;  Re.  2:  10,13. 

wall,  he  cried  in  his  loudest  tones,  "  wo, 
wo  to  the  city  again,  and  to  the  people 
and  to  the  holy  house,"  and  just  as  he 
added,  "wo,  wo  to  myself  also,"  he 
was  struck  by  a  stone  from  one  of  the 
enemies'  engines  and  killed  instantly. 
No  one  will  charge  upon  Josephus,  that 
he  forged  these  stories  in  oi-der  to  meet 
the  terms  of  our  Lord's  prediction.  It 
is  doubtful  whether  he  had  even  read  or 
heard  of  it,  and  had  it  fallen  under  his 
ej'e,  such  was  his  Jewish  prejudice 
against  the  Christians,  that  he  would 
have  been  unwilling  to  do  or  say 
any  thing,  which  would  advance  their 
cause. 

8.  All  these,  &c.  "What  a  dire  de- 
struction, of  which  wars,  famines,  pesti- 
lences, fearful  sights,  and  great  signs 
from  heaven,  are  but  the  precursors. 

9.  Theti  shall  they  deliver,  &c.  Our 
Lord  now  proceeds  from  signs  in  the 
natural,  to  those  in  the  moral  world. 
The  growing  rage  and  bitterness  of  per- 
secution, which  his  followers  were  to  ex- 
perience from  their  enemies,  was  to  be 
regarded  as  a  sign  of  his  coming  to  exe- 
cute his  judgments  upon  them.  His  lan- 
guage is  similar  to  that  which  he  employ- 
ed, when  he  sent  out  the  Twelve  (10: 
17-22),  especially  in  the  parallel  pas- 
sages, Mark  13  :  9-13  ;  Luke  21  :  12-17. 
The  word  then  does  not  mean  time 
following  the  preceding  events,  but  has 
the  sense  of  during  that  time.  Hence 
it  does  not  conflict  with  Luke  21 :  12, 
"  before  all  these  [commotions,  calami- 
ties, and  fearful  sights]  they  shall  lay 
their  hand,"  &c.  the  beginning  of  per- 
secution being  there  referred  to,  which, 
waxing  more  bitter  and  deadly,  reached 
in  time  the  culminating  point,  at 
which  Matthew  takes  it  up,  and  groups 
it  with  the  fearful  and  ominous  signs  of 
coming  wrath,  spoken  of  in  vs.  6-8. 
To  be  afflicted,  i.  e.  to  be  imprisoned, 
scourged,  and  persecuted  in  various 
ways.     See  N.  on  10:  17.     Shall  kill 


all  nations  for   my  name's   sake. 
10  And  then  shall  many  ^be  of- 
fended, and  shall   betray  one   au- 

k  Ch.  11 :  6.  &  13:  57  ;  2  Ti.  1 :  15,  &  4 :  10, 16. 

yoti.  Luke :  "  and  some  of  you  shall 
they  cause  to  be  put  to  death."  James, 
and  probably  Peter,  and  Paul,  and 
James  the  Less,  were  put  to  death  before 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Others  of 
the  apostles  also  may  have  suffered 
martyrdom  before  that  event.  Ye 
shall  be  hated,  &c.  See  N.  on  10  :  22. 
Christianity  was  aggressive  in  her 
movements.  Her  followers  did  not 
content  themselves  with  being  per- 
mitted to  dwell  in  peace  and  safety 
among  the  heathen  around  them.  They 
always  bore  strong  and  open  testimony 
against  popular  sins  and  vices,  and 
strove  to  make  converts  to  the  faith 
which  they  professed.  Hence  'they 
incurred  the  bitter  hatred  of  heathen 
rulers,  and  it  was  to  put  a  stop  to  this 
spirit  of  extension,  and  uncompromising 
hostility  to  heathenism,  that  such  dread- 
ful persecutions  were  waged  against 
them.  It  was  a  contest  for  life  and 
death.  If  Christianity  was  suffered  to  go 
on  unchecked  in  her  triumphs,  pagan- 
ism would  soon  come  to  an  end.  Taci- 
tus and  other  Roman  historians,  refer 
to  the  hatred  entertained  towards 
the  Christians.  See  also  Acts  18 :  22  ; 
1  Pet.  2:  12;  3:  16  ;  4:  14. 

10.  Shall  many  be  offended.  In  view 
of  the  afflictions  and  sufferings  through 
which  they  were  called  to  pass,  many 
would  renounce  Christ  and  become 
apostates  from  the  faith.  Betray  one 
another.  They  would  not  only  abjure 
Christ  but  become  themselves  the  most 
bitter  and  vindictive  persecutors  of  the 
church.  This  was  fully  verified  in  the 
early  history  of  Christianity.  Shall 
hate,  &c.  This  is  an  advance  on  the 
preceding  idea.  Betrayal  to  death 
might  result  from  fear,  or  a  supersti- 
tious devotion  to  paganism,  in  which 
they  had  been  born  and  educated,  but 
here  there  is  the  most  intense  hatred 
accompanying  the  act.  Alford  refers 
this  to  such  hatred,  as  was  felt  towards 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


311 


other,  and  shall  hate  one  another. 

1 1  And  '  many  false  prophets 
shall  rise,  and  "'  shall  deceive 
ruany. 

12  And  because  iniquity  shall 

?Ch.  7:  15;  Ac.  20:29;  2Pe.  2:1. 
m  1  Ti.  4 : 1 :  ver.  5  :  24. 


Paul  by  the  Judaizer?.  The  words  one 
another^  both  iu  this  and  the  preceding 
clause,  show  that  those  who  had  once 
professed  Christianity  are  referred  to. 

11.  Many  false  prophets  shall  arise, 
&c.  Some  commentators  find  a  dis- 
tinction between  these  false  prophets, 
and  the  false  Christs  spoken  of  in  v.  5. 
But  this  appears  rather  to  be  an  em- 
phatic repetition  of  what  is  there 
affirmed. 

12.  And  beeause  iniquity  (literally, 
lawlessness)  shall  abound.  A  general 
prevalence  of  sin  in  all  its  forms,  was 
to  mark  the  period  immediately  an- 
terior to  the  downfall  of  the  Jewish 
persecuting  power.  The  tense  of  the 
original  would  be  better  preserved  in 
the  translation,  because  iniquity  has 
become  full  or  immoderate.  It  had 
reached  the  culminating  point,  and  its 
effect  was  felt  disastrously  even  by  the 
church.  The  love  of  many.  Love  to 
God  and  the  interests  of  Christ's  king- 
dom is  here  meant.  Some,  however, 
take  it  in  the  sense  of  love  to  one  ano- 
ther., but  this  is  implied  in  love  to  God. 
Of  many  (literally,  the  many),  i.  e. 
the  greater  number  of  Christ's  follow- 
ers. Shall  wax  cold.  This  does  not 
imply  open  and  gross  apostasy,  but  a 
decrease  of  spirituality,  a  coldness  and 
comparative  indifference  to  the  claims 
and  duties  of  rehgion.  This  was  to  re- 
sult from  the  prevalence  of  iniquity  or 
general  lawlessness,  the  paralyzing  in- 
fluence of  which  would  pervade  even  the 
church.  That  religious  declensions 
were  prevalent,  we  may  gather  from 
such  passages  as  Gal.  3:1-4:  2  Tim. 
1:  15;  Heb.  10:  25;  2  Pet.  2:  1-3; 
Eev.  2:  4;  3:  1-4,  15-19. 

13.  Shall  endure,  i.  e.  shall  patiently 
submit  to  indignity,  persecutions,  trials 
for  Christ,  without  abatement  of  love 
or    zeal.     Unto  the  end.     Some  refer 


abound,   the  love  of  many  shall 
wax  cold. 

13  "  But  he  that  shall  endure 
unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be 
saved. 

n  Ch.  10 :  22 ;  Ma.  13  :  13  ;  He.  8  :  6, 14  ; 
Re.  2 :  10. 


this  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  attach  to  the  following  words, 
shall  be  saved,  the  idea  of  temporal  sal- 
vation from  the  ruin,  which  was  at  that 
time  to  overwhelm  the  Jews.  But 
while  it  is  a  well  attested  fact,  that 
few,  if  any,  Christians  perished  in  Jeru- 
salem, during  its  siege  and  fall,  yet  in 
view  of  the  context,  these  words  of  our 
Lord  can  hardly  be  referred  to  a  mere 
temporal  deliverance.  In  the  preceding 
verse,  it  was  predicted  that  there  would 
be  a  general  declension  in  religious 
love  and  zeal,  in  consequence  of  the 
rampant  forms  of  iniquity,  which  should 
every  where  prevail.  In  this  verse  is 
promised  deliverance  and  salvation  to 
such  as  persevere  to  the  end.  The 
verses  are  evidently  antithetic,  and  if 
the  defection  in  v.  12  is  spiritual,  the 
enduring  to  the  end,  in  this  verse, 
must  be  interpreted,  as  a  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well-doing  to  the  end  of 
life,  when  complete  salvation  in  heaven 
will  be  its  reward  (see  N.  on  10 :  22). 
As  a  parallel  passage,  see  Rev.  2 :  10, 
"Be  thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  fife."  Luke  (21  : 
18)  expresses  this  sentiment  in  a  pro- 
verbial form :  "  But  there  shall  not  a 
hair  of  your  head  perish."  If  this  re- 
fers to  temporal  salvation,  how  is  it  to 
be  reconciled  with  what  has  just  been 
said  in  v.  16,  "some  of  you  shall  they 
cause  to  be  put  to  death."  TJie  same  ; 
literally,  this  same  one,  i.  e.  he  and  no 
other. 

14.  TTiis  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  i.  e. 
relating  to  the  Messianic  kingdom.  In 
all  the  world.  This  is  not  to  be  limited 
to  that  portion  of  the  world  under 
Roman  sway.  The  expression  in  Mark 
(13  :  10),  "  among  all  nations,"  gives  it  a 
more  enlarged  signification.  ,  It  is  also 
an  historical  fact,  that  the  gospel  was 
preached  by  the  apostles  and  their  fel- 


312 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


14  And  this  "gospel  of  the 
kingdom  ^  shall  be  preached  in  all 
the   world  for  a  witness  unto  all 


o  Ch.  4 :  23,  &  9  :  35.        p  Eo.  10 :  18;  Col.  2: 
6,23. 

low  laborers  throughout  the  habitable 
Morld,  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. For  a  ivitness,  &c.  For  a  witness 
or  testimony  of  what  ?  Alford  thinks  it 
was  done  to  give  God's  people,  the  Jews, 
who  were  scattered  among  all  these 
nations,  the  opportunity  of  rejecting  or 
receiving  the  preaching  of  Christ.  Some 
expositors  say  that  the  gospel  was 
to  be  preached  throughout  all  lands, 
as  a  testimony  that  salvation  through 
Christ  had  been  rejected  by  the  Jews, 
while  others  maintain  that  the  division 
wall  which  so  long  existed  between 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  was  now  to  be 
broken  down  by  the  closing  up  of  the 
Jewish  economy.  That  the  promulga- 
tion of  the  gospel  was  in  some  way  to 
be  a  witness  against  the  Jews,  is  very 
evident  from  the  general  scope  of  the 
passage.  But  a  witness  of  what  event  ? 
There  can  be  but  one  reply.  What 
event  or  fact  of  history  was  comparable 
with  the  rejection  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
his  crucifixion  by  his  own  countrymen  ? 
Would  not  the  whole  world,  when  made 
acquainted  with  this  great  national  sin, 
unite  in  pronouncing  Jerusalem  as 
eminently  worthy  of  destruction  ?  JTien 
shall  th£  end  come.  When  all  nations 
were  thus  furnished,  through  the  gospel, 
with  full  evidence  of  the  wickedness  of 
the  Jews,  in  rejecting  their  Messiah, 
divine  vengeance  would  no  longer  be 
delayed  against  Jerusalem. 

15.  Our  Lord  now  proceeds  to  point 
out  some  of  the  more  immediate  signs 
of  his  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem, 
and  put  an  end  to  the  Jewish  state  and 
dispensation.  Even  Olshausen,  who 
blends  in  such  inseparable  union  the 
proximate  and  remote  comings  of  our 
Lord,  admits  that  vs.  15-21  "con- 
tain a  very  minute  representation  of 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  without 
any  pause  being  observed,  or  any  inti- 
mation being  given,  that  what  follows 


nations ;  and  then  shall  the  end 
come. 

15  When   ye    therefore    shall 
see  ^the  abomination  of  desolation, 

5' Ma.  13: 14;  Lu.  21 :  20. 

is  to  be  separated  from  what  has  pre- 
ceded."    It  is  precisely  for  this  reason, 
viewing  the  Savior's  reply  to  his  disci- 
ples  as  designed  to  be  intelligible,  that 
in  this  portion  of  the  prediction,  I  can 
find  no  direct  reference  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  only  as  the  whole  event  of 
the   coming  to   destroy  Jerusalem,  is 
symbolical  of  that  great  and  final  com- 
ing to  take  vengeance  on  the  ungodly. 
When  ye  therefore  shall  see,  &c.     This 
is  thought  to  refer  to  the  first  approach 
of    the    Roman    army   under    Cestius 
Gallus   (A.  D.  66),  which    harmonizes 
with    the    parallel    passage    in    Luke, 
"  when    ye   shall   see    Jerusalem  com- 
passed with  armies."     But  Alford  sup- 
poses that  Luke,  who  wrote  for  the  Gen- 
tiles,  refers  to  the  outward  sign,  while 
Matthew  and   Mark,  writing  for  Jews, 
or  as  Jews,  have  reference  to  a  corres- 
ponding  inner  or  dotnestic  sign,  seen 
within  the  very  precincts  of  the  temple 
itself.     This   he  refers  to  the  internal 
desecration  of   the   holy  place  by  the 
Zealots,  which  coincided  with   the   ap- 
proach of  Cestius,  and  thus  the  Christians 
from  within  and  without  were  warned 
to  escape.     But  I  cannot  but  think  that 
sole  reference  is  had  in  the  prediction— 
to   the   idolatrous  ensigns  of  the   Ro- 
mans, which  were  first  arrayed  against 
Jerusalem,    when   it  was    "compassed 
with  armies,"  and  afterwards,  when  the 
city  was  taken,  set  up  as  the  object  of 
worship,  over  against  the  eastern  gate 
of  the  temple.     See  Joseph.  Bell.  Jud. 
VI.  6.  §  1.     Abomination  of  desolation , 
i.  e.   the   abomination   which    causeth 
desolation.     This  is  too  strong  a  term 
to  be  applied  to  any  thing  short  of  the 
Roman  army,  on  its  mission  to  ravage 
and  desolate   Jerusalem  (see  Luke  21 : 
20).     In   order  to  appreciate  fully  the 
appositness  of  this  expression,  we  must 
remember  that  in  front  of  the  Roman 
legions  were  borne  their  ensigns,   con- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


313 


spoken  of  by  '  Daniel  the  prophet, 
stand  in  the  holy  place,  ('  whoso 
readeth,  let  him  understand,) 


r  Da.  9  :  2T,  &  12  :  11. 


sisting  of  eagles  and  images  of  the 
emperor,  to  which  divine  honors  were 
often  paid  by  the  army.  Xo  greater 
abomination  could  meet  the  eye  of  a 
Jew,  than  ensigns  to  which  such  idola- 
trous worship  was  paid.  Spoken  of  by 
Daniel  the  prophet.  See  Dan.  9  :  27  ; 
12:11.  These  words  of  Daniel  were 
regarded  by  the  Alexandrian  Jews,  as 
referring  to  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 
Compare  1  Mace.  1  :  54.  If  this  be  so, 
we  have  our  Lord's"  express  declaration 
of  their  second  fulfillment  in  this  last 
and  most  dreadful  siege  of  the  city. 
Indeed,  the  impiety,  cruelty,  and  dese- 
cration of  holy  places  and  things  by 
Antiochus,  was  but  a  type  of  the  more 
dreadful  sufferings  and  profanation  of 
sacred  places,  which  were  to  attend  the 
siege  and  capture  of  the  city  by  the 
Romans.  Stand  in  the  holy  place. 
These  words,  in  their  strictest  applica- 
tion, must  be  referred  to  the  erection 
and  worship  of  the  Roman  ensigns  in 
the  temple,  as  above  mentioned.  This 
is  evident  from  the  parallel  passage  in 
Mark  13  :  14,  "  standing  where  it 
ought  not."  But  the  commencement 
of  this  abominable  desecration  of 
holy  ground,  to  which  Christians  were 
to  give  heed,  as  a  signal  for  them  to 
retire  from  the  city,  was  when  the 
ensigns  first  appeared  at  the  head  of 
the  legions  approaching  to  invest  the 
city.  Whoso  readeth,  &c.  This  with 
the  parallel  passage  in  Mark  is  added 
by  the  respective  Evangelists,  to  call  j 
the  special  attention  of  Jewish  Chris-  | 
tians  to  the  warning  here  given,  in  ' 
order  that  they  might  make  timely  i 
flight  from  the  city.  Some  of  the  older  ■ 
commentators  refer  the  words  to  our 
Lord,  who,  as  they  think,  wished  to  fix 
the  attention  of  his  hearers  to  the  re- 
markable prediction  of  Daniel.  But 
then  we  should  have  expected  the  word 
heareth  instead  of  readeth. 

16.    Wldch  be  in  Judea,  i.  e.  in  Jeru- 
salem and  the  places  contiguous.     That 
Vol.  I.— 14. 


16  Then  let  them  which  be  in 
Judea  flee  into  the  mountains  : 

17  Let  him  which   is    on   the 

«  Da.  9  :  2-3, 25. 

Jerusalem  is  included  is  seen  from  the 
parallel  passage  in  Luke :  "  And  let 
them  which  are  in  the  midst  of  it 
(i.  e.  Jerusalem  the  capital  and  centre 
of  Jewish  power)  depart  out."  Fiee 
to  the  mountains,  where  were  strong- 
holds, caverns,  and  other  places  of 
concealment  and  safety.  Many  of 
the  Jewish  Christians,  in  obedience  to 
this  command  of  our  Savior,  at  the 
siege,  fled  to  Pella,  a  town  forming  the 
northern  boundary  of  Perea  (see 
Joseph.  Jewish  Wars,  III.  3,  §  3),  and 
thus  preserved  their  lives.  On  their 
way  thither  they  had  to  pass  over 
mountains,  and  it  is  not  improbable, 
that  many  of  them  fled  still  further 
north  to  Mount  Libanus  itself  It  was 
a  very  remarkable  fact,  that  when  the 
Romans,  under  Cestius  Callus,  first 
marched  against  the  city,  and  taking 
advantage  of  the  consternation  caused 
by  his  unexpected  and  sudden  ap- 
proach, was  on  the  point  of  obtaining 
possession  of  it,  he  recalled  his  soldiers 
from  the  place,  and  retired  from  the 
city,  as  Josephus  says,  "  without  any 
reason  in  the  world."  But  this  unex- 
pected raising  of  the  siege,  furnished 
the  Christians  opportunity  to  leave  it  as 
their  Lord  had  directed.  The  final  siege 
was  also  thereby  reserved  for  Titus,  to 
be  marked  with  great  tribulation, 
"  such  as  was  not  since  the  beginning 
of  the  world  to  that  time,  nor  ever 
should  be." 

17.  On  the  housetop.  The  roofs  of 
the  oriental  houses  were  made  flat,  so 
that  persons  could  sit  or  walk  there  for 
recreation  and  retirement  (Acts  10  :  9). 
From  the  porch  inside  the  gate,  stairs 
led  to  the  roof  or  upper  stories.  A 
person  could  therefore,  descend  from 
the  roof,  without  entering  the  interior 
of  the  house.  Not  come  down  to  take, 
&c.  This  command  was  expressive  of 
the  greatest  haste.  The  danger  was 
too  near  to  admit  of  any  delay.  Xo 
time  was  to  be  lost  in  fleeing  to  a  place 


314 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


housetop  not  come  down  to  take 
any  thing  out  of  his  house  : 

18  Neither  let  him  which  is  in 
the  field  return  back  to  take  his 
clothes. 


of  safety.  It  was  of  more  importance 
to  save  their  lives,  than  to  load  them- 
selves down  with  valuables  from  the 
house,  and  thus  retard  their  flight. 
Some  think  that  the  command  is  not  to 
descend  at  all,  but  to  make  their  way 
with  all  speed  over  the  roofs  of  the 
contiguous  houses,  and  thus  reach  the 
wall  of  the  city.  This  gives  a  good 
sense,  but  yet  it  is  better  to  refer  the 
prohibition  to  a  descent  through  the 
interior  of  the  house,  in  order  to  select 
and  carry  away  their  most  valuable 
effects.  This  also  is  more  consonant 
with  the  direction  as  given  in  Mark 
(13  :  15). 

18.  Neither  let  him  irhich  is  in  the 
field,  &c.  This  and  the  preceding 
verse  were  doubtless  proverbial  expres- 
sions, denoting  great  haste.  Like  most 
of  such  phrases  and  forms  of  speech, 
they  slightly  partake  of  the  hyper- 
bolical. We  are  not  to  suppose  that 
they  were  to  leave  so  suddenly,  as  to 
make  no  provision  for  the  wants  of 
themselves  or  families.  But  the  pro- 
hibition was  against  unnecessary  delay, 
and  the  removal  of  such  things  as 
would  not  only  be  comparatively  useless, 
but  retard  their  flight.  In  the  field  pur- 
suing his  usual  labor.  Return  back, 
&c.  While  at  work  the  outer  garment 
(see  N.  on  5  :  40)  was  laid  aside,  as  is 
usual  with  laborers  at  the  present 
time.  At  the  first  sign  of  danger,  the 
field  laborer  was  to  flee  for  life,  not  re- 
turning even  a  few  paces  to  the  place 
where  he  had  laid  down  his  garment, 
lest  the  enemy  might  fall  upon  him 
while  taking  it  up,  or  his  flight  be 
thereby  retarded. 

19.  Reference  in  this  verse  is  had 
primarily  to  Christian  females,  who,  in 
the  condition  here  referred  to,  could 
not  well  be  removed  to  a  place  of  safe- 
ty.    The  eye  of  our  Savior  may  have 


19  And  '  wo  unto  them  that  are 
with  child,  and  to  them  that  give 
suck  in  those  days  ! 

20  But  pray  ye  that  your  flight 


t  Lu.  23 :  29. 


also  been  directed  to  the  miserable 
condition  of  Jewish  mothers,  who,  in 
the  extremity  of  the  siege,  killed  and 
ate  their  own  offspring. 

20.  But  praij  ye,  &c.  Our  Lord  here 
directs  his  followers  to  pray  for  the 
mitigation  of  calamities,  which  were 
predicted  as  certainly  to  come.  Their 
occurrence  was,  however,  no  more  cer- 
tain in  the  divine  mind  and  purpose, 
than  the  time  and  order  in  which  they 
were  to  take  place.  But  this  time  and 
order  had  been  arranged  with  reference 
to  the  very  prayers,  which  our  Savior 
here  directed  to  be  offered.  These 
supplications  had  all  been  contem- 
plated by  the  omniscient  God,  from  the 
ages  of  eternity,  and  had  as  permanent 
a  position  and  influence  in  the  divine 
plan,  as  the  events  in  reference  to  which 
they  were  ofiered.  The  efficacy  of 
prayer  with  a  Being,  who  has  all  things 
arranged  and  fixed  according  to  his 
eternal  purpose,  may  have  in  it  much 
that  we  cannot  fully  understand.  But 
that  prayer  has  this  efficacy,  there  can  be 
no  doubt,  and  we  have  our  Savior's  ex- 
ample and  direction  to  pray  earnestly 
for  the  removal  of  temporal,  as  well  as 
spiritual  evil.  In  the  ivinter.  The 
Jewish  winter  extended  from  the  mid- 
dle of  December  to  the  middle  of 
February.  At  this  time  the  mountains, 
whither  these  fugitives  were  to  direct 
their  flight,  were  covered  with  snow, 
and  the  cold  too,  was  very  intense. 
The  days  were  short,  the  roads  bad, 
and  the  travelling  tedious  and  danger- 
ous, particularly  through  the  declivi- 
ties of  mountains.  See  Jer.  13:  16; 
23:  12.  Neither  on  the  sabbath  day. 
The  Jewish  Christians  might  entertain 
scruples  against  travelling  on  the  sab- 
bath beyond  the  legal  distance,  which 
was  about  five  furlongs.  But  even  if 
free  from  such  scruples,  they  would  be 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


315 


be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on 
the  sabbath  day : 

21  For  "then  shall  be  great  trib- 
ulation,   such    as   was   not    since 

uDa..  9:26,  &12  :  1;  Joel2  :  2. 

liable  to  detention  on  the  roads, 
should  they  attempt  to  travel  contrary 
to  Jewish  law.     ' 

21.  For  there  shall  be,  &c.  This 
verse  contains  the  reason  for  the  fore- 
going directions.  Unless  they  succeed- 
ed in  escaping  from  the  city,  they 
would  share  in  tribulation  such  as  the 
world  had  never  witnessed.  Great  trilm- 
lation.  Compare  Luke  21  :  23,  24.  In 
this  expression  are  included  all  the 
excesses,  horrors,  and  carnage  which 
attended  the  siege  and  fall  of  the  city. 
Such  as  was  not,  &c.  Hardly  can  this 
be  deemed  hyperbolical,  when  the 
reality  of  those  dreadful  atrocities  and 
horrors  of  the  siege  of  Jesusalem  are 
taken  into  account,  and  which,  as 
Bloomfield  remarks,  have  never  to  this 
day  been  paralleled.  This  form  of  ex- 
pression is  found  in  Ex.  10  :  14  ;  11 :  6  ; 
Dan.  12  :  1 ;  Joel  2:  2.  JVo,  nor  ever 
shall  be.  The  negation  in  the  original 
is  exceedingly  emphatic,  and  forbids 
attributing  to  our  Lord  in  this  passage, 
the  language  of  exaggeration. 

22.  Tliosc  days  of  the  siege  of  Jerusa- 
lem. Should  he  shortened  ;  literally,  had 
been  shortened.  The  duration  of  the  siege 
and  all  its  attendant  calamities,  had 
been  fixed  in  the  eternal  counsels  of 
God.  Unless  in  his  mercy  he  had  pre- 
determined that  the  city  should  be 
taken  in  a  much  shorter  time,  than  its 
strong  position  and  defences  would 
have  led  any  one  to  suppose,  the  whole 
nation  would  have  become  extinct. 
This  shortening  of  the  siege  was  brought 
to  pass  by  several  concurring  circum- 
stances. Had  Jerusalem  contained 
within  its  walls  its  own  citizens  only, 
and  been  defended  with  military  skill, 
such  was  its  almost  impregnable  posi- 
tion and  strong  defences  that,  if  taken 
at  all,  it  w^ould  only  have  fallen  after 
several  years  had  been  consumed  in  the 
siege.  But  the  city  was  crowded  with 
people,  who  had  come  up  to  keep  the 


the  beginning   of    the   world    to 
this  time,  no,  nor  ever  shall  be. 

22  And  except  those  days  should 
be  shortened,  there  should  no  flesh 


passover,  and  not  only  were  more  pro- 
visions required  to  sustain  so  great  a 
multitude,  but  the  stores,  which  they 
had  on  hand,  were  recklessly  destroyed 
or  wasted  in  the  first  days  of  the  siege. 
Josephus  (Jewish  Wars,  V.  2  §  4)  says, 
that  John  and  Simon,  who  headed  dif- 
ferent factions,  set  fire  to  houses  full  of 
corn  and  provisions,  which  would  have 
been  sufficient  for  a  siege  of  many 
years.  As  Titus  had  so  invested  the 
place,  that  no  provisions  could  be 
brought  in  from  the  surrounding  re- 
gion, famine  soon  made  the  most 
dreadful  ravages,  and  together  with 
internal  seditions,  by  which  thousands 
were  butchered  in  the  city,  caused  it 
to  fall  in  the  short  space  of  four  months. 
When  Titus  invested  the  upper  city, 
which  was  so  steep  as  to  forbid  its 
being  taken  without  raising  banks 
against  it,  the  Jews  of  their  own  ac- 
cord abandoned  the  town,  which  Jo- 
sephus says  "  could  never  have  been 
taken  by  force,  nor  indeed  in  any  other 
way  than  by  famine."  So  infatuated 
was  their  course,  that  the  same  historian 
considers  them  "  ejected  from  these 
towers  by  God  himself."  All  these 
things  were  a  part  of  God's  determi- 
nation to  shorten  these  days  "  for  the 
elect's  sake.'!  No  fesh  sliouldbe  saved; 
literally,  there  could  not  be  saved  all 
flesh,  i.  e.  no  flesh,  or  not  one  man 
could  be  saved.  Had  the  siege  been 
prolonged,  and  the  Roman  armies  tar- 
ried any  length  of  time  in  Palestine,  all 
the  inhabitants  would  have  perished. 
Tlie  elect's  sake.  This,  without  doubt, 
refers  to  Christians,  not  only  those  then 
Hving  in  Palestine,  but  such  as  in  future 
were  to  be  gathered  in  from  the  Jews 
(Rom.  11:  15),  and  which  promise  de- 
pended upon  their  continued  existence 
as  a  nation.  We  are  not  to  suppose 
that  all  the  Christians  in  Jerusalem  and 
Judea  made  good  their  escape  (v.  16). 
Many  of  the   sick,   aged,   infirm,  and 


316 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


be  saved :  *  but  for  the  elect's 
sake  those  days  shall  be  short- 
ened. 

23  "  Then  if  any  man  shall  say 

(bIs.65:8,9:    Zec.l4:2,3.         yMa.  13:21; 
Lu.  17:  23,  &  21 :  8. 


poor,  must  of  necessity  have  remained 
behind.  Some  would  also  stay,  whose 
zeal  and  courage  would  not  permit 
them  to  fly,  or  who  were  desirous  of 
preaching  the  gospel  to  their  country- 
men, in  this  time  of  their  extremity. 
These  would  all  have  perished  had 
the  siege  been  prolonged.  They  also 
who  had  fled  to  the  mountains,  unless 
relieved  from  the  necessity  of  a  long 
concealment,  would  have  perished  for 
want  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  But 
God  did  not  overlook  his  people. 
They  were  to  be  instruments  in  spread- 
ing the  gospel,  and  were  not  given  up 
to  utter  destruction.  Olshausen,  over- 
looking, or  not  giving  due  weight  to 
these  considerations,  tinds  a  very  im- 
perfect fulfilment  of  this  passage  in  the 
fall  of  Jerusalem,  and  thinks  "it  has  its 
final  reference  to  the  advei^t  of  the  Lord." 
23.  Then,  i.  e.  during  these  days  of 
calamity.  Those  expositors,  who  find 
a  twofold  reference  pervading  this 
whole  propliecy,  consider  this  and  the 
following  verses  to  point  with  increas- 
ing distinctness  to  the  day  of  final 
judgment,  and  less  palpably  to  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem.  But  a  true 
and  consistent  exposition  demands  that 
we  refer  the  whole  prediction,  as  far 
as  V.  43,  to  the  latter  event,  which  is 
indeed  to  be  regarded  as  a  striking 
symbol  of  our  Lord's  final  appearance 
to  take  vengeance  on  his  enemies. 
We  must  take  care  not  to  be  led  away 
from  the  true  scope  and  intent  of  our 
Lord's  reply  to  the  disciples,  as  to  the 
time  and  premonitory  signs  of  the  de- 
struction of  the  city  and  temple,  by 
undue  regard  to  the  language,  which 
has  so  often  been  used  in  prayers  and 
religious  exercises,  of  the  final  judgment, 
that  we  have  come,  almost  as  a  matter 
of  course,  to  refer  it  pi-imarily  to  that 
great  day.     Any  man,  however  worthy 


unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or 
there  ;  believe  it  not. 

24  For  '  there  shall  arise  false 
Christs,  and  false  prophets,  and 
shall  shew  great  signs  and  won- 

s  De.  13  : 1 ;  ver.  5:11;  2  Th.  2  :  9, 10, 11 ; 
Re.  13  :  13. 

of  belief  he  may  appear  to  be.  Lo 
here  is  Christ ;  literally,  behold  here  the 
Messiah.  While  uttering  these  words, 
the  speaker  may  be  supposed  to  have 
pointed  out,  by  some  gesture,  the 
individual  referred  to.  It  was  a  gener- 
ally believed  opinion,  that  the  Messiah 
would  appear  in  the  season  of  their 
extremity,  and  hence  the  people  lent  a 
credulous  ear  to  these  deceivers.  In  a 
time  of  such  pubhc  distress,  the  dis- 
ciples themselves,  unless  particularly 
on  their  guard,  might  be  carried  away 
by  the  claims  of  some  one  of  these 
impostors,  through  hope  that  he  would 
free  their  country  of  its  oppressors. 

24.  for  there  shall  arise,  &c.  This 
is  added  to  show  the  necessity  of  great 
watchfulness  against  these  impostors. 
Men  would  arise  whose  pretensions  to 
the  Messiahship  would  be  supported  by 
wonderful  deeds  and  manifestations. 
Many  would  become  their  followers. 
"  Behold  here  the  Messiah,"  would  be 
the  language  of  multitudes.  '  In  such  a 
time  of  public  excitement  and  anxiety 
to  find  deliverance  from  the  Romans, 
the  elect  themselves  would  be  strongly 
tempted  to  become  their  followers. 
False  Christs  and  false  prophets.  Most 
commentators  distinguish  between  these 
classes,  the  former  referring  to  those 
who  pretended  to  be  the  Messiah,  the 
latter,  to  those  who  claimed  the  pro- 
phetic gift,  and  were  full  of  lying  pre- 
dictions, in  respect  to  the  result  of  the 
siege,  and  final  deliverance  of  the  Jews 
from  the  Roman  yoke.  Great  signs 
and  wonders.  These  were  not  real  but 
pretended  miracles.  In  2  Thess.  2  :  9- 
12,  a  reference  is  had  to  just  such  lying 
wonders,  which  should  mark  a  subse- 
quent age  in  the  church,  when  the  man  of 
sin  and  son  of  perdition  was  to  be  re- 
vealed (2  Thess.  2  :  3).  No  impostor 
ever  had  power  to  work  a  real  miracle, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


317 


ders  ;  insomuch  that,  "  if  it  were 
possible,  they  shall  deceive  the 
very  elect. 

25  Behold,  I  have  told  you  be- 
fore. 

26  Wherefore  if  they  shall  say 

a  Jn.  6  :  37,  &  10 :  28,  29 ;  Eo.  8  :  28,  29, 80; 
2  Ti.  2  :  19. 

Of  to  predict  a  future  event,  unless 
compelled  thereto  by  a  higher  power, 
and  contrary  to  his  own  expectation 
(see  N.  on  7  :  22).  There  are  various 
ways  in  which  crafty  and  expert  men 
may  deceive  others.  They  may  be 
able  even  to  counterfeit  miracles,  with 
such  adroitness,  as  to  almost  shun  the 
possibility  of  being  detected,  except  by 
their  corrupt  lives  and  teachings.  There 
were  many  such  persons  in  the  time 
here  referred  to.  Josephus  calls  them 
impostors,  magicians,  sorcerers.  If  it 
were  possible  ;  literally,  if  possible. 
Great  difficulty,  and  not  absolute  im- 
possibility, is  here  implied.  It  is  a  truth 
beyond  dispute,  that  through  divine 
grace  the  elect  will  be  kept  from  apos- 
tasy, yet  there  is  nothing  in  the  nature 
of  the  case,  to  forbid  the  supposition, 
that  they  may  sometimes  be  deceived 
in  respect  to  the  true  character  of  those 
■who  assume  to  be  religious  teachers. 
A  ripe  Christian,  who  is  wise  in  things 
pertaining  to  truth  and  righteousness, 
is,  however,  quick  to  detect  signs  of 
imposition  and  hypocrisy. 

25,  26.  Behold  I  lutve  told  you  before. 
I  have  now  forewarned  you  against 
these  impostors.  WJierefore,  i.  e.  in 
view  of  the  warning  now  given  you. 
Tliey  shall  say.  This  refers  to  such 
persons  as  professed  to  have  found  the 
Messiah.  He  is  in  the  desert.  The  pro- 
noun he,  is  here  put  for  the  Messiah, 
it  being  used  in  the  way  of  aifected  pri- 
vacy ;  he  (you  know  whom,  the  coming 
One,  the  Messiah)  ^s  in  the  desert.  Ac- 
cording to  Josephus,  these  impostors 
generally  made  their  first  public  appear- 
ance in  deserts  and  retired  places,  where 
they  could  gather  a  band  of  deluded 
followers,  without  being  molested  by 
the  civil  authorities.  Go  not  forth, 
even  to  examine  into  his  pretensions. 


unto  you.  Behold,  he  is  in  the  des- 
ert :  go  not  forth  :  Behold,  he  is 
in  the  secret  chambers;  believe 
it  not. 

27  'For  as  the  lightning  cometh 
out  of  the  east,  and  shineth  even 

&LU.17:  24. 

much  less  to  become  his  followers.  Un- 
less in  cases  where  it  becomes  an  ob- 
vious duty  to  keep  others  from  being 
led  astray,  by  making  ourselves  person- 
ally acquainted  with  the  deceptive  arts 
and  practices  of  impostors,  we  are  clear- 
ly taught  from  this  passage,  not  to 
countenance  even  by  our  presence,  such 
deceivers  as  are  to  be  found  in  every 
age,  and  which  abound  under  various 
names  and  pretensions  at  the  present 
time.  Go  not  forth  to  them,  is  the 
command  of  our  Lord  to  all  his  follow- 
ers in  every  age  and  country.  In  the 
secret  chambers.  As  the  desert  was  a 
convenient  place  for  fomenting  rebel- 
lions and  gathering  followers,  so  the 
privacy  of  the  chamber  was  often  used 
for  the  same  purpose.  The  expression 
secret  chambers  (see  N.  on  6  :  6),  is  em- 
ployed here  of  private  apartments  in 
general.  Believe  it  not  ;  literally,  be- 
lieve not.  Put  no  faith  at  all  in  the  as- 
sertion. This  is  an  emphatic  repetition 
of  the  same  direction  in  v.  23. 

27.  For  as  the  lightning,  &c.  '  The 
tram  of  thought  is  this:  Look  not  to 
such  retired  places,  as  the  desert  or  the 
secret  chamber,  for  the  Messiah,  for  not 
stealthily  and  tardily,  but  sudden  and 
conspicuous,  as  the  lightning  flashing 
over  the  whole  heaven  from  east  to 
west,  shall  be  the  appearance  of  the 
Son  of  man,  the  true  and  only  Messiah. 
This  advent  is  primarily  the  one  to  take 
vengeance  upon  the  Jewish  nation,  but 
may  secondarily  and  in  a  higher  sense 
be  referred  to  his  final  coming  to  judge 
the  world.  But  we  are  not  to  adopt 
such  a  jargon  of  hermeneutics,  as  to 
make  this  coming  of  Christ  refer  pri- 
marily to  both  those  events,  or  to  con- 
sider with  Alford,  that  both  these 
comings  are  enwrapped  in  the  words. 
To  adopt  such  a  principle  of  interpre- 


318 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33, 


uuto  the  west;  so  shall  also  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be. 
28   "  For   wheresoever  the  car- 

c  Job.  39:80;  Lu.  IT:  3T. 

tation,  would  soon  lead  to  the  attaching 
as  many  senses  to  the  words  of  a  pas- 
sage, as  one's  fancy  might  dictate,  and 
destroy  all  reliance  upon  language,  as  a 
medium  of  fixed  and  definite  thought. 
Olshausen  is  here  more  consistent,  and, 
dropping  the  twofold  sense  which  he 
has  attached  to  much  of  the  prediction, 
says  that  these  words  have  no  sense 
except  when  applied  to  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 
But  see  X.  on  v.  34.  i 

28.  For  wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  &c. 
This  verse  refers  evidently  to  the  Ro- 
mans, gathered  together  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  as  eagles  gather 
around  the  dead  carcass  upon  which 
they  are  about  to  prey.  The  expression 
is  proverbial,  and  denotes  that  where 
sin  and  crime  abound,  God's  judgments 
will  be  sure  to  follow.  The  Jewish  na- 
tion was  soon  to  fill  up  the  measure  of 
their  iniquity  (23  :  32).  The  day  of 
God's  vengeance  would  then  speedily 
come.  This  verse  therefore  asserts  the 
ripeness  of  the  nation  for  ruin,  and  the 
certainty  of  its  approach,  and  is  confir- 
matory of  what  was  said  in  the  preced- 
ing verse,  about  the  sudden  and  open 
appearance  of  the  Son  of  man  to  exe- 
cute vengeance  upon  the  Jews.  As 
eagles  rarely  if  ever  feed  upon  dead 
carcasses,  the  bird  here  referred  to  must 
be  a  species  of  vulture,  which  scents 
and  approaches  dead  bodies  from  a 
great  distance.  This  bird  is  often  re- 
ferred to  by  the  ancients  under  the 
general  term  eagle.  Tlie  eagles.  On  the 
use  of  the  article,  see  N.  on  8  :  20. 

29.  Immediately  after,  &c.  It  is  not 
to  be  denied  that  many  interpreters  of 
great  piety  and  learning,  refer  these 
words  to  the  final  coming  of  Christ, 
from  the  strong  and  peculiar  language 
in  which  his  appearance  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven,  attended  by  his  holy  angels, 
is  described,  and  which  bears  a  close 
resemblance  to  the  description  of  his 
great  and  final  advent,  in  other  portions 


cass  is,  there  will  the  eagles  be 
gathered  together. 

29     '^  Immediately     after     the 

d  Da.  T  :  11, 12. 

of  God's  Word  (see  25 :  31,32 ;  2Thess.  1: 
7).  The  objection  advanced  against  this 
view  from  the  word  immediately,  which 
word  seems  to  overlook  the  centuries, 
if  not  ages,  which  will  probably  inter- 
vene between  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  day  of  final  judgment,  is  not 
entitled  to  much  weight,  for  it  may  be 
taken  in  the  general  sense,  very  soon 
after,  referring  to  the  comparative  brev- 
ity of  these  intervening  centuries  or 
ages,  when  viewed  in  relation  to  the 
ages  of  eternity,  which  are  to  follow 
the  day  of  judgment,  and  in  reference 
to  which  all  time  is  but  as  a  moment's 
duration ;  or,  as  Allord  remarks,  the 
ultimate  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  the 
treading  down  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Gen- 
tiles, which  process  is  still  going  on,  and 
which  constitutes  the  fulness  of  these 
days  of  tribulation,  may  extend  so  far, 
that  wlien  the  cup  of  Gentile  iniquity  is 
full,  immediately  after  shall  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  himself  happen.  But  while 
there  can  be  no  objection  to  this  in- 
terpretation from  the  word  immediately, 
there  are,  nevertheless,  strong  reasons, 
on  other  grounds,  to  doubt  its  truth  and 
correctness.  If  we  adopt  this  view,  we 
must  suppose  our  Lord  to  have  replied 
to  the  simple  question  of  his  disciples, 
in  a  very  confused  and  perplexing 
manner.  Verses  32-34  are  most  un- 
questionably to  be  referred  to  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem.  Why  should 
vs.  29-31  be  interposed,  if  referable  to 
a  more  distant  and  august  event  ?  The 
transition  to  this  final  coming,  if  here 
made,  was  so  sudden  and  imperceptible, 
that  it  must  have  escaped  the  notice  of 
the  disciples,  and  been  referred  by 
them  to  the  coming  to  destroy  Jerusa- 
lem. Especially  would  this  be  their 
understanding  of  his  words,  when  al- 
most in  the  same  breath  he  said  (v.  34), 
"  this  generation  shall  not  pass  till  all 
these  things  be  fulfilled."  The  similar- 
ity of  language  to  that  employed  in  ref- 
erence to  his  coming  at  the  day  of  judg- 


A.  D.  33.]  CHAPTER  XXIV.  319 

tribulation  of  those  days,  '  shall    the   sun   be    darkened,    and   the 

e  Is.  1-3  :  10 ;  Ez.  32  :  7 ;  Joel  2  :  10,  31,  &  3  : 
15  ;  Am.  5 :  20,  &  8  : 9 ;  Ma.  13 :  24 ;  Lu.  21 :  25; 
Ac.  2  :  20 ;  Ee.  6  :  12. 


ment,  is  found  in  the  fact,  that  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  was  a  great  type 
or  symbol  of  the  day  of  general  doom, 
and  the  language  of  the  one  may  with 
little  variation  be  applied  to  the  other. 
The  word  translated  immediatelii,  cor- 
responds to  the  more  general  expression 
in  Mark,  "  in  those  days."  There  is  no 
valid  objection  to  this  reference  of  the 
passage  to  our  Lord's  first  coming, 
drawn  from  Luke  21  :  24,  where  Jeru- 
salem is  said  to  be  trodden  down  of  the 
Gentiles,  before  the  announcement  in 
V.  25,  of  the  celestial  and  terrestrial 
commotions  and  signs,  which  are  to 
precede  the  revelation  from  heaven  of 
the  Son  of  man.  For  if  Dr.  Robinson's 
theory  be  not  true,  that  these  verses 
refer  to  the  final  and  complete  over- 
throw, and  extirpation  of  the  Jews  by 
the  emperor  Adrian  (see  below),  the 
apparent  difficulty  may  be  removed  by 
supposing  Jerusalem  to  be  represented 
in  Luke  as  being  taken  by  way  of  anti- 
cipation, and  not  in  the  strict  order  of 
events.  This  verse  in  Luke  flowed  na- 
turally from  V.  23,  and  contained  an  an- 
nouncement which  strictly  should  follow 
V.  27.  Such  an  anticipation  of  a  ca- 
tastrophe is  conmion  in  all  writers,  but 
is  quite  different  from  interposing  verses 
relating  to  another  and  far  distant 
event,  as  must  be  done,  if  vs.  29-31  in 
Matthew  are  to  be  referred  directly  to 
our  Lord's  final  coming. 

In  view  of  the  above  considerations, 
I  can  have  no  hesitancy  in  referring 
these  verses  in  Matthew  to  the  coming 
of  Christ  to  inflict  the  final  stroke,  and 
close  up  the  scene  of  calamity  and  suf- 
fering by  the  total  destruction  of  the 
city.  His  messengers  had  gone  before 
him.  Pestilences,  famines,  earthquakes, 
wars,  commotions  had  been  raging  in 
the  earth.  The  Roman  armies  had  be- 
leaguered Jerusalem.  The  Christians 
had  fled  to  the  mountains.  False 
Christs  and  false  prophets  had  arisen 
and  lured  multitudes  to  ruin.  The 
nation  was  ripe  for  destruction.  Around 


the  carcasses  the  birds  of  prey  were 
beginning  to  hover.  Immediately  after 
these  preliminary  events  the  Son  of 
man  was  to  come,  his  approach  being 
preceded  by  the  darkening  of  the  hea- 
venly bodies,  the  falling  of  the  stars, 
the  shaking  of  the  heavens,  and  the  de- 
struction of  the  city  was  no  longer  to 
be  deferred.  \  This  is  the  obvious  and 
natural  explanation  of  the  passage. 
That  the  language  is  similar  to  that  in 
which  Christ's  final  coming  is  described 
cannot  be  denied.  But  this  is  not 
strange,  when  we  consider,  as  has  been 
remarked,  that  the  one  event  is  typical 
of  the  other,  that  his  coming  to  destroy 
Jerusalem  is  a  representation,  faint  in- 
deed but  real,  of  his  glorious  and  awful 
coming  to  take  vengeance  upon  the 
finally  impenitent,  and  that  language  is 
therefore  used  of  it,  which  seems  ap- 
propriately to  belong  to  the  final  judg- 
ment. Dr.  Robinson  refers  vs.  29-31 
to  "the  overthrow  and  complete  extir- 
pation of  the  Jewish  people  fifty  years 
later  under  Adrian,  when  they  were 
sold  as  slaves,  and  utterly  driven  out 
from  the  land  of  their  fathers,  which 
was  the  final  catastrophe  of  the  nation, 
and  far  more  terrible  than  that  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  though  the 
latter,  in  consequence  of  the  vivid  de- 
scription of  it  by  Josephus,  has  come 
to  be  usually  considered  as  the  last  act 
in  the  great  tragedy,  which  it  was  not." 
There  is  no  serious  objection  to  this 
view,  but  yet  the  great  key-passage 
(v.  34)  compels  us  to  refer  it  rather  to 
the  time  of  the  burning  of  the  city  and 
the  temple.  • 

Tribulation  of  those  dai/s,  i.  e.  the 
days  immediately  preceding  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem.  Shall  the  sun  be 
darkened,  &c.  Prof.  Stuart  (Xotes  on 
Apocalypse,  Vol.  II.  p.  163,)  remarks, 
"Nothing  is  more  frequent  in  the 
Scripture,  than  the  indication  of  great 
changes,  especially  great  calamities,  by 
a  description  of  earthquakes,  and  tem- 
pests,  and    eclipses  of   the    heavenly 


320 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and    the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven, 


luminaries,  or  the  mention  of  tlieir 
bloody  aspect,  occasioned  by  a  murky 
atmosphere."  The  ancients  almost 
always  connected  eclipses  and  changes 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  with  the  wrath 
and  judgments  of  the  Deity.  Hence 
they  are  introduced  here,  as  preceding 
the  awful  visitation  of  our  Lord  upon 
the  guilty  Jewish  nation.  The  lan- 
guage employed  has  reference  to  the 
sun's  obscuration  in  a  total  eclipse,  or 
by  a  smoky,  lowering  atmosphere, 
such  as  usually  precedes  earthquakes, 
tornadoes,  and  similar  convulsions  of 
nature.  Tlie  moon,  &c.  There  is  a 
parallelism  betwen  this  and  the  preced- 
ing clause,  after  the  manner  of  Hebrew 
poetry.  The  darkening  of  the  moon  is 
to  be  referred  to  the  same  causes  which 
obscured  the  sun.  Luke  calls  these  ob- 
scurations, "  signs  in  the  sun,  and  in  the 
moon,  and  in  the  stars,"  because  tliey 
were  regarded  as  the  signs  or  symbols 
of  God's  wrath.  Tl>e  stars  shall  fall, 
&c.  The  atmospheric  heavens,  the 
region  oi  falling  stars  or  meteors,  is 
here  referred  to.  The  cause  of  these 
falling  bodies  being  inexplicable,  they 
were  regarded  by  the  ancients  with 
great  terror.  The  pouters  of  the  heav- 
ens, &c.  The  same  general  idea  of 
calamities  and  dangers  is  continued  in 
this  parallelism.  By  the  expression, 
the  powers  of  the  heavens,  is  meant  the 
heavenly  bodies,  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars.  These  in  highly  figurative  lan- 
guage are  said  to  be  shaken  (literally, 
tossed  to  and  fro,  as  a  ship  on  the  waves 
of  the  sea),  so  that,  although  after  the 
notion  of  the  ancients,  they  were  fixed 
in  the  heavens,  as  in  a  solid  expanse, 
some  of  them  became  loosened  and 
fell  to  the  earth.  See  Isa.  S-i  :  4  ;  Rev. 
6:13.  The  language  is  based  on  what 
is  philosophically  untrue.  But  it  was 
not  the  province  of  the  sacred  writers 
to  teach  philosophy  or  natural  science. 
They  employed  the  current  language  of 
the  times  in  which  they  lived.  They 
drew  their  illustrations  and  figures  of 
speech  from  the  forms  of  thought  and 
expression,  familiar  to  the  age  and 
country   in   which    they   lived.     They 


described  the  movements  and  changes 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  according  to 
their  phenomenal  appearance,  that  is, 
as  they  appeared  to  the  senses.  All 
this  was  just  as  it  should  be.  The 
terms  of  science  are  ever  changing  and 
inconstant.  But  the  phenomenal  ap- 
pearance of  the  heavenly  bodies  is  the 
same  now,  as  it  was  when  Moses,  David, 
Isaiah,  Matthew,  John,  and  other  sa- 
cred writers  looked  upon  them.  Their 
language,  founded  upon  this  appear- 
ance, as  it  struck  the  eye,  is  familiar  to 
us,  and  will  be  so  to  all  who  shall  come 
after  us.  The  sun  will  ever  in  common 
language  rise  and  set,  and  cross  the 
equatorial  line,  the  stars  or  meteors 
will  fall,  the  heavens  will  be  concave, 
the  extremities  of  the  sky  will  touch 
the  earth,  &c.  Had  the  sacred  writers 
departed  from  these  universal  and  fa- 
miliar forms  of  speech,  their  revelation 
would  have  been  dark,  obscure,  inca- 
pable of  translation,  from  want  of 
sympathy  with  the  common  forms, 
idioms,  and  laws  of  language.  In  respect 
to  the  falling  of  the  stars  being  repre- 
sented as  preceding  the  shaking  of  the 
heavens,  commentator!  find  what  is 
called  a  hijsteron  jyroteron,  i.  e.  an  in- 
version of  terms,  or  placing  of  the  last 
first.  But  it  is  better  to  I'egard  the 
latter  clause,  as  an  emphatic  repetition 
of  the  preceding  one. 

Luke  adds  other  convulsions  of  nature, 
such  as  "  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring," 
a  phenomenon  which  usually  accompa- 
nies violent  earthquakes.  In  the  great 
earthquake  of  1647,  which  was  felt 
throughout  all  South  America,  so  extra- 
ordinary was  the  agitation  of  the  sea, 
in  all  parts  along  the  coast  of  Chili, 
that  the  fishermen  fled  to  the  hills  for 
safety,  and  the  waves  rolled  so  furious- 
ly against  a  sea  wall  in  the  port  of  Cal- 
lao,  1500  miles  distant,  as  to  destroy  a 
portion  of  it.  In  1*730,  a  few  minutes 
after  an  earthquake  had  overthrown 
the  city  of  Concepcion,  the  sea  was  ob- 
served to  retire  several  hundred  yards, 
after  which  it  returned  with  a  wave 
most  appalling  in  appearance  and  effect, 
destroying  about  100  lives.     But  the 


A.D.33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


S21 


and   the  powers  of   the   heavens 
shall  be  shaken  : 


most  remarkable  agitation  of  the  sea 
was  that  which  followed  the  earthquake 
of  1835  in  Concepcion.  "After  the  ex- 
cessive vibi-ation  of  the  earth  had 
ceased,  the  sea  retired  many  leagues 
from  the  old  shore-line  :  and  two  hours 
later  returning  with  impetuosity  to  the 
beach,  swept  every  thing  before  it  with 
the  reflux,  bearing  men,  cattle,  and 
household  effects  upon  its  billows.  Such 
as  succeeded  in  gaining  the  hills  re- 
mained there  until  danger  had  ceased, 
listening  to  the  shrieks  of  those  whom 
the  waters  buffeted,  nor  was  it  until  day- 
light that  the  horrors  of  the  scene  were 
fully  appreciated.  According  to  the 
statement  ofsome,  the  sea  sent  its  waves 
over  the  town  three  times."  GiUiss's 
U.  S.  Naval  Astron.  Exp.  vol.  I.  p.  95. 
These  references  of  the  agitation  of  the 
sea  during  earthquakes,  show  the  beauty 
and  power  of  the  imagery  here  employ- 
ed by  our  Savior.*  Olshausen  refers  the 
celestial  phenomena  in  this  verse  to  ac- 
tual occurrences  and  appearances,  "  not 
denoting  absolute  destruction  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  but  simply  violent 
shakings  and  fearful  commotions,  which 
will  for  a  time  withdraw  them  from  the 
eye  of  man,  and  veil  every  thing  in 
awful  night."  But  in  his  note  on  v.  34, 
he  is  foroed  to  acknowledge  that  both 
this,  and  the  preceding  verses  of  the 
prophecy,  have  reference  to  the  imme- 
diate present  [i.  e.  the  downfall  of  Jeru- 
salem] as  well  as  a  further  reference  to 
the  future.  If  so,  how  did  this  predic- 
tion, if  it  refers,  as  he  maintains,  to  real 
shakings  and  commotions  of  the  heaven- 
ly bodies,  "  veiling  every  thing  in  awful 
night,"  find  its  primary  fulfilment  at 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  or  before 
the  men  of  that  generation  passed 
away  ?  But  this  difficulty  vanishes, 
if  we  regard  these  celestial  phenomena 
as  symbolically  spoken.    ,. 

30.  And  then.  After  the  civil  com- 
motions and  dire  calamities  indicated 
by  the  preceding  imagery.  Shall  ap- 
pear the  sign,  &c.     Some  find  a  slightly 


30  ^  And  then  shall  appear  the 
sign  of  the  Son  of  man   in  heaven  : 


/Da.  7:13. 


sarcastic  allusion  here  to  the  sign  of  our 
Lord's  Messiahship,  required  by  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees  (16  :  1).  A 
sign  should  now  be  given  them  which 
was  then  denied,  but  it  would  be  the 
sign  of  their  utter  destruction.  Others 
refer  it  to  the  inquiry  of  the  disciples, 
"  what  shall  be  the  sign  of  thy  coming  V" 
On  the  ground  mainly  of  its  omission  in 
the  parallel  passage  in  Mark  and  Luke, 
the  German  critics  regard  it  as  pleonas- 
tic. Alford  refers  it  to  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  "  by  which  all  shall  know  that 
the  Son  of  man  is  at  hand."  But  tlie 
parallel  passage  in  Mark  and  Luke  seems 
clearly  to  show,  that  "  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man"  is  our  Lord's  own  ap- 
pearance, not  literally  so,  as  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  to  which  Dan.  7  :  13, 
upon  which  the  expression  is  founded, 
refers,  but  virtually  so,  in  the  fearful 
vengeance  which  he  was  about  to  inflict 
upon  the  unbelieving  and  rebellious 
Jews.  The  eftect  of  his  presence,  on 
that  occasion,  would  be  so  n.anift.'t, 
that  all  would  feel  and  acknowledge  it, 
as  though  he  was  seen  with  the  natural 
eye.\  In  heaven,  the  air,  the  region  of 
clouds  and  storms.  This  is  more  fully 
expressed  in  the  latter  part  of  the  verse, 
cmning  in  the  clonds,  &c.  More  literally, 
itjjon  the  clovds  as  a  throne  or  chariot ; 
or  perhaps  the  idea  is  that  the  divine 
seat  was  both  njion  and  surrounded  with 
clouds  (compare  Rev.  1  :  7,  where  this 
idea  is  expressed  in  the  Greek),  which 
sustained  and  bore  it  along.  See 
Ps.  18  :  11  ;  104  :  3  ;  Ezek.  1  :  4  ;  19  : 
16  ;  40  :  34  ;  Isa.  6:4;  19  :  1.  Shall 
all  the  tribes,  &e.  Reference  is  had  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Judea,  the  language 
being  based  upon  the  ancient  division 
of  the  land  of  Canaan  among  the  twelve 
tribes.  The  expression  is  here  designed 
to  be  comprehensive,  and  to  embrace 
all  who  dwelt  in  the  land.  Those  who 
apply  this  language  directly  to  the  gen- 
eral judgment,  refer  the  words  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  whole  earth.  But 
this,  for  the  reasons  above  given,  is  in- 


322 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


^  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of 
the  earth  mourn,  *  and  thej  shall 
see  the  Sou  of  man  comiug  in  the 

(7Zec.]2:  12.    h  Ch.  16:2T;  Ma.  13:  26; 
Ke.  1 :  7. 


admissible,  except  in  a  secondary  sense. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  every 
person  in  the  land  of  Judea,  would  so 
connect  the  calamities  and  downfall  of 
the  nation  with  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus, 
as  to  mourn  because  of  him.  But  in 
their  terrible  sufferings,  many  MOild 
discern  the  tokens  of  his  avenging  pres- 
ence, whom  they  or  their  fathers  had 
caused  to  be  crucified.  No  figure  of 
speech  is  more  common  than  that,  by 
which  the  whole  is  taken  for  the  part. 
Compare  Rev.  1  :  7,  which  is  regarded 
by  the  best  interpreters  as  referring  to 
the  same  event  which  our  Lord  is  here 
predicting,  They  shall  see,  &c.  This 
language  is  based  on  Dent.  7  :  13,  which 
was  referred  by  the  Jews  to  the  Messiah, 
and  from  which  they  gave  him  the  ap- 
pellation, Cloud-comer.  A  reference 
to  the  passage  quoted  in  Daniel,  will 
show  that  the  coming  of  Christ  to  enter 
upon  his  Messianic  kingdom  is  referred 
to.  Whether  that  time  of  his  induction 
into  his  kingdom,  was  when  he  rose 
from  the  dead  and  was  constituted  king 
in  Zion  (Ps.  2  :  6),  or  when  he  set  up 
his  kingdom  upon  the  ruins  of  the  Jew- 
ish persecuting  power,  or  at  the  final  con- 
summation of  all  things,  when  he  shall 
put  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet  (1  Cor. 
15:  25),  is  a  matter  of  great  doubt  with 
interpreters.  One  thing  is  evident,  that  it 
is  an  assumption  of  lawful  power  and 
authority  on  the  part  of  Christ,  and 
may  without  any  violence  to  the  sound 
principles  of  interpretation  be  applier', 
at  least  in  a  secondary  sense,  to  his 
coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  the  prin- 
cipal seat  of  his  enemies.  That  this 
language,  in  a  higher  sense  (and  per- 
haps the  primary  one  in  the  original 
prophecy  of  Daniel),  is  apphcable  to  the 
coming  of  Christ  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, cannot  be  denied.  But  its  appli- 
cation here,  for  reasons  which  have 
been  given  (see  N.  on  v.  29),  must  be 
confined  to  our  Lord's  coming  to  take 


clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and 
great  glory. 

31  'And  he  shall  send  his  an- 

i  Ch.  13 :  41 ;  1  Co.  15  :  52;  1  Th.  4  :  16. 

vengeance  upon  the  Jewish  nation. 
With  poicer  and  great  glory,  i.  e.  with  a 
great  display  of  majesty  and  omnipo- 
tence. He  was  crucified  as  "  a  man  of 
sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief;" 
but  in  the  exercise  of  his  divine  omni- 
potence, and  arrayed  in  glory,  he  was 
now  to  break  his  enemies  with  a  rod  of 
iron,  and  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a 
potter's  vessel.  There  is  in  this  whole 
passage  an  implied  contrast  between 
Christ  in  his  day  of  humiliation,  suffer- 
ing, and  death,  and  the  glory  and  power 
with  which  he  should  afterwards  be 
invested. 

31.  The  striking  similarity  between 
the  words  of  tliis  verse,  and  those  pas- 
sages cited  in  Note  on  v.  29,  referring 
to  the  scenes  of  the  day  of  judgment, 
has  caused  many  to  hesitate  in  applying 
them  to  Christ's  coming  to  destroy 
Jerusalem.  But  verbal  resemblances 
should  never  cause  us  to  transgress  the 
great  and  well-established  laws  of  inter- 
pretation. The  context,  both  that 
which  precedes  and  which  follows, 
most  clearly  points  to  the  appearance 
of  Christ  to  take  vengeance  upon  the 
Jews,  and  this  verse  cannot  therefore 
be  forced  out  of  its  natural  position  in 
the  line  of  our  Lord's  prophecy.  It 
constitutes  a  portion  of  the  prediction, 
and  of  those  great  events  and  appear- 
ances, of  which  it  is  said  in  v.  34,  that 
"  this  generation  shall  not  pass  till  all 
these  things  be  fulfilled."  What  are 
mere  verbal  resemblances,  or  highly 
figurative  expressions  of  grandeur  and 
power,  which  seem  to  find  their  full 
reference  only  to  the  scenes  of  the  last 
day,  compared  with  this  plain  and  posi- 
tive declaration  of  our  Lord  himself, 
that  ALL  THESE  THINGS  should  be  ful- 
filled (or  come  to  pass)  before  the  close 
of  that  present  generation.  Inasmuch, 
however,  as  the  language  of  this  verse 
accords  so  well  with  that,  which  in  25  : 
31,   32;  2  Thess.  1  :  7,  describes   the 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


323 


gels    with    a   great    sound    of    a 
trumpet,    aud    they    shall   gather 


coming  of  our  Lord  to  judge  the 
world,  it  may  be  referred  in  a  secondary, 
but  still  higher  and  grander  sense,  to 
that  great  event.''  Shall  .sewc?  his  an- 
gels. Who  are  the  angels  here  spoken 
of?  Some  take  them  to  be  the  preach- 
ers of  Christ's  gospel,  the  angels  or 
messengers  (see  Rev.  1  :  20 ;  2:1,8, 
12,  &c.)  sent  forth  into  all  lands,  to 
gather  converts  into  one  society  under 
Christ  their  common  head.  But  what 
has  this  to  do  with  the  great  converging 
point  of  the  prediction,  to  which  we 
have  now  come,  viz.  the  downfall  of 
Jerusalem?  It  is  too  forced,  far-fetched, 
and  inapposite,  to  be  adopted  as  the 
true  exposition.  Alford,  in  accord- 
ance with  his  theory,  that  both  com- 
ings of  Christ  are  parallel  through 
this  whole  prediction,  and  that  words 
expressive  of  both  events  are  enwrap- 
ped together,  refers  this  verse  to  the 
general  judgment,  and  distinguishes 
between  the  angelic  trumpet-blowers, 
and  the  trump  of  God  (1  Thess.  4  :  16, 
17),  making  the  former  to  stand  con- 
nected with  the  first  resurrection  (Rev. 
20  :  5),  and  the  latter  to  be  the  great 
Trumpet  of  the  general  resurrection 
(Ps.  50  :  1).  But  the  true  rendering 
of  the  passage  cited  in  1  Thessalo- 
nians  is,  "  with  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, even  with  the  trump  of  God," 
no  distinction  being  intended  by 
tlie  second  clause,  but  simply  that 
the  archangel  bore  and  sounded  on 
that  dread  occasion,  the  trump  of 
God.  We  cannot  concur  with  Alford 
then,  either  in  his  reference  of  this  pas- 
sage to  the  general  judgment,  or  in  the 
imfounded  distinction  which  he  makes 
between  the  angelic  trumpeters  and  the 
trump  of  God,  which  is  to  summon  the 
dead  to  judgment.  No  theory  is  valid, 
which  does  not  recognize  the  declara- 
tion in  V.  34,  to  which  reference  has 
just  been  made.  Who  then  are  these 
angelic  trumpeters,  sent  forth  to  gather 
the  elect  from  the  four  winds  ?  It 
seems  to  me  that  reference  is  had  to 
the  guardian  angels,  who  in  the  dread- 


together  his  elect  from  the  four 
winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to 
the  other. 

ful  carnage  at  the  downfall  of  the  city, 
were  to  protect  and  guide  to  places  of 
safety  all  Christ's  followers,  who  had 
not  been  able  to  seek  safety  by  previous 
flight.  This  receives  confirmation  from 
the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  21  :  28. 
It  is  a  tradition,  that  not  one  of  the 
Christians  perished  at  the  siege  and 
capture  of  Jerusalem.  Let  no  one 
stumble  at  this  interpretation,  on  the 
ground  that  such  an  angehc  array 
would  hardly  be  employed  to  save  a  few 
of  Christ's  followers,  who  might  be  ex- 
posed to  death  at  the  capture  of  the 
city.  A  mountain  was  once  filled  with 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire,  to  protect  a 
single  prophet  of  the  Lord  from  his 
enemies  (2  Kings  6  :  17).  No  angelic 
ministry  is  too  exalted  to  watch  over 
those,  whom  Christ  died  to  redeem  and 
raise  to  heaven.  With  a  great  sound 
of  a  trumpet.  The  language  is  bor- 
rowed from  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  to 
call  the  people  together  to  solemn  as- 
semblies with  trumpets,  and  other  so- 
norous wind  instruments  (Ps.  81  :  3  ; 
Jcr.  4:5;  Joel  2  :  1,  15).  In  time 
of  peace  it  was  blown  more  softly,  but 
in  war  it  was  sounded  with  a  deeper 
and  more  stirring  tone.  There  were 
the  horn  or  crooked  trumpet,  and  the 
straight  trumpet,  which  is  the  one, 
doubtless,  here  meant.  The  guardian 
angels  are  here  represented  as  summon- 
ing the  Christians  of  Judea  together,  to 
be  conducted  to  places  of  safetv  (sec 
Ps.  27  :  5  ;  Isa.  26  :  20,  21),  and  the 
same  imagery  is  also  employed,  in  the 
gathering  of  all  mankind  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  Ciirist  (1  Thess.  4  : 
16  ;  2  Thess.  1:7).  From  the  four 
innds,  i.  e.  from  all  parts  of  the  land  of 
Judea.  The  Jews  noted  but  four  points 
of  the  compass,  east,  west,  north,  and 
south.  These  points  comprised  all  the 
intermediate  ones,  and  therefore  de- 
noted all  quarters.  The  four  winds 
were  used  to  denote  these  cardi- 
nal points  of  the  compass.  Here  the 
expression  is  rendered  more  compre- 
hensive and  complete  by  the  subjoined 


324 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


32  Now  learn  *  a  parable  of  the 
fig  tree  ;  AVhen  his  branch  is  yet 
tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves, 
ye  know  that  summer  is  nigh  : 

33  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall 
see  all  these  things,  know  '  that  it 
is  near,  even  at  the  doors. 


A  Lu.  21:29.     Z  Ja.  5  :  9.    wCh.l6  :  28  &23  :' 
36;  Ma.  13:30;  Lu.  21 :  32,. 


clause,  fro7n  one  end  of  the  heavens  to 
the  other,  reference  being  had  to  the 
visible  heavens,  or  horizon,  which  seems 
to  touch  the  earth. 

32.  J^ow  learn  a  parable  from  the  fig- 
tree  ;  literally,  7ioto  learn  the  parable 
from  the  fif/  tree,  i.  e.  receive  the  illus- 
tration of  this  subject  furnished  from 
the  lig  tree.  Our  English  version,  by 
omitting  the  article  found  in  the  Greek 
•withparable,  weakens  the  sense.  Branch 
is  tender  (literally,  soft  to  the  touch),  i.  e. 
when  young  and  tender  shoots  are  put- 
ting forth.  Fig  trees  began  to  sprout 
at  the  time  of  the  vernal  equinox. 
Putteth  forth  leaves.  When  leaves 
begin  to  appear.  Summer  is  at  hand. 
This  is  a  short  but  expressive  illustra- 
tion, designed  to  show  the  certainty  of 
the  signs  preceding  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  man,  as  the  springing  forth  of 
the  buds  and  leaves  of  spring,  was  a 
certain  indication  of  approaching  sum- 
mer. 

33.  All  these  things,  i.  e.  the  signs 
before  mentioned,  such  as  wars,  fa- 
mines, convulsions  of  nature,  &c.  Even 
at  the  doors  is  not  a  separate  clause  in 
the  original,  but  is  joined  to  the  pre- 
ceding words,  is  near  at  the  doors,  the 
closest  proximity  being  denoted. 

34.  2'his  generation.  The  men  now 
living.  See  N.  on  1  :  17.  Shall  not 
pass  {away  Luke),  i.  e.  shall  not  all  die. 
The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus 
took  place  only  about  40  years  after 
this  prediction  was  uttered.  This  limits 
the  preceding  calamities  and  commo- 
tions to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  end  of  the  Jewish  persecuting 
power.  No  language  could  make  this 
plainer  than  that   here  used.     How  it 


34r  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  "'This 
generation  shall  not  pass,  till  all 
these  things  be  fulfilled. 

35  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass  away,  but  my  words  shall  not 
pass  away. 

36  "But     of   that     day     and 

w  Ps.  102  :  26;   Is,  51 :  6;  Je.  31 :  85,  86 ;  ch. 
5:18;    Ma.  18  :  81;  Lu.  21 :  83;  He.l :  11. 
oMa.  13:  32;  Ac.l:T;  lTh.5:2;  2Pe.3:10. 


can  be  so  lost  sight  of  by  interpreters  is 
truly  wonderful.  ;  With  these  words  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  himself,  limiting  the 
foregoing  predictions  to  that  very  gen- 
eration, we  do  not  see  how  any  one 
can  dream  of  referring  them,  except  in 
the  way  of  accommodation,  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day.  TJicse  things. 
The  pronoun  here  employed  in  the 
Greek,  refers  to  what  immediately  pre- 
cedes, and  must  therefore  include  vs. 
29-31,  in  the  events  which  were  to  take 
place,  before  the  men  of  that  genera- 
tion should  pass  way.  Unless  this 
verse  is  deprived  of  all  its  force,  it  must 
refer,  beyond  all  doubt,  the  foregoing 
prediction  to  the  coming  of  Christ  to 
destroy  Jerusalem.  Olshausen  sees  and 
acknowledges  the  force  of  this,  and 
seemingly  forgetful  that  portions  of  the 
preceding  prediction  he  has  declared  to 
be  referable  to  nothing  short  of  the 
final  appearance  of  Christ,  he  makes 
this  remarkable  concession  :  "  The  only 
way  of  explaining  these  difficulties  [i.  e. 
such  as  arise  from  the  closing  of  the 
preceding  predictions  by  such  a  pos- 
itive affirmation  on  the  part  of  Christ, 
that  they  all  shall  take  place  before  the 
generation  then  on  earth  should  pass 
away],  is  to  view  the  prophecy  with  re- 
ference to  the  immediate  present,  but 
in  such  a  manner  that  every  thing  in- 
cludes a  further  reference  to  the  fu- 
ture." So  convenient  is  it  to  fall  upon 
the  double  sense,  when  pressed  by  a 
passage  like  this. 

35.  Heaven  and  earth,  &c.  Sooner 
should  the  material  universe  be  dis- 
solved and  come  to  an  end,  than  this 
prediction  be  unfulfilled.  This  prover- 
bial expression  (on  which  see  N.  on  5  : 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


325 


hour  kiiowetli  no  man,  no,  not  the 
angels  of  heaven,  ''but  my  Father 
only. 

i)  Zee.  14:7. 

18),  denotes  the  absolute  certainty  of 
the  coming  to  pass  of  the  things  here 
foretold. 

36.  This  verse  is  quoted  as  a  tri- 
umphant refutation  of  the  doctrine  of 
Christ's  divinity.  But  it  has  no  weight 
against  the  true  view  of  his  complex  or 
twofold  nature.  In  his  human  nature, 
separate  from  his  divine  nature,  he 
was  ignorant  of  the  future,  and  this  is 
no  more  strange  than  the  declaration 
that  he  increased  in  wisdom  (Luke  2  : 
62),  or  had  a  soul  which  shrunk  from 
the  endurance  of  distress  and  anguish 
(26  :  38  ;  Mark  14  :  34  ;  John  12  :  27  ; 
13  :  31),  just  like  any  human  being. 
Such  passages  furnish  no  difficulty, 
if  the  complex  nature  of  Jesus  as  God- 
man  be  kept  in  view.  Nor  is  this  pas- 
sage a  proof  that  the  day  of  judgment 
is  referred  to.  To  finite  intelligence, 
the  future  is  unfathomable,  whether  it 
pertains  to  an  event  near  at  hand,  or 
to  the  remote  ages  of  eternity.  The 
Son  of  man  in  his  human  nature  could 
as  easily  tell  the  precise  time  of  his 
coming  to  the  final  judgment,  as  to  de- 
stroy Jerusalem,  and  his  ignorance  of 
the  time  of  the  one  event,  was  not  more 
strange  and  inexplicable  than  of  the 
other.  We  are  thrown  back  again  upon 
the  context  to  determine  its  reference, 
and  that,  as  we  have  seen,  points  clear- 
ly to  his  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem. 
That  the  precise  time  of  this  event  is 
referred  to,  is  evident  from  the  words 
that  day  and  hour,  as  we  say  the  hour 
and  minute  (Alford).  Our  Lord  had 
predicted  in  general  terms  his  coming 
to  destroy  Jerusalem.  It  was  to  be 
soon.  The  race  of  men  then  living, 
were  not  all  to  pass  away  before  its  ac- 
complishment. But  the  precise  day  and 
hour  was  known  only  to  Him,  with 
whom  the  future  was  as  the  past.  The 
disciples  were  not,  therefore,  to  expect 
any  more  definite  revelation  in  respect 
to  the  precise  time,  than  what  had  just 
been  given  in  v.  34.  Prof.  Kendrick, 
m   his  note  on  Olshausen's  interpreta-  | 


37  But  as  the  days  of  Noah 
were,  so  shall  also  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  be. 


tion  of  this  passage,  refers  very  ingeni- 
ously the  imputed  ignorance  of  Christ 
to  his  strong  hyperbolical  language, 
that  the  time  of  this  great  event  was  to 
be  kept  a  profound  secret.  The  know- 
ledge had  never  been  lodged  with  him, 
the  Great  Revealer,  for  the  purpose 
of  being  communicated  to  man.  But  is 
not  the  ignorance  of  the  Son  on  this 
point,  of  the  same  nature  and  extent  as 
that  of  men  and  angels,  with  which  it  is 
closely  connected?  And,  after  all,  is 
there  any  more  difficulty  in  regarding 
our  Lord  as  ignorant  of  the  time  of 
some  future  event,  than  in  the  idea, 
that  he  could  increase  in  wisdom,  i.  e. 
attain,  as  he  advanced  in  years,  to  new 
and  clearer  views  of  truth?  The  difficul- 
ty wholly  vanishes  if  we  refer  it  to  his 
human  nature.  But  if  we  inquire  how 
his  human  nature  cohered  with  his  di- 
vine nature,  so  that  ignorance  of  any 
sort  could  be  predicated  of  it,  we  are  at 
once  on  a  sea  whose  depths  are  un- 
fathomable. The  fact  is  all  we  know, 
the  mode  is  inexplicable.  J^o  man  ; 
literally,  7io  one,  referring  evidently  to 
human  intelligences.  Angels  of  heaven. 
So  called  because  heaven  is  their  abode. 
But  my  Father  only.  In  Mark  the  words, 
"  neither  the  Son,"  precede  this  clause, 
reference  being  had  to  his  human  na- 
ture, as  above  stated. 

37,  38.  Although  our  Lord  withheld 
from  his  disciples  the  precise  time  when 
he  should  come  to  destroy  Jerusalem, 
a  thing  locked  up  in  the  inscrutable  re- 
cesses of  his  divine  mind,  yet  he  pro- 
ceeds to  ^peak  of  the  sudden  and  unex- 
pected manner,  in  which  he  should  make 
his  appearance.  This  he  illustrates  by 
the  suddenness  with  which  the  flood 
came,  and  destroyed  those  who  lived  in 
the  time  of  Noah.  As  the  days  of 
Noah  were,  i.  e.  as  the  state  of  things 
was  in  Noah's  time.  For  as  in  the  days, 
&c.  The  point  of  resemblance,  between 
the  times  of  Noah,  and  the  days  of  the 
divine  judgment  upon  Jerusalem,  is  here 
brought  out.    In  the  days  that  were,  &c. 


326 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


38  ">  For  as  in  the  daj^s  that 
•were  before  the  flood  they  were 
eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and 
giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day 
that  Noah  entered  into  the  ark, 

39  And  knew  not  until  the 
flood   came,    and   took   them   all 

3  Ge.  6  :  3,  4, 5,  &  7 :  5 ;  Lu.  17 :  26 ;  1  Pe.  3 :  20. 

This  refers  to  the  years  immediately 
preceding  the  flood.  They  were  eating, 
&c.  They  were  engaged  in  their  usual 
enjoyments  and  festivities.  It  is  worthy 
of  note,  that  all  the  engagements  and 
pursuits  of  these  antediluvians,  as  here 
given,  had  reference  to  the  indulgence  of 
their  physical  appetites  and  the  pursuit 
of  pleasure.  The  things  enumerated 
are  not  in  themselves  wrong,  yet  in 
the  manner  in  which  our  Lord  refers 
to  them,  we  see  that  the  men  of 
those  days  were  not  only  in  a  state  of 
thoughtless  security,  but  of  gross  sen- 
suality. This  also  receives  additional 
confirmation  from  Luke  21  :  34,  35. 
Eating  and  drinking,  i.  e.  feasting  and 
revelling.  As  Alford  well  remarks,  this 
shows  that  "  it  is  a  mistake  to  imagine 
that  we  have  in  Gen.  9  :  20,  the  account 
of  the  first  wine  and  its  effects." 
Marriiing.  See  N.  on  22  :  30.  Giving 
in  marriage.  This  is  spoken  of  parents 
who  gave  away  their  daughters  in 
marriage.  Until  the  day.  They  were 
warned  by  Noah  (2  Pet.  2  :  5)  of  the 
approaching  flood,  yet  thoughtless 
and  unconcerned,  they  indulged  in 
scenes  of  mirth  and  festivity,  until  the 
very  day  that  he  entered  the  ark.  The 
parallel  between  these  antediluvians 
and  the  Jews,  is  not  to  be  pressed  too 
far.  The  latter,  previous  to  the  day  of 
their  final  ruin,  were  undergoing  the 
most  dire  calamities,  as  predicted  in 
vs.  15-31  ;  Luke  21  :  25,  26,  but  at 
heart  they  were  just  as  unprepared  and 
careless,  in  regard  to  their  approaching 
doom,  as  were  the  inhabitants  of  the 
old  world  whom  the  deluge  swept  away, 
The  simple  point  of  comparison  is  the 
insensibility  of  both  to  the  danger  which 
threatened  them,  and  which  therefore 
came  upon  them  in  the  most  sudden 
and  unexpected  manner. 


away  ;   so  shall  also  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  be. 

40  '  Then  shall  two  be  in  the 
field ;  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and 
the  other  left. 

41  Two  women  shall  he  grind- 

rLu.  17:34,  &c 

39.  And  knew  not,  &c.  Even  when 
the  tempest  burst  upon  them,  we  have 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  they  had 
serious  apprehensions  as  to  its  duration 
and  violence.  Until  the  food  came  and 
with  irresistible  force  swept  them  to 
destruction.  All  away.  Our  Lord  here 
corroborates  the  statement  in  Gen.  7  : 
23,  that  the  deluge  was  universal  in  its 
effect.  So  shall  also  tfie  coming,  &c.  It 
will  be  sudden  and  unlooked  for.  The 
reader  of  Josephus  will  not  fail  to  see 
how  fully  this  prediction  was  verified, 
in  the  infatuation  which  possessed  the 
•Jews  from  the  time  of  their  first  rebel- 
lion, to  the  very  destruction  of  their 
city  and  temple.  They  looked  to  their 
false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  but 
never  once  turned  their  eye  to  Him 
whom  they  had  rejected  and  crucified, 
until  too  late  they  saw  him  coming  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven,  to  inflict  upon 
them  the  vengeance  which  they  deserv- 
ed, and  which,  in  the  moment  of  their 
mad  impiety  and  unbelief,  they  had  in- 
voked upon  themselves  (see  27  :   25). 

40,  41.  In  these  verses  the  extent,  as 
well  as  severity  of  the  calamities,  is  pre- 
dicted. They  were  to  reach  the  most 
humble  classes.  No  condition  of  life 
was  to  be  exempt  from  the  wide-spread 
ruin.  But  even  here  should  be  seen 
such  providential  deliverances  from 
death,  that  it  would  be,  as  though  of 
two  men  working  together  in  the  same 
field,  or  of  two  women  at  the  same  hand- 
mill,  one  should  be  stricken  down  and 
the  other  escape  in  safety.  Tn  the  field, 
pursuing  their  daily  labor.  Shall  be 
taken,  i.  e.  shall  be  seized  and  put  to 
death,  or  led  away  captive.  Those 
who  refer  this  part  of  the  prophecy  to 
the  final  coming  of  our  Lord,  give  to 
these  words  the  sense  of  being  taken 
into  Christ's  favor,  or  left  exposed  to  his 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


327 


ing  at  a  mill ;  the  one  shall  be 
taken,  and  the  other  left. 

42    '  Watch  therefore ;    for  ye 

s  Ch.  25  :  18  ;  Ma.  13  :  33,  &c. ;  Lu.  21 :  36. 

wrath.  Alford  denies  their  reference 
to  the  great  judgment  of  25  :  31-46, 
but  refers  them  to  the  gathering  in  of 
the  elect,  at  the  period  of  the  millennial 
dispensation.  Neither  of  these  views 
are  admissible,  for  the  preceding  con- 
text points  directly  to  temporal  calami- 
ties and  deliverances.  The  expressions 
are  doubtless  proverbial,  yet  there  is 
nothing  to  forbid  our  belief  that  the 
prediction  was  verified  in  many  in- 
stances, during  the  wars  of  the  Jews 
and  Romans,  especially  at  the  final  siege 
of  Jerusalem.  And  the  other  left,  i.  e. 
escape  unharmed.  Shall  be  grinding, 
&c.  See  N.  on  18  :  6.  This  expression 
denotes  the  closest  proximity,  and  if 
cue  escaped,  while  the  other  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  it  would  indi- 
cate a  most  wondrous  and  providential 
dehverance.  At  the  mill.  Some  adopt 
the  reading  and  interpretation,  at  the 
iiiill-house.  But  the  reading  is  not  well 
sustained,  nor  is  the  sense  so  apposite 
to  the  point  to  be  illustrated,  as  the 
commonly  received  text. 

42.  Watch  therefore.  This  admoni- 
tion to  watchfulness  closes  up  our  Lord's 
prediction  of  his  coming  to  destroy  Jeru- 
salem. In  Luke,  the  words  "  and  pray 
always,"  are  subjoined,  which  shows 
that  spiritual  watchfulness  is  referred 
to.  Those  who  were  watching  for  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  would  keep  in  re- 
membrance his  words,  be  quick  to  dis- 
cern the  signs  of  approaching  danger, 
and  take  measures  to  escape  it.  But 
this  direction  may  be  taken,  as  also 
many  of  the  preceding  cautions,  com- 
mands, and  declarations,  in  a  secondary 
sense,  as  applicable  to  the  preparation 
of  heart  by  prayerful  and  watchful  obe- 
dience, for  the  coming  of  Christ  at  the 
hour  of  death,  and  also  at  the  great  day 
of  judgment.  Thus  only  are  they  appli- 
cable to  us,  who  live  so  long  after  the 
grand  catastrophe  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  to  which  they  had  primary 


know  not   what  hour  your  Lord 
doth  come. 

43  «1[ '  But  know  this,  that  if  the 

/:  Lu.  12 :  39  ;  1  Th.  5 :  2 ;  2  Pe.  3  :  10 :  Ee.  3 :  3, 
&  16 :  15. 


reference.  Luke  also  adds  :  "  that  ye 
may  be  accounted  worthy."  This  is  an 
expansion  of  what  is  uttered  in  a  more 
condensed  form  in  Matthew. 

43.  This  verse  by  an  easy  and  natural 
transition,  commences  a  series  of  pre- 
dictions and  instructions  which  can  be 
referred  only  to  the  day  of  judgment. 
Dr.  Robinson  well  remarks  :  "  This  ap- 
pears from  the  fact,  that  the  matter  of 
these  sections  is  added  by  Matthew,  after 
Mark  and  Luke  have  ended  their  parallel 
reports  relative  to  the  Jewish  catastro- 
phe, and  Matthew  here  commences  with 
V.  43,  the  same  discourse  which  Luke 
has  given  on  another  occasion  in  Galilee 
(Luke  12  :  39-48).  This  discourse  in 
Luke  has  reference  obviously  to  our 
Lord's  final  coming,  and  that  it  has 
here  the  same  reference,  is  ap]ja- 
rent  from  the  appropriateness  of  the 
subsequent  warning,  and  their  intimate 
connection  with  25  :  31-46,  which  latter 
all  interpreters  of  note  agree  in  refer- 
ring to  the  general  judgment."  In  ad- 
dition to  this  convincing  view  of  Dr. 
Robinson,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  in 
the  progress  of  the  discourse  from  this 
point,  we  meet  with  no  signs  by  which 
this  greater  coming  of  our  Lord  is  to 
be  heralded.  But  the  whole  burden, 
onward  to  the  description  of  the  judg- 
ment in  25  :  31-46,  is  the  most  solemn 
and  urgently  repeated  exhortations  to 
watchfulness,  and  a  constant  state  of 
readiness  to  meet  the  Son  of  man,  at 
this  his  great  and  final  coming.  In  this 
portion  our  Lord  replies  to  the  question 
of  his  disciples,  "  and  of  the  end  of  the 
world  ?  "  the  full  import  of  which  they 
did  not  realize,  connecting  it,  as  they 
did,  with  the  closing  up  of  the  Jewish 
dispensation,  and  therefore  making  it 
only  a  varied  form  of  the  question,  as 
to  when,  and  preceded  by  what  signs, 
Jerusalem  was  to  be  destroyed.  But  as 
our  Lord  well  knew  that  these  two 
great  comings  of  his  were  wholly  dis- 


328 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


goodman  of  the  house  had  known 
ill  what  watch  the  thief  would 
come,  he  would  have  watched,  and 
would  not  have  suffered  his  house 
to  be  broken  up. 

MCh.25:13;  ITh.  5:6. 

connected,  he  now  proceeds  to  speak 
of  his  final  coming,  and  to  exhort  to 
watchfulness  thereto.  Thus  he  replied 
fully  and  explicitly  to  the  question  of 
his  disciples,  and  also  disabused  their 
mind  of  the  erroneous  view,  which  they 
had  previously  entertained,  of  the  idei> 
tity  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
with  the  final  consummation  of  things 
at  the  end  of  the  world.  This  question 
had  reference  to  one  single  event,  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem ;  our  Lord's  re- 
ply gave  to  the  latter  clause  of  it  its  true 
import,  the  end  of  the  world,  the  closing 
up  and  final  arrangement  of  all  things 
at  the  day  of  judgment.  In  reference 
to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  there 
were  unmistakable  signs  of  his  coming, 
but  of  his  second  and  greater  advent 
at  the  end  of  the  world,  no  premoni- 
tory sign  whatever  was  to  be  vouch- 
safed, but  a  state  of  constant  watchful- 
ness was  to  be  maintained  in  reference 
thereto.  The  duty  of  watchfulness  in 
reference  to  the  Jewish  catastrophe, 
could  only  be  theirs  who  lived  at  the 
time  of  that  event,  but  the  duties  in  the 
remaining  portion  of  this  prcliction,  are 
of  universal  application  to  the  church, 
in  every  age  to  the  end  of  time. 

But  know  this,  i.  e.  be  assured  of  this 
which  I  am  about  to  say.  Goodman 
of  the  house.  See  N.  on  20  :  11.  In 
what  watch,  i.  e.  at  what  particular  time 
of  the  night.  The  thief,  i.  e.  robber 
or  house-breaker,  as  appears  from  the 
connection.  The  article  gives  to  the 
noun  a  generic  sense,  denoting  a  per- 
son of  the  class  referred  to.  So  we  say, 
the  farmer,  the  merchant,  the  mechanic, 
&c.  Would  come  to  break  into  the 
house.  Would  have  watched.  Had  timely 
notice  been  given  of  the  thief's  ap- 
proach, the  master  of  the  house  would 
have  been  on  the  alert,  according  to  the 
proverb,  "  forewarned,  forearmed."  But 


44  "Therefore  be  ye  also  ready : 
for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye  think 
not  the  Son  of  man  cometh. 

45  '  Who  then  is  a  faithful  and 
wise  servant,  whom  his  lord  hath 

ajLu.l2:42;  Ac.  20:28;lCo.4:2;  He. 3: 5. 

the  fact  that  no  such  warning  was  to 
be  expected,  created  the  necessity  for 
unceasing  vigilance.  Here  lies  the 
point  of  the  simihtude.  As  the  vigi- 
lant householder  does  not  wait  to  be 
informed- of  the  approach  of  the  thief, 
but  is  in  a  state  of  constant  watchful- 
ness against  his  attempts,  so  he  who 
watches  for  the  coming  of  his  Lord, 
needs  not  to  be  informed  of  the  parti- 
cular time  in  which  he  may  be  expected, 
but  will  be  in  constant  readiness  to  re- 
ceive him.  This  idea  is  still  further 
enforced  in  the  following  context.  To 
be  broken  up ;  literally,  to  be  dug  through. 
See  N.  on  6  :  19. 

44.  Therefore,  i.  e.  because  your 
situation  is  like  that  of  the  house- 
holder, in  the  sudden  and  unexpected 
test  to  which  your  watchfulness  will  be 
put.  Be  ye  also  ready.  Be  in  a  state 
of  constant  readiness  to  hail  the  ad- 
vent of  your  Lord.  For  in  such  an 
hour,  &c.  This  contains  the  reason 
for  the  spiritual  vigilance  and  activity 
enjoined  in  the  preceding  clause.  The 
Son  of  man  cometh.  This  refers  prima- 
rily to  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment, 
which,  to  those  who  then  dwell  on  the 
earth,  will  be  sudden  and  unexpect- 
ed. But  in  its  practical  application  to 
us,  it  has  reference  to  his  coming  at 
the  hour  of  death,  when  the  time  given 
to  prepare  to  meet  him  in  judgment 
will  terminate,  and  our  future  destiny 
will  be  determined  for  ever. 

45.  Who  then  is  a  faithful,  &c.  This 
question  serves  to  bring  the  character 
of  the  good  steward  more  fully  to  no- 
tice. It  is  as  though  our  Lord  had 
said  :  a  servant  who  is  found  to  be  pru- 
dent and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties,  will  always  be  advanced  to  a 
station  of  higher  trust  and  usefulness. 
So  shall  it  be  with  him,  who  is  thus  ap- 
proved   at    his    Lord's    coming.     Al- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


329 


made  ruler  over  his  household,  to 
give  them  meat  in  due  season  ? 

46  '■'  Blessed  is  that  servant, 
■whom  his  lord  when  he  cometh 
shall  find  so  doing. 

2/  Ee.  16  :  15. 

though  the  language  is  primarily  used 
of  the  head  servant  or  steward  of  a 
family,  yet  in  its  spiritual  application, 
it  is  not  to  be  restricted  to  Christ's 
ministers,  but  may  be  regarded  as  a 
promise  and  caution  addressed  to  all 
God's  people.  Mis  lord.  The  master 
of  the  family.  Hath  made  ruler,  i.  e. 
has  given  authority  to  dispense  tasks, 
and  apportion  food  to  the  under 
servants.  This  appears  from  the  next 
clause,  which  is  evidently  explanatory, 
to  give  thetn  meat  in  due  sea&on,  i.  e.  to 
see  that  they  have  suitable  food  and  at 
the  proper  time.  When  the  household 
was  large,  this  would  be  an  important 
and  responsible  office.  There  would  be 
other  duties  belonging  to  the  head  ser- 
vant, but  this  is  mentioned  as  being 
one  peculiarly  pleasant  to  the  benevo- 
lent and  sympathetic  heart,  and  the 
neglect  or  abuse  of  which,  would  indi- 
cate a  very  depraved  state  of  mind. 
It  also  forms  a  well-marked  contrast 
with  the  ill  treatment,  which  the  under 
servants  received  from  the  evil  servant 
(vs.  48,  49).  Meat.  The  word  in  the 
original  denotes  food  or  nourishment 
of  any  kind,  and  such  is  its  meaning 
here.  Due  season.  The  orientals  gene- 
rally took  a  slight  repast  about  10  or  11 
o'clock,  and  reserved  their  principal 
meal  to  about  6  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon. Some  think  that  the  word  sea- 
son, has  here  no  reference  to  the  daily 
supply  of  their  wants,  but  to  their 
monthly  apportionment  of  food.  The 
general  sense  remains  the  same,  to 
whichever  interpretation  we  may  in- 
cline. 

46.  When  he  cometh,  i.  e.  returns 
after  his  temporary  absence.  So  doing, 
I.  e.  attending  faithfully  to  the  interests 
of  his  absent  lord,  and  especially  to  the 
comfort  and  welfare  of  his  fellow-ser- 
vants.    The  payment  of  the  hire  of  the 


47  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That 
'  he  shall  make  him  ruler  over  all 
his  goods. 

48  But  and  if  that  evil  servant 

(sCh.  25:21,23;  Lu.22:29. 


vineyard,  was  the  prominent  test  of 
obedience  in  that  parable  (21 :  33-39), 
but  here  kindness  and  attention  to  his 
fellow  servants,  is  made  the  ground  of 
approval  and  reward.  A  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility to  his  absent  lord,  and 
watchfulness  against  his  coming,  would 
appear  in  nothing  more  marked,  than 
his  treatment  of  those  placed  under 
his  temporary  authority.  This  was 
therefore  one  of  the  best  tests  of  his 
real  character. 

4*7 .  Shall  make  him  ruler  over  all  his 
goods  ;  literally,  shall  place  him  over  all 
his  possessions.  This  conduct  of  the 
householder,  in  elevating  to  a  higher 
post  the  faithful  servant,  is  not  to  be  too 
closely  pressed  in  its  spiritual  applica- 
tion. It  is  true  that  at  Christ's  coming, 
his  faithful  servants  will  be  rewarded. 
But  we  are  not  to  infer  from  this  illus- 
tration, that  one  will  be  placed  over 
another,  or  that  the  grades  of  glorified 
saints  will  consist  in  any  thing,  save 
their  different  degrees  of  attainment  in 
moral  excellence.  This  parable,  like 
all  others,  has  some  circumstances  de- 
signed only  to  give  completeness  to  the 
story,  and  not  to  be  taken  into  account 
in  its  application.  AYatchfulness  and 
fidelity  are  the  prominent  points  of 
illustration. 

48,  49.  But  and  if.  The  original  is 
simply,  but  if.  TJiat  evil  servant.  As 
no  evil  servant  has  previously  been 
mentioned,  the  word  that  is  to  be 
explained  by  supposing  an  ellipsis : 
But  if  that  evil  servant  (on  the 
supposition  that  he  is  evil)  shall  say, 
&c.  Such  an  ellipsis  is  natural  and 
removes  all  obscm-ity.  Shall  say  in  his 
heart.  Thoughts  confined  to  his  own 
bosom  are  here  referred  to.  Belayeth 
his  coming  ;  literally,  is  a  long  time  in 
coming,  i.  e.  prolongs  his  absence  be- 
yond the  time  set  for  his  return.     And 


330 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  33, 


shall  say  in  his  heart,  My  lord  de- 
layeth  bis  coming ; 

49  And  shall  begin  to  smite  his 
fellow  servants,  and  to  eat  and 
drink  with  the  drunken  ; 

50  The  lord  of  that  servant 
shall  come  in  a  day  when  he  look- 
eth  not  for  him,  and  in  an  hour 
that  he  is  not  aware  of, 


shall  begin  to  smite,  &c.  Gradation  in 
wickedness  is  here  indicated.  At  first 
he  revolves  in  mind  the  time  of  his 
lord's  absence,  a  thing  with  which  he 
had  no  concern,  and  which  he  should 
have  left  to  the  superior  wisdom  of  his 
master.  He  then  begins  to  cherish  a 
hope,  that  some  casualty  had  befallen 
him,  and  that  he  would  never  return. 
This  idea  getting  possession  of  his 
mind,  as  a  consequence,  he  begins  to 
lord  it  over  his  fellow  servants,  treat 
them  with  great  cruelty,  and  give  him- 
self up  to  riot  and  debauchery.  With 
the  drunken,  i.  e.  with  his  drunken 
companions. 

50.  In  a  day  vJien  he  looketh  not  for 
him.  This  constitutes  the  ground  of 
difference  betwen  the  good  and  the  bad 
servant.  The  former  was  living  in  con- 
stant expectation  of  his  lord's  coming, 
and  remained  therefore  faithful  to  the 
end ;  the  latter,  as  though  he  was 
never  to  be  called  to  account,  plunged 
into  excesses  of  all  kinds.  The  com- 
ing of  his  lord  was  sudden  and  unex- 
pected. He  had  no  time  to  set  things 
in  order,  or  to  invent  plausible  excuses 
for  his  shameless  conduct.  In  the  very 
midst  of  his  drunkenness,  licentious 
revels,  and  cruel  abuse  of  his  fellow 
servants,  he  was  surprised  and  over- 
whelmed by  the  appearance  of  his  lord, 
and  consigned  to  immediate  punish- 
ment. An  hour  that  he  is  not  aware  of, 
i.  e.  a  time  of  which  he  had  no  pre- 
vious knowledge.  This  is  an  emphatic 
repetition  of  the  preceding  thought. 

51.  Shall  cut  him  asunder.  Eefcr- 
ence  seems  to  be  had  to  the  punish- 
ment of  cutting  or  sawing  criminals 
asunder  (see  Dan.  2:5;  3:29;  Heb. 
4  :  12;  11  :  37).   As  this  wicked  servant 


51  And  shall  cut  him  asunder, 
and  appoint  him  his  portion  with 
the  hypocrites  :  "  there  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

THEN    shall   the   kingdom   of 
heaven  be    likened    unto    ten 
virgins,  which  took   their  lamps, 

a  Ch.  8  :  12,  &  25  :  30. 


is  shown  by  what  follows  to  have  sur- 
vived the  punishment,  perhaps,  how- 
ever, nothing  more  is  meant  than  a 
severe  flagellation,  which  cut  his  flesh 
to  pieces.  Andappoint  him  his  portion  ; 
literally,  and  assign  (him)  his  place. 
With  hypocrites,  i.  e.  among  the  vilest 
of  men.  We  must  not  suppose  our 
Lord  to  depart  here  from  the  lan- 
guage of  the  parable,  and  refer  to  the 
punishment,  which  he  himself  will  bring 
upon  hypocrites  and  false  professors. 
His  parables  are  all  natural  and  com- 
plete, and  furnish  no  confused  blending 
together  of  the  similitude,  and  the 
truth  designed  to  be  illustrated.  At 
the  same  time,  as  Olshausen  remarks, 
the  conduct  of  the  evil  servant  may 
well  be  designated  as  hypocrisy,  because 
being  reaUy  in  the  service  of  the  world, 
and  only  professedly  in  that  of  Christ, 
he  wishes  his  return  to  be  deferred  be- 
cause he  dreads  it.  There  shall  be 
weeping,  «&c.     See  N.  on  8  :  12. 

It  is  evident  that  this  parable  was 
designed  to  illustrate  the  duty  of  con- 
tinued -vigilance  and  fidelity  in  the  Re- 
deemer's service.  The  precise  time  of 
his  coming  to  judgment,  or  at  the  hour 
of  death,  was  withholden  from  his  dis- 
ciples, but  as  the  watchful  householder 
guarded  his  house  against  the  midnight 
robber,  and  as  the  faithful  servant  wns 
in  readiness  at  all  times  for  the  coming 
of  his  lord,  so  his  followers  were  to  be 
in  a  state  of  constant  expectation  of 
his  coming,  and  not  like  the  wicked 
servant  to  be  unprepared  for  that 
event. 

CHAP.  XXV. 

1-30.  Parables  of  the  Ten  Virgins, 
AND  THE  Five  Talents.  Mount  of 
Olives.     Fourth  day  of  the  week. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


331 


and  went  forth  to  meet  "the  bride- 
groom. 

aEp.  5  :  29,  30 ;  Eo.  19  :  7,  &  21 :  2,  9. 

This  chapter  is  a  continuation  of  the 
discourse,  with  which  the  preceding 
chapter  closed,  and  is  to  be  referred 
throughout  to  the  coming  of  Christ  at 
the  day  of  judgment.  But  as  the 
moral  acts  of  life  determine  our  des- 
tiny beyond  the  grave,  our  Lord  vir- 
tually comes  at  the  hour  of  death,  and 
passes  judgment  upon  the  soul,  to  be 
more  openly  declared  and  confirmed  at 
his  judgment  bar.  The  parables  of  the 
ten  virgins  and  the  five  talents,  may 
be  therefore  referred  secondarily  and 
practically  to  Christ's  coming  at  the 
hour  of  death,  although  having  pri- 
mary reference  to  his  coming  at  the  end 
of  the  world.  In  the  parable  of  the 
ten  virgins,  which  is  first  in  order,  the 
same  rule  of  interpretation  is  to  be  ob- 
served, which  has  been  laid  down  in 
the  explication  of  previous  parables, 
not  to  force  the  minor  circumstances, 
employed  to  make  the  illustration 
lively  and  natural,  to  a  definite  and  spe- 
cific spiritual  signification.  The  great 
point  of  the  parable  is  to  impress  on 
all  Christ's  followers,  the  duty  of  being 
in  constant  readiness  for  his  final  com- 
ing. This  was  enforced  in  verses 
43-51  of  the  preceding  chapter.  But 
it  is  of  such  vast  importance,  that 
our  Lord  repeats  it  under  a  variety  of 
illustrations.  With  this  general  design 
of  the  parable  before  our  eye,  we  are 
not  to  press  every  incident  of  it  to  the 
teaching  of  some  great  spiritual  truth. 
Because  they  were  all  designated  vir- 
f/ins,  we  are  not  to  suppose  with 
Olshausen,  that  they  all  represent  true 
Christians,  some  having  a  more  plenti- 
ful supply  of  the  oil  of  grace,  on  ac- 
count of  which  they  are  to  have  a  place 
at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb, 
while  the  class  represented  by  the 
foolish  virgins,  are  only  to  be  admitted, 
at  a  more  remote  period,  to  the  joys  of 
the  blessed.  Nor  are  we  to  infer,  be- 
cause there  were  Jive  wise  and  jive 
foolish  virgins,  that  the  number  of 
Christ's  sincere  followers  and  of  hypo- 


2  *  And  five  of  them  were  wise, 
and  five  were  foolish. 

6  Ch.  13  :  47,  &  22  :  10. 

crites  are  just  equal.  Nor  should  we 
argue  from  the  fact,  that  the  fooHsh 
virgins  started  forth  to  meet  the 
bridegroom  with  lighted  lamps,  which 
failed  them  through  want  of  oil  to 
keep  them  well  fed,  that  there  is  any 
real  grace  at  any  time  in  the  hypocrite 
and  false  professor.  The  fact  too  that 
they  all  slumbered  and  slept,  is  not  to 
be  interpreted  as  implying  that  real 
Christians,  as  well  as  false  professors, 
will  be  stupid  and  careless  at  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord.  Nor  are  we  to  sup- 
pose that  in  going  to  purchase  oil,  the 
foolish  virgins  are  types  of  false  pro- 
fessors, as  though  they  could  possess 
themselves  of  real  grace,  after  the 
voice  of  the  coming  bridegroom  was 
heard,  and  would  be  excluded,  not 
because  they  failed  of  a  plentiful 
supply  of  the  oil  of  grace,  but  because 
they  obtained  possession  of  it  too  late. 
These,  and  other  similar  inferences, 
have  no  basis  in  the  parable,  but  are 
fanciful,  and  lead  to  erroneous  conclu- 
sions. 

1.  Then,  i.  e.  at  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  judgment.  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  here  designates  the  state  of 
things  in  the  church  of  Christ  at 
his  coming.  This,  in  regard  to  the 
perseverance,  prayer,  and  watchful- 
ness of  some,  and  the  want  of  these 
essential  graces  in  others,  is  similar  to 
what  took  place  in  the  history  of  the 
ten  virgins.  The  round  and  definite 
number  ten,  a  favorite  one  with  the 
Jews,  renders  the  parable  more  natural. 
Lamps.  These  were  torches  or  flam- 
beaux, consisting  of  small  iron  or  brass 
bars  inserted  into  a  stick,  to  which 
pieces  of  linen  dipped  in  oil  were 
fastened.  In  order  to  prevent  the  oil 
from  flowing  down  the  hand  of  the 
person  who  carried  it,  a  small  vessel  of 
brass  or  iron  surrounded  the  bottom  of 
the  stick,  into  which  the  oil  dripped. 
Vessels  of  oil  (see  v.  4)  were  provided, 
from  which  the  linen,  when  dry  of  oil, 
was  again  saturated.     Thus  the  lamps 


382 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


3  They  that  were  foolish  took 
their  lamps,  aud  took  no  oil  with 
them : 

■were  trimmed  (see  v.  7),  to  be  relit 
when  occasion  demanded.  Went  forth 
from  their  dwellings.  To  meet  the  bride- 
groom. On  the  approach  of  the  bride- 
groom with  his  attendants  (See  N.  on 
9:  15),  to  conduct  the  bride  to  the 
house  of  his  father,  the  bride,  with  her 
attendant  virgins,  took  a  position, 
where  they  might  be  in  readiness  to 
receive  him,  when  his  attendants  should 
utter  the  signal  cry,  "  Behold,  the 
bridegroom  cometh."  The  parties 
being  united,  the  bride,  preceded  by 
her  virgin  attendants  with  lighted 
torches,  was  conducted  to  the  house  of 
the  bridegroom's  father.  Some  find  in 
this  parable  an  allusion  to  the  practice 
of  the  female  friends,  to  go  forth  in  ad- 
vance of  the  marriage  party,  and  wait 
for  it  at  a  proper  place.  When  notice 
was  given  of  the  approach  of  the  bride- 
groom, these  females  would  arise  and 
join  the  procession.  Others  think  that 
reference  is  had  to  a  second  party, 
consisting  of  female  friends  of  the 
bridegroom,  who  came  forth  to  meet 
and  welcome  the  procession,  as  it  ap- 
proached from  the  house  of  the  bride's 
father.  But  both  these  practices  rest 
on  feeble  testimony,  and  it  is  better  to 
regard  these  virgins  as  constituting  the 
retinue  of  the  bride.  The  precise  time 
of  the  bridegroom's  approach  to  con- 
duct his  bride  from  Ler  lather's  house, 
of  course,  would  be  unknown  to  her 
or  her  party. 

2.  Wise,  i.  e.  prudent,  thoughtful. 
This  was  evinced  by  their  forethought 
in  providing  oil  enough  to  last,  even  in 
case  the  bridegroom  tarried  beyond 
the  expected  time.  How  beautifully 
does  this  represent  the  watchfulness 
and  prudent  forethought  of  the  true 
believer.  Foolish.  In  their  want  of 
prudence  and  thoughtfulness,  they  were 
the  very  opposite  of  the  wise  virgins. 
This  appeared  from  the  small  quantity 
of  oil  which  they  took,  which  was  only 
enough  to  last,  in  case  the  bridegroom 
made  his  immediate  approach. 

3.  4.  They   that  were  foolish;   liter- 


4  But  the  wise  took  oil  in  their 
vessels  with  their  lamps. 

5  While  the  bridegroom  tarried, 


ally,  such  as  tvere  foolish.  The  expres- 
sion is  itself  indefinite,  but  is  rendered 
definite  by  what  precedes.  Took  their 
lamps.  These  marriage  processions 
always  took  place  in  the  night,  and 
hence  these  virgins  started  with 
lighted  lamps.  And  took  no  oil,  &c. 
They  took  no  precaution  to  have  the 
means  of  replenishing  their  lamps,  in 
case  the  oil  in  them  should  be  con- 
sumed before  the  bridegroom  ap- 
proached. These  virgins  answer  very 
well  to  the  stony-ground  hearers  (see 
N.  on  13:  20,  21).  They  had  no  oil 
with  them,  no  root  in  themselves,  and 
hence  did  not  persevere  to  the  end. 
/m  their  vessels.  See  N.  on  v.  1.  With 
their  lainps,  i.  e.  besides  the  oil  which 
was  already  burning  in  their  lamps  or 
torches.  As  far  as  readiness  was  con- 
cerned, it  was  to  them  a  matter  of 
little  importance  whether  the  bride- 
groom came  in  the  early  part  of  the 
evening,  or  procrastinated  his  ap- 
proach until  midnight.  The  duty  of 
being  in  a  state  of  readiness  for  the 
coming  of  Christ,  drawn  from  the  con- 
duct of  these  wise  virgins,  is  the  great 
point  enforced  by  this  parable. 

5.  Tarried.  This  is  the  same  word, 
which  is  used  in  24:  48,  and  there 
translated  delayeth.  It  denotes  a 
lingering  or  delaying  beyond  what 
was  expected.  It  was  this  unexpected 
delay,  that  tested  the  forethought  and 
prudence  of  the  virgins.  Tliey  all 
slumbered  and  slept ;  literally,  they  all 
nodded  and  fell  asleep.  The  expression 
denotes  the  gradual  approach  of  sleep, 
to  such  as  occupy  a  sitting  position, 
and  strive  at  first  to  withstand  the  dis- 
position to  slumber.  These  virgins 
made  efforts  to  keep  awake,  but  finally 
yielded  to  the  influence  of  sleep.  There 
was  nothing  wrong  in  this,  provided 
they  were  ready  to  meet  the  bride- 
groom in  a  suitable  manner,  when  his 
coming  was  announced.  Asleep  or 
awake,  the  wise  virgins  were  ready  to 
perform  the  ceremony  expected  of 
them  ;  but  had  the  foolish  virgins  been 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


333 


'  they  all  slumbered  and  slept. 
6  And  at  midnight  '^  there  was 
a  cry  made,  Behold,  the  bride- 
groom Cometh  ;  go  ye  out  to  meet 
him. 


c  1  Th.  5  :  6. 


rfCh.  24:31;  ITh.  4:16. 
e  Lu.  12  :  35. 


all  the  time  awake,  they  would  notwith- 
standing hare  been  without  oil  to  re- 
suscitate their  expiring  lamps.  We  are 
not,  therefore,  to  lay  any  stress,  for 
good  or  for  bad,  upon  the  incident  of 
their  having  fallen  asleep. 

6.  At  midnight.  A  late  hour;  but 
when  the  bridegroom  came  some  dis- 
tance, or  was  delayed  by  some  un- 
foreseen and  unavoidable  event,  it  was 
probably  not  unusual.  From  this  pas- 
sage arose  probably  the  tradition,  that 
Christ  would  make  his  final  appearance 
as  judge  at  midnight.  But  this  is  a 
very  absurd  idea,  for  the  time  of  mid- 
night under  one  horizon  would  be  noon 
day  under  another.  There  was  a  cry 
made  by  the  attendants  of  the  bride- 
groom approaching  in  the  distance. 
Go  ye  out.  A  better  rendering  would 
be,  eome  ye  forth.,  as  the  words  are 
spoken  by  the  retinue  of  the  bride- 
groom. It  may  be  well  to  notice 
here  that  the  bride  is  not  mentioned, 
because  she  carried  no  lamp  in  the 
procession.  In  the  spiritual  applica- 
tion of  the  parable,  the  bride  is  the 
church  of  which  these  virgins  are  the 
representatives. 

7.  8.  Arose  from  the  sitting  or  re- 
cumbent position,  in  which  they  had 
been  sleeping.  And  trimmed  (literally, 
arranged,  put  in  order)  their  lamps, 
which  were  going  out  (see  v.  8).  This 
was  an  easy  task  for  the  wise  virgins, 
who  took  oil  to  replenish  the  linen  which 
composed  the  wick  of  their  torches. 
Not  so  with  the  foolish  virgins.  Their 
lights  had  gone  out,  and  they  had  no 
stock  of  oil  with  which  to  relight  them. 
In  their  perplexity,  they  entreat  their 
companions  to  lend  them  oil,  but,  for 
the  reason  given  in  v.  9,  are  denied 
their  request,  and  obliged  to  pay  the 
penaltj^  of  their  negligence,   by  going 


7  Then  all  those  virgins  arose, 
'  and   trimmed    their   lamps. 

8  And  the  foolish  said  unto  the 
wise,  Give  us  of  your  oil ;  for  our 
lamps  are  gone  out. 

9  But  the  wise  answered,  say- 
ing, Not  so ;  lest  there   be   not 


away  to  purchase  oil,  at  the  very  mo- 
ment when  they  hear  the  joyous  shouts 
of  the  approaching  marriage  procession. 
Here  is  the  point  of  illustration  against 
which,  in  its  spiritual  application,  our 
Lord  warns  his  disciples.  Are  gone 
out;  literally,  are  going  out.  They 
were  in  the  very  act  of  expiring,  and 
although  the  wise,  by  a  fresh  supply  of 
oil,  immediately  resuscitated  the  flame 
of  their  torches,  the  foolish  had  no 
means  to  do  this,  and  were  left  in  utter 
darkness. 

9.  Not  so,  lest.  Our  common  trans- 
lation supplies  the  words  7iot  so.  They 
are  omitted  in  the  original,  as  the  an- 
cients felt  a  sort  of  shame  or  delicacy 
in  denying  a  request,  and  the  clause 
which  follows  marks  with  sufficient 
clearness  the  denial.  The  same  pru- 
dence, which  prompted  the  wise  vir- 
gins to  bring  a  supply  of  oil  to  meet  any 
emergency,  forbade  their  sharing  it 
with  their  improvident  companions. 
This  was  right,  for  had  they  yielded  to 
their  request,  before  they  had  reached 
the  house  of  the  bridegroom's  father, 
all  the  lamps  might  have  expired,  and 
the  bridal  procession  been  left  in  dark- 
ness. So  in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  no 
one  has  a  greater  spiritual  supply  than 
is  required  for  his  own  wants.  But  go 
rather,  &c.  This  is  not  to  be  regarded 
as  an  ironical  direction,  but  sincere 
advice.  The  wise  virgins  knew  not  but 
that  oil  could  be  thus  obtained  by  their 
companions,  in  season  to  join  the  pro- 
cession. It  is  hardly  necessary  to  re- 
mark, that  this  passage  furnishes  no 
evidence  of  the  Romish  doctrine  of 
works  of  supererogation.  The  fool- 
ish virgins  went  indeed  to  buy  oil, 
but  were  shut  out  in  consequence 
thereof  from  the  marriage  feast.  The 
circumstance  is  added,  not  to  teach  any 


334 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


enough  for  us  and  you :  but  go  ye 
rather  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy 
for  yourselves. 

10  And  while  they  went  to  buy, 
the  bridegroom  came ;  and  they 
that  were  ready  went  in  with  him 
to  the  marriage  :  and  ^  the  door 
was  shut. 

/Lu.  13:25.     fir  Ch.  T :  21,  22,  23.    APs.5:5; 
Hab.  1 :  13  ;  Jn.  9  :  31. 

doctrine,  but  to  show  how  vain  will  be 
all  eiforts  to  supply  previous  deficien- 
cies, after  the  announcement  of  the 
bridegroom's  approach. 

10.  And  while  they  went,  &c.  With 
all  their  haste,  they  did  not  return  in 
season  to  meet  the  bridegroom,  and 
unite  with  the  procession.  They  that 
were  ready,  viz.  the  wise  virgins.  Went 
in  with  him,  &c.  They  took  part  in 
the  procession  to  the  house  of  the 
bridegroom's  father,  and  became  shar- 
ers in  the  marriage  festivities.  To  the 
marriage,  i.  e.  the  wedding  festival, 
which  generally  continued  seven  days. 
The  door  ivas  shut.  This  was  done  in 
order  to  prevent  intrusion  and  interrup- 
tion. These  words  are  often  used  by 
way  of  accommodation,  to  denote  the 
exclusion  of  all  from  the  marriage  feast 
of  the  Lamb,  who  are  not  ready  to  wel- 
come his  appearing.  Such  a  use  is 
both  pertinent  and  admissible,  and 
presents  a  fearful  prospect  to  such  as 
defer  repentance,  until  it  is  too  late  to 
rectify  their  mistake. 

11.  Afterward  came  also,  kc.  After 
providing  themselves  with  oil,  they 
hastened  on  to  overtake  the  proces- 
sion. But  before  they  reached  the 
house,  the  wedding  party  had  entered 
in,  and  the  door  was  shut.  They  were 
too  late,  and  all  their  efforts  to  repair 
their  mistake  in  not  providing  oil  for 
their  lamps,  had  been  in  vain.  Lord, 
Lord.  A  term  of  civiUty  like  our  Sir. 
Open  unto  us.  On  the  strength  of  their 
previous  invitation  to  take  part  in  the 
bridal  procession  and  subsequent  feast, 
they  approach  the  gate  with  the  confi- 
dent expectation,  that  it  would  be 
opened  to  them.     The  repetition  of  the 


11  Afterward  came  also  the 
other  virgins,  saying,  ^Lord,  Lord, 
open  to  us. 

12  But  he  answered  and  said, 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  *  I  know 
you  not. 

13  'Watch  therefore;  for  ye 
know  neither   the   day   nor    tlie 

i  Ch.  24 :  42,  44 ;  Ma.  13  :  83,  So  ;  Lu.  21 :  36 ; 
1  Co.  16:13;  lTh.5:6;  lPe.5:  8;  lie.  16: 15. 

word  XortZ,  is  expressive  of  their  earn- 
est desire  to  enter.  As  the  gate  was 
too  remote  from  the  banquet  hall  for 
the  bridegroom  to  hear  these  words, 
we  must  suppose  them  to  have  been 
conveyed  to  him  by  the  porter  who 
kept  the  gate. 

12.  /  know  you  not.  He  may  have 
had  no  personal  acquaintance  with  them, 
and  was  therefore  unable  to  distinguish 
them  from  impostors  ;  or  what  is  more 
likely,  the  expression  is  a  common  form 
of  repulsion,  indicating  that  he  knew 
nothing  about  them,  or  would  have 
nothing  further  to  do  with  them.  They 
had  failed  to  take  part  in  the  proces- 
sion. Through  their  negligence,  in- 
stead of  a  full  band  of  virgins  with 
torches,  only  half  had  been  in  attend- 
ance. They  had  done  the  bridal 
pair  a  great  dishonor,  and  therefore 
richly  merited  both  the  exclusion,  and 
the  harsh  terms  in  which  it  was  an- 
nounced. This  incident  is  added,  be- 
cause it  was  natural  to  the  storyj  and 
impressively  illustrated  the  fatal  result 
of  negligence,  thoughtlessness,  and  pro- 
crastination. We  are  not,  however,  to 
suppose,  that  it  is  intended  to  represent 
what  will  actually  take  place  in  the 
spiritual  world.  After  the  righteous 
enter  upon  their  reward  in  heaven,  they 
will  never  be  interrupted  or  disturbed 
by  clamorous  appeals  for  admission  by 
false  professors  and  impenitent  men. 
Between  them  and  the  wicked  will  be 
a  great  and  impassable  gulf  (Luke  16  : 
26),  so  that  neither  class  can  invade  the 
abode  of  the  other,  and  all  intercourse 
will  be  broken  off  for  ever. 

13.  Watch  tlierefore.  This  is  the 
great  lesson  which  our  Lord  inculcates 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAFTER  XXV. 


335 


hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man 
Cometh. 

14  T  ^For  ihe  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven is  '  as  &  man  travelling  into  a 

k  Lu.  19  :  12. 

by  the  parable.  Perhaps  there  is  no 
portion  of  God's  word,  in  which  the 
duty  of  watchfulness,  prayer,  and  an 
hourly  preparation  for  death,  is  more 
impressively  set  forth.  The  words, 
wheii  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  are  thought 
by  many  good  critics  to  be  an  addition 
from  copyists  to  complete  the  sense. 
They  are  not  found  in  several  of  the 
best  MSS.  and  old  versions.  But  whe- 
ther spurious  or  genuine,  they  are  evi- 
dently to  be  supplied,  as  appears  from 
24  :  42,  44,  of  which  they  are  an  em- 
phatic repetition. 

14.  Our  Lord  now  pronounces  a  para- 
ble, to  illustrate  the  importance  of  so 
improving  our  talents  and  means  for 
usefulness,  that  we  may  be  ready  to 
account  therefor,  at  any  hour  in  which 
he  may  call  us  to  a  reckoning.  In  the 
parable  of  the  ten  virgins,  tlie  simple 
idea  is  that  of  waiting  in  constant  readi- 
ness for  the  coming  of  the  bridegroom ; 
and  in  its  spiritual  application,  the  no- 
tion of  activity  and  zeal  in  Christ's 
cause  is  rather  implied  than  directly 
taught.  But  in  the  parable  of  the  five 
talents,  active  watchfulness  is  the  di- 
rect object  of  inculcation.  Drummond 
well  remarks,  "as  in  the  parable  of 
the  ten  virgins,  it  is  the  inner  life  of  the 
believer  that  is  specially  set  forth  there, 
by  theiV  carrying  oil  in  their  lamps ;  so 
here  it  is  the  outward  manifestation  of 
that  inward  life  which  is  set  forth,  not 
now  in  the  steady  burning  of  a  true 
profession,  but  in  the  faithful  discharge 
of  duty  to  our  Master."  The  words 
kingdom  of  heaven  is,  are  supplied  by 
our  translators.  The  construction  is 
clear  to  one  acquainted  with  the  origi- 
nal language.  Our  Lord  commences 
with  :  J^or  as  a  man  travelling,  &c.  as 
though  he  would  close  the  parable  with 
the  application,  so  shall  the  Son  of  man 
do.  The  omission  of  these  words  was 
of  no  consequence,  since  every  intelli- 
gent mind  would  readily  supply  them. 


far  country,  who  called  his  own 
servants,  and  delivered  unto  them 
his  goods. 

15  And  unto  one  he  gave  five 

I  Ch.  21 :  33. 


Travelling  into  afar  coimtry.  The  word 
in  the  original  is  the  same  as  was  em- 
ployed in  21  :  33,  on  which  see  Note. 
His  own  servants.  A  more  emphatic 
expression  of  the  relation  subsisting 
between  them  than  simply  his  servants. 
They  were  his,  and  belonged  to  no  one 
else.  His  right  therefore  to  the  avails 
of  their  industry  and  enterprise,  could 
be  disputed  by  no  one.  "  It  is  clear 
from  the  parable  in  Luke,  that  the  ten 
douloi,  servants  (Luke  19  :  13),  do  not 
mean  all  men,  or  even  all  Christians  in- 
discriminately, but  such  as  possess  a 
decided  qualification  for  the  guidance 
and  government  of  the  church.  The  mass 
under  this  guidance  are  the  citizens." 
Olshausen.  But  to  argue  such  a  restrict- 
ed application  of  the  parable,  from  the 
fact,  that  these  servants  seem  to  occupy 
posts  of  influence  and  honor — a  feature 
added  only  to  give  prominence  to  their 
possession  of  talents,  either  to  use  or 
abuse — would  on  the  like  principle  of 
interpretation,  limit  the  words,  "  kings 
and  priests  unto  God"  (Rev.  1  :  6),  to 
those  of  high  kingly  and  priestly  dignity 
in  the  church  of  Christ,  and  not  to  the 
whole  church  as  is  evidently  intended. 
How  often  do  we  see  the  sad  results  of 
pressing  the  subordinate  parts  of  a 
parable  too  far,  in  its  application  to 
spiritual  truths.  His  goods,  i.  e.  his 
substance,  property.  In  the  spiritual 
application  this  represents  the  treasures 
of  the  gospel,  the  means  and  opportu- 
nity for  doing  good. 

15.  J^ive  talents.  This  is  put  for  an  in- 
definitely large  sum.  It  was  necessary 
that  a  particular  amount  should  be  spe- 
cified, in  order  to  denote  the  different 
ability  and  capacity  for  business  of  these 
servants,  by  the  different  sums  given  to 
each.  According  to  his  several  ability  ; 
more  literally,  according  to  his  own 
ability.  In  apportioning  his  property, 
the  master  had  reference  to  each  one's 
ability  and  capacity  to  use  the  money 


336 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


talents,  to  another  two,  and  to 
another  one ;  '"  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  several  ability ; 
and  straightway  took  his  journey. 
16  Then  he  that  had  received 
the  five  talents  went  and  traded 
with  the  same,  and  made  them 
other  five  talents. 


to  the  best  advantage.  This  shows  that 
in  the  spiritual  explanation,  we  are  not 
to  regard  mental  attainments  and  capa- 
cities, as  constituting  the  talents,  for 
these  were  given  in  accordance  with 
those  powers  and  attainments.  The 
talents,  as  was  remarked  above,  are  the 
provisions  and  treasures  of  grace,  and 
the  means  and  opportunities  of  useful- 
ness. Natural  advantages  whether  men- 
tal or  physical  are  indeed  the  gift  of  God, 
but  those  constitute  in  the  parable  each 
man's  several  ability,  in  reference  to 
which  the  talents  were  apportioned  to 
them. 

16,  lY.  Went  forth  to  business. 
Traded;  literally,  did  business  in  the 
way  of  trade  and  traffic.  Made  them. 
So  we  employ  the  phrase  to  makemoney, 
i.  e.  to  acquire  it  in  the  way  of  business. 
The  word  them.,  is  unnecessarily  supplied 
by  our  translators,  as  the  expression 
would  have  been  more  clear  and  natural, 
had  they  followed  the  original,  and  made 
besides  them  five  talents.  Gained.  The 
word  literally  signifies,  acquired  by 
traffic.  No  stress  is  however  to  be  laid 
upon  the  kind  of  business,  by  which 
the  talents  were  increased.  The  simple 
idea  is,  that  the  faithful  servants  were 
industriously  employed,  in  using  their 
money  to  the  best  advantage. 

18.  But  he  that  had  received  one,  &c. 
The  fact  that  the  servant,  who  had 
been  intrusted  with  only  one  talent 
proved  faithless,  is  by  no  means  to  be 
taken  as  proof,  that  the  class  of  men 
which  he  represents  are  more  likely  to 
abuse  their  talents,  than  those  of  supe- 
rior attainments  and  capacities  for  doing 
good  and  evil.  There  is  many  a  sad  ex- 
emplification of  the  abuse  of  talents,  in- 


17  And  likewise  he  that  had 
received  two,  he  also  gained  other 
two. 

18  But  he  that  had  received 
one  went  and  digged  in  the  earth, 
and  hid  his  lord's  money. 

19  After  a  long  time  the  lord 

mKo.  12:6;  1  Co.  12  :  7, 11, 29 ;  Ep.4:ll. 

trusted  to  men  of  great  mental  powers 
and  means  of  usefulness.  The  one  to 
whom  was  committed  the  least  amount, 
seems  to  have  been  selected  as  the 
worthless  one,  because  it  was  more  na- 
tural that  he  should  be  displeased  at 
receiving  no  more,  and  thus  go  away 
sullen  and  discontented  at  his  lord's 
partiality  to  his  fellow  servants.  Our 
Lord's  parables  are  remarkably  natural, 
and  simple,  and  all  their  parts  are  in  per- 
fect keeping  with  the  picture  taken  as  a 
whole.  Digged  in  the  earth,  &c.  He 
did  this  in  order  to  keep  the  talent  in 
safe  concealment.  The  class  of  men 
represented  by  this  unworthy  servant, 
are  by  no  means  to  be  regarded  as  the 
naturally  inactive  and  indolent.  They 
are  often  the  most  diligent  and  enter- 
prising. But  in  their  Master's  service, 
they  manifest  no  energy  and  industry. 
They  are  as  worthless  to  him,  as  though 
they  slept  during  their  whole  lives. 
Every  man,  be  he  ever  so  active  and 
successful  in  his  worldly  pursuits,  comes 
within  the  class  here  spoken  of,  if  he 
does  not  labor  with  an  eye  single  to  the 
glory  of  his  Savior  and  the  good  of  his 
fellow  men. 

19.  After  a  long  time.  Ample  op- 
portunity was  thus  given  to  these 
servants,  for  the  improvement  of  the 
talents  intrusted  to  them.  And  reckon- 
eth  with  them ;  literally,  takes  up  his 
account  with  them.  This  represents  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  to  call  every  per- 
son to  account,  for  the  manner  in  which 
he  has  improved  his  opportunities  and 
talents  for  usefulness.  The  day  of 
judgment  is  primarily  referred  to,  but,  as 
has  been  remarked,  a  secondary  refer- 
ence may  be  understood  of  the  hour 


A.  D.  83.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


337 


of    those    servants     cometli,    and 
reckoneth  with  them. 

20  And  so  he  that  had  received 
five  talents  came  and  brought 
other  five  talents,  saying,  Lord, 
thou  deliveredst  unto  me  five  ta- 
lents :  behold,  I  have  gained  be- 
side  them  five  talents  more. 

21  His  lord  said  unto  him, 
Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant ;  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  "  I  will  make 
thee  ruler  over  many  things :  en- 
ter thou  into  "the  joy  of  thy  lord. 

n  Ch.  24 :  47  ;  ver.  34,  46 ;  Lu.  12  :  44,  &  22 : 
29,  30. 


of  death,  when  the  account  of  each  one 
is  closed  up  for  ever,  and  the  awards  of 
his  doings  entered  upon. 

20.  And  brought  other  five  talents. 
The  money  had  not  only  been  gained 
by  honest  industry  and  enterprise, 
but  was  ready  to  be  delivered  into 
his  lord's  hand,  whenever  he  came. 
How  aptly  and  beautiful  does  this  re- 
present Christian  fidelity  and  watchful- 
ness. 

21-23.  Well  done.  An  expression 
of  commendation,  often  employed  in 
the  way  of  applause  by  the  Greeks  at 
their  public  games.  Good  and  faith- 
fid.  He  was  upright  in  his  character, 
and  faithful  to  his  lord's  interest.  Over 
a  few  things,  i.  e.  while  intrusted  with 
things  comparatively  few  and  of  little 
value.  /  will  make  thee,  &c.  This  is 
antithetic  with  the  preceding  clause, 
and  means  that  the  servant  should  be 
advanced  to  a  higher  post  of  honor  and 
usefulness.  The  few  things  refer  to 
earthly  toils  in  Christ's  service ;  the  many 
things,  to  heavenly  enjoyments.  Enter 
thou  in,  &c.  In  the  parable  this  refers 
to  the  feast  which  was  given  to  celebrate 
the  lord's  return,  and  to  which  the  ser- 
vant was  invited.  In  the  application  of 
the  parable,  it  refers  to  the  heavenly  re- 
wards, upon  which  they  who  are  found 
faithful  will  enter,  when  summoned 
from  earth  at  the  hour  of  deatli,  and 
especially  after  the  final  award  at  the 
Vol.  I.— 15 


22  He  also  that  had  received 
two  talents  came  and  said,  Lord, 
thou  deliveredst  unto  me  two 
talents :  behold,  I  have  gained 
two  other  talents  beside  them. 

23  His  lord  said  unto  him, 
p  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant ;  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  I  will  make 
thee  ruler  over  many  things : 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
lord. 

24  Then  he  which  had  received 
the    one   talent    came    and    said, 

o  He.  12  :  2;  2  Ti.  2  :  12;  1  Pe.  1 :  8. 
p  Ver.  21. 

day  of  judgment.  The  word  ^'o?/ is  here 
put  figuratively  for  feast  or  banquet, 
the  source  of  enjoyment  to  such  as  are 
invited  to  be  guests.  We  are  to  no- 
tice that  the  servant  who  had  received 
two  talents,  was  addressed  in  precisely 
the  same  terms  of  commendation,  as 
he  who  had  received  five.  He  had 
doubled  his  money,  and  was  therefore 
equally  as  faithful,  as  the  one  who  had 
received  the  greater  amount. 

24.  Then  he,  &c.  The  servant  who 
had  received  but  one  talent,  was  not 
overlooked  in  the  day  of  reckoning.  In 
like  manner  will  our  Lord  call  to  a  strict 
account  every  one  to  whom  he  has 
committed  talents,  whether  more  or 
less.  Hard,  i.  e.  harsh,  austere,  with 
the  additional  idea  perhaps  from  the 
following  context,  of  being  oppressive 
and  exacting,  and  taking  advantage  of 
the  poor  and  unfortunate.  Reaping 
where  thou  hast  not  sown,  &c.  These 
were  doubtless  proverbial  sayings,  to 
represent  a  hard  and  griping  landlord 
or  master,  whose  actions  were  arbitrary 
and  oppressive.  The  servant  in  effect 
said :  '  knowing  that  you  were  very 
hardhearted  and  exacting,  and  fearing 
lest  through  some  misfortune  in  busi- 
ness, I  should  lose  the  sum  intrusted  to 
me,  and  thus  place  myself  in  your 
power  to  do  me  injury,  I  carefully  laid 
by  your  money,  and  now  tender  it  to 
you,  as  all  you  can  reasonably  expect 


)00 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art 
an  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou 
hast    not    sown,    and    gathering 
where  thou  hast  not  strewed  : 
25  And  I  was  afraid,  and  went 

or  demand  of  me.'  The  reply  was  sin- 
gularly cool  and  impudent.  Gathering, 
i.  e.  harvesting^  if  the  following  verb, 
hast  strewed,  refers  to  the  scattering  of 
seed  in  the  earth.  But  this  gives  it  an 
identity  of  sense  with  the  preceding 
clause.  It  is  better  therefore  to  refer 
hast  strewed,  to  the  winnowing  process 
of  casting  grain  up  to  the  wind,  in 
order  that  the  chaff'  may  be  separated 
from  it  (see  K  on  3  :  12).  The  idea 
then  would  be,  that  this  hard  master 
would  expect  to  gather  up  from  the 
winnowing-floor,  grain  which  had  not 
previously  been  scattered  abroad  to 
the  wind.  The  idea  of  this  and  the 
previous  clause  is  not  that  the  lord  de- 
manded the  fruit  of  toil  and  labor, 
while  he  himself  did  nothing,  but  that 
such  was  his  liardheartedness,  that 
like  Pharaoh  of  old,  he  demanded  a 
service  impossible  of  performance.  He 
rigidly  exacted  every  farthing,  without 
considering  whether  there  were  not 
circumstances,  which  rendered  it  im- 
possible to  meet  his  demands.  How 
truly  this  represents  the  hard  thoughts 
entertained  by  sinners  against  the  ways 
of  God,  needs  hardly  to  be  mentioned. 
25. 1  was  afraid  of  the  consequences, 
in  case  I  lost  the  money  intrusted  to 
me.  And  hid  thy  talent.  He  repre- 
sents himself  so  fearful  of  the  oppres- 
sive tyranny  of  his  lord,  that  he  took 
the  utmost  pains  to  keep  the  money  safe. 
It  is  well  said  by  Olshausen  that  this  ser- 
vant failed  through  an  unbelieving  as- 
sumption of  his  lord's  severity,  while 
the  guilt  of  the  foolish  virgins,  pro- 
ceeded from  thoughtless  presumption 
upon  the  kindness  of  the  bridegroom, 
so  that  in  this  respect  the  two  parables 
are  complements  to  each  other,  and 
describe  the  two  leading  temptations 
of  believers  in  their  relation  to  the  Re- 
deemer. But  Olshausen  greatly  errs 
in  the  interpretation  of  these  para- 
,bles,  by  supposing   the   foolish  virgins 


and  hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth  : 
lo,  iliere  thou  hast  ihat  is  thine. 
26  His  lord  answered  and  said 
unto    him,     Thou     wicked     and 
slothful    servant,    thou    knewest 

and  the  unprofitable  servant  to  re- 
present, not  such  as  have  no  grace  in 
their  heart,  but  those  in  whom  it  is 
mixed  with  false  views  and  remissness 
in  duty.  The  best  and  most  evangeli- 
cal interpreters  unite,  in  referring  the 
foolish  virgins  and  the  unprofitable  ser- 
vant to  hypocrites  and  deceived  souls 
in  the  church.  Zo,  there  thou  hast  that 
is  thine.  The  original  is  more  curt  and 
impudent :  lo  thou  hast  thine  ;  you  can 
reasonably  demand  nothing  more  of 
me,  you  have  all  which  you  can  claim 
as  your  own.  It  is  the  remark  of  a 
writer,  that  the  parable  puts  a  weak 
excuse  into  the  mouth  of  the  slothful 
servant,  to  show  that  no  reasonable 
apology  could  be  made  for  such  slothful 
conduct.  The  reply  is  certainly  ex- 
pressive to  the  highest  degree  of  the 
false  and  flimsy  excuses,  which  are 
made  by  impenitent  men  for  not  yield- 
ing their  hearts  to  God,  not  one  of 
which  is  more  common,  than  that  he  re- 
quires of  his  creatures  what  is  unrea- 
sonable, if  not  impossible  to  perform. 

26.  TJiou  wicked  and  slothful  servant ; 
literally,  wicked  and  slothful  servant. 
For  the  omission  of  the  pronoun,  see  N. 
on  23  :  24.  This  servant  was  addressed 
in  terms  the  very  opposite  oi  good  and 
faithful  servant.  In  addition  to  his 
indolence,  he  was  abusive,  envious,  and 
selfish.  He  had  not  only  disappointed 
the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  lord, 
but  sought  to  excuse  his  bad  conduct 
by  unjust  and  insolent  charges  against 
him.  Jliou  kneivest,  &c.  Some  read 
this  as  an  interrogation,  dist  thou  know, 
&c.  The  sense  is  the  same  in  either 
case.  Admitting  the  unjust  charge  to 
have  been  true,  there  was  the  more 
reason  that  he  should  have  zealously 
employed  himself  in  endeavoring  to 
increase  the  talent  committed  to 
him.  He  is  condemned  therefore  on 
his  own  showing.  The  truth  of  his 
unjust  charge    is  not    admitted  as  a 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


339 


that  I  reap  where  I  sowed  not, 
and  gather  where  I  have  not 
strewed : 

27  Thou  oughtest  therefore  to 
have  put  my  money  to  the  ex- 
changers, and  then  at  my  coming 
I  should  have  received  mine  own 
with  usury. 

•  28  Take  therefore  the  talent 
from  him,  and  give  it  unto  him. 
which  hath  ten  talents. 


QCh.l3:12;    Ma.  4:25;  Lu.  8:18,  &19:26; 
Jn.  15  :  2.        r  Ch.  8 :  12,  &  24 :  51. 


reality,  but  only  for  the  sake  of  con- 
founding him  with  his  own  false  and 
frivolous  excuse. 

27.  Thou  oughtest  therefore.  On 
your  own  ground  of  justification,  that  I 
would  call  you  to  the  strictest  account 
for  the  use  of  the  money  with  which  you 
were  intrusted,  you  ought  to  have  taken 
the  more  care  to  have  restored  to  me 
my  own  with  usury.  Exchangers,  i.  e. 
brokers,  bankers,  who  not  only  exchang- 
ed money,  but  received  it  on  deposit 
with  interest.  This  wicked  servant, 
therefore,  had  he  chosen  not  to  risk  his 
money  in  merchandise,  could  have 
loaned  it  to  these  bankers,  and  thus 
have  obtained  interest,  which  would 
have  been  preferable  to  burying  it 
in  the  earth.  Mine  oion  (literally, 
the  mine),  i.  e.  the  talent  com- 
mitted to  thee.  With  usury.  The 
word  usury  (from  Lat.  usura,  a  using, 
use,  or  enjoyment  of  a  thing,  and 
figuratively,  interest),  did  not  originally 
have  the  bad  sense  now  attached  to  it, 
but  denoted  lawful  interest.  Had  the 
slothful  servant,  therefore,  simply  put 
the  money  out  on  interest,  there  would 
have  accrued  to  his  lord  some  profit ; 
but  as  it  was,  he  could  only  pay 
back  the  bare  sum  originally  intrusted 
to  him. 

28.  Take  therefore  the  talent.  These 
words  may  be  supposed  to  have  been 
addressed  to  the  attendants  or  head 
servants.  Give  it  unto  him,  &c.  This 
was  done  as  a  further  token  of  favor. 
The  improvement  of  the  talents  com- 


29  ^  For  unto  every  one  that 
hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall 
have  abundance  :  iDut  from  him 
that  hath  not  shall  be  taken  away 
even  that  which  he  hath. 

30  And  cast  ye  the  unprofitable 
servant  ' into  outer  darkness : 
there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth. 

81  TT  '  When  the  Son  of  man 
shall   come   in   his  glory,  and  all 

«  Zee.  14  :  5;  Ch.  IC  :  2T.  &  19  :  28 ;  Ma.  8  :  .38; 

Ac.  1:11;  lTh.4:16;  2Th.l:7;  Jude  14; 

Ke.  1 :  7. 

mitted  to  him,  showed  his  fitness  to  be 
intrusted  with  more  of  his  lord's  pos- 
sessions. Thus  it  is  in  the  spiritual 
world.  The  righteous  shall  inherit  all 
things  (Ps.  3*7 :  29) ;  while  the  wicked, 
who  have  abused  their  talents  and 
privileges,  shall  be  stripped  of  every 
blessing,  and  be  poor,  and  miserable, 
and  wretched  for  ever  (Rev.  3 :  17). 

29.  This  proverbial  expression  was 
employed  in  13  :  12  (on  which  see  N.), 
but  in  a  diflerent  connection.  The 
general  sentiment  is,  however,  the 
same,  viz.  that  the  proper  use  of 
gifts  and  privileges  will  always  be 
rewarded  by  new  acts  of  munificence 
on  the  part  of  the  giver,  while  from 
him  who  abuses  his  trust,  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  which  was  intrusted  to 
him. 

30.  And  cast  ye,  &c.  Not  only  was 
the  slothful  servant  to  be  stripped  of 
all  he  had,  but  he  was  doomed  to  be 
punished,  as  an  expression  of  his  lord's 
detestation  of  his  conduct,  and  as  a 
warning  to  others  against  imitating  his 
example.  Unprofitable  ;  literally,  use- 
less, worthless,  bad.  Outer  darkness. 
See  N.  on  22 :  13.  There  shall  be  weeping, 
&c.     See  N.  on  8  :  12. 

31-46.  We  come  now  to  the  con- 
sideration of  a  passage,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  awful  and  sublime,  of  any  that 
was  ever  presented  to  the  human 
mind.     It   refers   so   evidently  to   the 

JUDGMENT     OF    THE    LAST     DAY,     that    nO 

critic  of  any  note  has  presumed  to  give 
it    any  other   reference.     The   i^imple, 


340 


MATTHEW. 


,   [A.  D.  33. 


the  holy  angels  with  him,  then 


concise,  dignified  language  in  which  it 
is  narrated,  and  the  directness  with 
which  it  brings  before  the  mind  the 
scenes  of  the  last  judgment,  furnishes 
the  most  conclusive  evidence  that  what 
was  said  in  the  preceding  chapter,  at 
least  so  far  as  v.  43,  referred  to  a 
previous  and  subordinate  advent  of  our 
Lord.  Unless  we  adopt  this  general 
division  of  his  discourse,  and  regard  the 
transition  from  the  signs  and  warnings 
of  his  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  to 
the  still  greater  watchfulness  and  dili- 
gence with  which  his  coming  to  judg- 
ment was  to  be  awaited,  as  being  well 
marked,  so  that  what  was  said  of  the 
former  coming,  was  in  no  danger  of 
being  confounded  by  his  disciples  with 
what  was  said  of  the  latter,  we  shall 
find  ourselves  in  doubt  and  per- 
plexity, as  to  the  true  meaning  of 
many  portions  of  the  prophecy,  and 
fail  to  derive  the  lessons  of  instruc- 
tion which  we  might  otherwise  obtain 
from  it.  It  is  to  be  noticed,  that  our 
Lord  fully  and  distinctly  disclosed  the 
signs  of  his  coming  to  take  vengeance 
upon  the  Jews,  so  that  his  followers 
should  know  when  to  flee  to  the  moun- 
tains, from  the  horrors  and  calamities 
of  the  siege.  But  not  a  sign  was  given, 
by  which  might  be  known  the  time  of 
his  approach  to  judgment.  No  sights 
in  the  heavens,  or  commotions  on 
earth,  are  revealed  as  the  precursors  of 
that  great  and  awful  event.  The  fu- 
ture in  reference  thereto  is  veiled  in 
impenetrable  darkness.  The  only  di- 
rection given  in  relation  to  it,  may  be 
comprised  in  the  single  terra  watchful- 
ness. This  is  enforced  under  the 
similitude  of  a  man  vigilantly  guarding 
his  house  against  the  midnight  robber 
(24:  43-45),  the  wise  servant  who 
watched  continually  for  his  master's 
coming  (24  :  46-51),  the  prudent  vir- 
gins who  were  in  a  constant  state  of 
readiness  to  meet  the  bridegroom  (25  : 
1-13),  and  the  faithful  servants  who 
diligently  improved  the  talents  com- 
mitted to  their  care  (14:  30).  All 
these   illustrations   are   based    on   one 


shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his 
glory : 

great  fact,  that  this  final  coming  of  our 
Lord  will  be  preceded  by  no  sign, 
which  will  enable  the  slothful  to  make 
amends  for  previous  remissness,  as 
would  have  been  the  case,  had  the 
foolish  virgins  been  warned  of  the  near 
approach  of  the  bridegroom.  In  this 
respect,  therefore,  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  to  judgment  widely  differs  from 
his  coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem, 
which  was  preceded  by  signs  be- 
tokening his  near  approach.  As  it 
respects  this  passage,  we  are  to  regard 
it  as  a  veritable  portraiture,  a  grand 
outline  view  of  the  scenes  and  transac- 
tions of  the  last  day,  and  not,  as  some 
recent  critics  strangely  assert,  a  mere 
parabolic  enforcement  of  the  duty  of 
acts  of  kindness  towards  others,  drawn 
from  a  supposed  day  of  final  adjudica- 
tion, in  which  the  sentence  of  approval 
or  condemnation  is  made  to  hinge  on 
the  manner  in  which  those  who  are  to 
be  judged  have  performed  their  duties  • 
to  their  fellow  men.  It  has  none  of  the 
essential  features  of  a  parable,  but  bears 
on  its  face  irresistible  evidence  of 
being  a  veritable  transaction. 

31.  When  the  Son  of  man.,  &c.  In 
connection  with  the  majesty  and  gran- 
deur of  his  appearance  on  this  great  and 
awful  occasion,  our  Lord  speaks  of  him- 
self as  the  Son  of  man.  It  is  not  in  his 
divine  character  alone,  that  he  is  to  act 
as  final  Judge,  but  as  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  the  humble,  despised  Jesus  of 
Nazareth.  See  N.  on  16  :  17.  Hence 
we  see  the  reason,  why  the  Father  is 
said  to  have  committed  all  judgment  to 
the  Son  (John  5  :  22).  As  Mediator  he 
is  officially  subordinate  to  the  Father, 
and  his  office  as  final  Judge  is  a  delega- 
ted and  not  an  independent  one.  In 
his  plory,  i.  e.  the  glory  which  belongs 
to  him  as  Messiah.  He  comes  in  royal 
state  to  reward  his  friends,  and  execute 
vengeance  upon  his  enemies  (compare 
Ex.  24  :  16,  17).  And  all  the  holy  an- 
gels with  him  (see  Mark  8  :  38).  What 
a  retinue !  It  would  appear  from  1 
Thess.  4:16,  17,  that  the  pious  dead, 
together  with  believers  who  shall  then 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


341 


32  And  'before  him  shall  be 

t  Eo.  14  :  10 ;  2  Co.  5:10;  Ee.  20 :  12. 

be  alive  upon  the  earth,  shall  rise  first, 
and  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air,  and  thus  to  the  wicked  who 
shall  be  raised  afterwards,  they  will 
appear  to  come  to  judgment  (Jude  14, 
15)  as  a  part  of  our  Lord's  glorious  re- 
tinue. May  not  this  be  the  key  to  the 
Jimt  resurrection  spoken  of  in  Rev.  20  : 
6,  6  ?  As  it  regards  the  similarity  of 
the  description  of  this  final  appearance  of 
our  Lord,  with  that  of  his  previous  ad- 
vent to  destroy  Jerusalem  (24:  30,  31), 
it  is  so  marked  and  unmistakable,  that 
it  is  perfectly  admissible,  as  Doddridge 
well  observes,  to  employ  those  texts, 
when  we  are  discoursing  upon  this  great 
and  awful  day.  His  appearance  to  de- 
stroy Jerusalem  was  symbolical  of  his 
final  appearance,  and  hence  the  resem- 
blance of  the  language  in  which  both 
his  comings  are  described.  Shall  sit  as 
judge.  Throne  of  his  glory,  i.  e.  his 
glorious  throne.  The  language  is  bor- 
rowed from  the  pomp  and  splendor, 
with  which  Oriental  monarchs  appeared 
on  great  state  occasions.  See  Dan.  7  : 
9  ;  Isa.  6  :  1. 

32.  Before  him.  Into  his  presence. 
Shall  be  gathered  all  riations,  i.  e.  all 
people  who  have  lived  on  the  earth, 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles.  I  cannot 
agree  with  Alford,  Stier,  and  Olshausen, 
■who  refer  this  to  the  nations,  as  distin- 
guished from  the  elect  or  covenanted 
servants  of  Christ,  who  according  to 
their  theory  have  previously  been  raised 
and  judged,  and  are  already  in  his 
glory,  and  judging  the  world  with  him. 
But  as  the  very  idea  of  the  judgment  of 
these  nations  implies  that  not  all  are  to 
he  condemned,  Alford  supposes  that 
some  of  this  multitude  had  performed 
deeds  of  love,  which  they  knew  not 
"  had  been  done  to  and  for  Christ,  and 
hence  they  are  overwhelmed  with  the 
sight  of  the  grace,  which  has  been 
working  in  and  for  them,  and  the  glory 
which  is  now  their  blessed  portion." 
This  commentator  supposes  therefore 
that  besides  the  elect,  there  are  good 
persons  in  the  world,  and  that  these  are 
the  ones  who  now  stand  at  the  Judge's 


gathered    all  nations :    and   "  he 

mEz.20:  88,&34: 17,  20;  Ch.  13:49. 


right  hand.  His  error  results  in  mis- 
taken views  of  the  first  resurrection, 
not  only  in  confounding  it  with  the 
millennial  dispensation,  but  in  identify- 
ing it  with  the  final  judgment  and  reward 
of  the  righteous  (i.  e.  the  elect),  "  in 
which  all  Christians  shall  be  judged." 
Having  thus  disposed  of  the  elect  (i.  e. 
Christians),  there  remains  no  class  of 
persons  to  compose  the  sheep  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  Judge,  but  those  who 
are  "  not  the  covenanted  servants  of 
Christ,"  and  "  who  knew  not  that  all 
their  deeds  of  love  had  been  done  to  and 
for  Christ,"  that  is,  if  I  do  not  greatly  n)is- 
understand  this  in  many  respects  inost 
excellent  and  accurate  commentatoi* 
(whose  theory  of  eschatology  does  not 
materially  differ  from  that  of  Olshausen), 
the  good  who  may  be  found  at  last  to 
have  lived  in  the  midst  of  heathenism, 
and  whose  "love  felt  its  way,  though  in 
darkness,  to  Him  who  is  love."  This 
view  I  cannot  adopt,  both  because  it  is 
manifestly  opposed  to  the  great  idea  of 
Scripture,  that  there  is  one  appointed 
day  in  which  all  mankind  will  be  judged 
in  righteousness  (Acts  17  :  31),  and  be- 
cause the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture  and 
the  experience  of  our  missionaries  is 
against  the  idea,  that  there  are  persons 
to  be  found  among  the  heathen,  who 
give  such  evidence  of  piety  and  purity 
of  heart,  as  to  warrant  the  belief  that 
they  will  be  saved  without  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ.  This  separation  of  the 
good  and  bad,  indicated  by  their  local 
position  on  the  right  and  left  of  the 
Judge,  and  by  the  terms  of  the  final 
sentence,  show  that  all  the  former  as 
well  as  the  latter  class  are  to  be  assem- 
bled on  this  occasion,  and  not  a  mere 
handful  composed  of  the  good  that  may 
have  been  gathered  in  from  the  hea- 
then, who  have  never  heard  of  Christ. 
We  cannot  believe  that  the  righteous 
who  are  to  go  into  "  life  eternal,"  and 
who  are  placed  in  direct  and  open  con- 
trast with  the  wicked  consigned  now  to 
"everlasting  punishment,"  consist  of 
only  a  few  good  men,  who  have  main- 
tained something  of  a  virtuous  character, 


342 


MATTHEW. 


[A.D.33. 


shall  separate  them  one  from  an- 
other, as  a  shepherd  divideth  his 
sheep  from  the  goats  : 

38  And  he  shall  set  the  sheep 

amidst  the  vices  and  degradation  of 
heathenism  ?  The  sentence  evidently 
includes  all  the  good  and  bad,  that  have 
ever  lived  or  will  live  upon  the  earth. 
Besides  it  is  altogether  improbable,  if 
not  morall}-  impossible,  that  after  the 
millennial  dispensation,  in  which,  as  Al- 
ford  maintains,  all  the  elect  or  Christians 
are  to  be  judged,  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  will  so  depart  from  the  earth, 
that  no  Christians  shall  afterwards  live 
thereon  to  be  judged  at  the  final  judg- 
ment. Who  are  those  saints,  and  what 
has  become  of  them,  in  defence  of 
whom,  fire  is  to  come  down  from  hea- 
ven and  destroy  the  armies  of  Gog  and 
Magog,  inuiicdiately  after  which,  the 
devil  that  deceived  them  is  to  be  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  ? 
(Rev.  20  :  8-10.)  Does  this  appear 
consonant  with  the  theory,  that  after 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb,  which 
Alford  and  others  identify  with  the  mil- 
lennial period,  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
will  so  depart  from  the  earth,  that  there 
shall  be  no  Christians  living  thereon  to 
be  judged  at  the  last  day?  These  are 
some  of  the  considerations  to  which 
many  others  might  be  added,  why  the 
interpretation  of  Alford,  Olshauscn,  and 
others  of  that  school,  cannot  be  accept- 
ed as  the  true  one.  The  expression 
all  nations,  seems  to  have  been  used  by 
our  Lord  in  opposition  to  an  ancient 
notion  of  the  Jews,  that  the  Gentiles 
would  have  no  part  in  the  resurrection. 
As  it  regards  the  angelic  instrumen- 
tality in  assembling  the  human  race  to 
judgment,  compare  13  :  14;  Mark  8  : 
32  ;  2  Thess.  1 :  7.  And  he  shall  sepa- 
rate, &c.  See  13  :  41.  This  is  to  be 
done  by  the  ministry  of  angels.  Actions 
are  rightly  attributed  to  the  one  at 
whose  command  they  were  performed. 
As  this  separation  implies  knowledge  of 
character,  the  angels  who  performed  it, 
are  endowed  with  powers  requisite  to 
its  right  execution.  One  from  another. 
In  the  same  families  and  groups,  as  they 


on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats 
on  the  left. 

3-4  Then  shall  the  King  say  un- 
to them  on  his  right  hand,  Come, 

arise  from  their  burial  places,  will  be 
found  mingled  together,  the  good  and  the 
bad.  But  a  separation  now  takes  place. 
One  shall  pass  to  the  right  hand  of  the 
Judge,  and  another  by  his  side,  shall 
be  hurried  to  his  station  on  the  left.  Hus- 
bands and  wives,  parents  and  children, 
brothers  and  sisters,  will  be  parted  asun- 
der, according  as  they  have  been  friends 
or  enemies  of  the  Judge,  before  whom 
they  are  to  appear.  As  a  shepherd,  &c. 
What  omniscience  and  power  thus  to 
arrange  on  his  right  and  left  hand,  the 
thousands  of  millions  of  the  human  race, 
with  as  much  ease  and  accuracy,  as  a 
shepherd  divides  his  sheep  from  the 
goats.  A  shepherd;  literally,  the  shep- 
herd, a  generic  expression. 

33.  And  he  shall  set,  &c.  Sheep  are 
here  chosen  to  represent  the  righteous, 
because  of  their  innocence  and  harmless- 
ness,  and  their  being  objects  of  the  ten- 
derest  care  to  the  shepherd.  See  18  :  12, 
13  ;  John  10  :  11,  14.  On  the  right  hand 
&c.  This  arrangement  is  thought  to 
be  based  on  what  is  asserted  of  the  cus- 
tom in  judicial  trials,  of  having  two  sec- 
retaries, one  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
judge,  to  write  the  sentence  of  acquit- 
tal, the  other  on  the  left,  to  write  the 
one  of  condemnation.  Reference  may 
be  had,  however,  to  the  well-known 
and  universal  fact,  that  the  right  hand 
is  the  post  of  honor.  In  the  way  of 
antithesis,  the  left  hand  would  then 
be  the  place  of  dishonor.  See  Eccles. 
10  :  2.  When  no  such  antithesis 
exists,  the  left  may  be  included  with  the 
right  as  a  post  of  honor.     See  20  :  21. 

34.  TJien  shall  the  King.  Christ  ia 
here  acting  in  the  capacity  of  king,  as 
well  as  judge.  He  is  about  to  reward 
his  friends  and  take  vengeance  on  his 
enemies.  His  Mediatorial  kingdom  is 
now  to  be  confirmed  by  his  triumph 
over  every  foe.  Death  and  hell  are  to 
be  cast  into  a  lake  of  fire  (Rev.  20  : 
14),  and  the  righteous  are  to  enter  in  full 
possession  upon  their  everlasting  rest. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


343 


ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  '  inherit 
the  kingdom  "prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  : 
35  '  For  I  was  an  hungered, 
and   ye   gave    me   meat :    I    was 

icRo.  8:17;  1  Pe.  1  :4,  9,  &3:9;  Re.  21 :  7. 
yCh. 20:23;  Ma.  10:  40;  lCo.2:9;  He.ll:16. 

In  ancient  times  the  kingly  and  judicial 
power  was  united.  Come  is  not  to  be 
taken  in  a  local  sense  (i.  e.  of  a  change  of 
place),  but  is  an  expression  of  encourage- 
ment and  incitement,  often  used  with 
commands  and  exhortations.  Ye  blessed 
of  my  Father.  They  had  been  given  to 
Christ  by  his  Father  (John  6  :  37),  and 
it  was  his  Father's  will  that  of  those 
which  had  been  given  him,  not  one 
should  be  lost,  but  all  should  be  raised 
up  at  the  last  day  (John  6  :  39).  In 
the  divine  arrangement,  they  had  been 
chosen  to  everlasting  Ufe  by  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit 
(2  Thess.  2  :  13 ;  1  Pet.  1  :  2),  and  were 
therefore  the  objects  of  his  unceasing 
love(l  John  3  :  1).  Inherit.  The  idea 
is  one  of  heirship.  See  Rom.  8  :  17  ; 
Gal.  8  :  29 ;  Heb.  1:14;  James  2:5; 
Rev.  21  :  7.  The  kingdom,  i.  e.  the 
bliss  of  heaven,  eternal  life,  the  per- 
fected blessings  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom (Luke  12:  32).  Prepared  for  you. 
This  enhances  his  love  for  the  righteous, 
that,  long  before  their  personal  exist- 
ence, seats  of  glory  had  been  provided 
for  them,  in  the  councils  of  God,  upon 
which  they  were  now  to  enter.  This 
shows  that  their  salvation  was  all  of 
divine,  sovereign  grace,  and  that  having 
been  chosen  to  such  seats  of  bliss,  they 
would  never  be  forsaken  of  him  and 
suffered  to  perish  (see  John  10  :  27-29  ; 
Acts  13  :  48  ;  Rom.  8  :  28-39). 

85.  For  I  was  an  hungered.  The 
duty  of  almsgiving  is  here  put  as  the 
type  or  representative  of  all  the  Chris- 
tian virtues,  both  on  account  of  its  intrin- 
sic importance  and  excellence,  and,  as 
Doddridge  thinks,  because  from  the 
Chaldee  paraphrase  on  Eccles.  9  :  7, 
the  Jews  supposed  that  almsgiving 
would  be  remembered  with  peculiar  re- 
gard at  the  day  of  judgment.  Perhaps 
this  Christian  grace  was  selected,  be- 


thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink  : 
"  I  was  a  stranger  and  ye  took 
me  in  : 

36  *  Naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  : 
I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me :  "  I 

8  Is.  58:7;  Ez.  18:7;  Ja.  1 :  27.     a  He.  13  :  2, 
3  ;  Jo.  5.      i  Ja.  2  :  15, 16.      c  2  Ti.  1 :  16. 

cause  it  furnished  an  occasion  for  the 
Judge  to  proclaim  in  hearing  of  the 
assembled  universe,  the  intimate  union 
existing  between  him  and  his  peo- 
ple, so  that  the  acts  of  kindness 
shown  to  them,  were  virtually  shown  to 
him  (10:40;  18  :  5 ;  Mark  9  :  37). 
This  trial  of  benevolence  indicated 
their  possession  of  the  spirit  of  Christ 
(Rom.  8  :  9),  and  their  consequent 
fitness  to  be  received  into  his  ever- 
lasting favor.  It  was  not  necessary 
that  alms  and  other  kind  offices  should 
be  bestowed  upon  our  Savior  in  person. 
It  was  sufficient  that  they  had  been 
rendered  to  his  poor,  humble,  perse- 
cuted followers,  who  had  nothing  to 
recommend  them  but  their  pure  and 
devoted  attachment  to  their  Lord.  / 
was  tJdrsty.  In  Oriental  countries  where 
water  was  scarce,  it  was  a  grateful  and 
sometimes  an  essential  act  of  kindness, 
to  give  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  the 
thirsty  traveller  (see  John  4  :  7). 

36.  A  stranger.  Belonging  to  ano- 
ther place  or  country.  Took  me  in; 
literally,  conducted  me  into  your  house, 
and  bestowed  upon  me  the  rites  of 
hospitality.  This  with  the  ancients  was 
regarded  as  a  cardinal  virtue  (Heb.  13  : 
2).  Naked  and  ye  clothed  me.  This  is 
an  advance  on  the  preceding  act  of 
hospitality.  The  word  rendered  naked, 
does  not  mean  absolute  nudity,  but  is 
used  of  one  who,  as  we  say,  is  half 
naked,  or  poorly  clad.  Ye  visited  me, 
or  more  literally,  ye  looked  after  me. 
You  took  charge  of  me,  and  saw  that  I 
received  necessary  care  and  attention 
(see  James  1  :  27).  /  was  i7i  prison. 
A  still  more  prominent  circumstance 
of  distress,  as  the  preceding  state  of 
sickness  was  an  advance  on  nakedness. 
The  climax  is  well  marked  in  these 
gradations  of  suffering  and  want.  He 
was    in  prison,  unjustly  charged  with 


344 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto 
me. 

37  Then  shall  the  righteous  an- 
swer him,  saying.  Lord,  when  saw 
we  thee  an  hungered,  and  fed 
ihee  ?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  ihee 
drink  ? 

38  When  saw  we  thee  a  stran- 
ger, and  took  thee  in  ?  or  naked, 
and  clothed  thee  1 

d  Pr.  14  :  SI,  &  19 :  IT  ;  Ch.  10  :  42 ;  Ma.  9  :  41 ; 
He.  G  :  10. 


crime,  and  about  to  suffer  an  ignomi- 
nious punishment.  But  the  hand  of 
Christian  charity  was  there  extended  to 
him.  He  was  sought  out  and  visited 
in  the  cold  and  loathsome  dungeon. 
The  shame  and  obloquy  incurred  in  ad- 
ministering to  the  wants  of  a  poor  de- 
spised criminal,  were  lost  in  the  deep 
and  all-absorbing  love,  which  embraced 
in  its  arms  of  benevolent  compassion 
every  son  and  daughter  of  afiliction. 
Ye  came  unto  me  to  administer  in  person 
to  my  wants,  and  comfort  me  with  your 
sympathy. 

37.  Then  shall  the  righteous,  &c. 
They  express  their  astonishment  at 
these  words  of  the  Judge.  They  can 
remember  no  instance,  when  they  con- 
ferred these  acts  of  kindness  upon 
their  Lord.  Their  reply  is  therefore 
a  modest  disclaimer  of  worthiness  on 
the  ground  here  mentioned.  It  is  as 
though  they  said  :  'It  cannot  be.  Lord, 
that  thou  art  under  such  obligations  to 
us,  for  we  never  saw  thee  in  such  cir- 
cumstances of  distress,  and  could  there- 
fore never  have  done  thee  such  services 
as  thou  hast  enumerated.'  What  con- 
descension and  love  on  the  one  hand, 
and  modest,  humble  demeanor  on  the 
other,  does  this  incident  of  the  last 
judgment  furnish.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  suppose,  that  these  words  will  be 
actually  spoken  by  the  righteous.  It 
may  be  the  language  of  their  heart, 
known,  however,  to  the  omni.^cient  eye 
of  the  Judge,  and  here  revealed  to  us  as 
the  expression  of  their  feelings.  It  is 
strange  that  this  should  be  lost  sight  of 
by  Oishausen,  Alford,  and   others,  and 


39  Or  when  saw  we  thee  sick, 
or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee  ? 

40  And  the  King  shall  answer 
and  say  unto  them,  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  "^  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 
these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done 
it  unto  me. 

41  Then  shall  he  say  also  unto 
them  on   the  left  hand,    '  Depart 

ePs.  6:  8;  Ch.  T:23;  Lu.  13  :  27. 


that  they  should  find  in  this  reply  no- 
thing, but  a  simple  profession  of  igno- 
rance on  the  part  of  these  righteous 
persons,  of  the  name  or  existence  of 
Christ,  showing  that  they  were  ga- 
thered in  from  heathen  lands. 

40.  One  of  the  least  of  these,  i.  e.  the 
most  humble,  necessitous,  and  despised 
of  his  followers.  The  idea  is  in  a  mea- 
sure reflexive,  one  of  the  least  of  your 
own  number.  My  brethren.  So  Christ 
denominated  his  followers,  while  on 
earth  (see  12  :  49  ;  28  :  10  ;  Mark  3  :  35  ; 
Luke  8:  31  ;  John  12  :  17),  and  this 
endearing  term  bestowed  upon  them, 
when  he  sits  on  the  throne  ofjudgment, 
shows  how  abiding  is  his  love,  as  well 
as  wondrous  his  condescension.  Ye 
have  done  it,  &c.  This  should  excite 
all  Christ's  followers  to  acts  of  kindness 
and  love.  Every  instance  of  self-de- 
nial for  the  temporal  or  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  others,  is  regarded  by  our  Sa- 
vior as  done  to  Him,  and  will  receive  his 
public  approval  and  acknowledgment 
at  the  last  day.     See  10  :  40. 

41.  Thenshallhe  say,  &c.  The  right- 
eous having  been  thus  honored  and 
confirmed  in  their  everlasting  inhe- 
ritance, the  Judge  proceeds  to  pass 
sentence  upon  the  wicked  who  stand 
on  his  left  hand.  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  &c.  This  sentence  is  the  very 
opposite  of  that,  which  had  been  passed 
upon  the  rigliteous.  The  persons  thus 
doomed  had  no  moral  resemblance  to 
Christ.  They  were  strangers  to  his 
spirit  and  temper  (Rom.  8  :  9).  His 
invitations  of  love  and  mercy  they 
had  slighted.     His  commands  they  had 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


345 


from  me,  ye  cursed,  '^into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  ^  the  de- 
vil and  his  angels : 

42  For  I  was  an  hungered,  and 

/Cli.  13:40,  42. 

broken.  Now  he  banishes  them  from 
his  presence.  Ye  cursed,  i.  e.  accursed 
ones,  doomed  to  punishment.  The 
omission  of  the  words  of  my  Father, 
which  follow  the  word  blessed  in  v.  34, 
is  noticeable,  as  showing  that  the  con- 
demnation or  accursed  condition  of  the 
wicked,  results  from  their  own  evil 
doing,  while  the  salvation  of  the  right- 
eous is  all  of  grace.  Into  everlasting 
fire.  See  N.  on  5  :  22.  This  does  not 
necessarily  imply  material  fire,  but  as 
that  is  the  source  of  the  most  exquisite 
suffering  to  our  mortal  bodies,  it  is 
chosen  as  the  symbol  of  those  dread- 
ful torments,  to  which  the  wicked 
are  to  be  for  ever  shut  up  in  the  world 
of  M'oe.  We  do  not  diminish  the  se- 
verity of  those  torments  by  excluding 
the  idea  of  physical  fire,  but  en- 
hance it  by  making  suffering  by 
fire  an  emblem  falling  far  below  the 
reality.  The  nature  and  extent  of  these 
sufferings  of  the  lost,  are  beyond  our 
comprehension.  From  the  terrific  im- 
agery made  use  of  in  God's  word,  no 
one  can  doubt  that  they  are  dreadful 
beyond  conception.  From  what  we 
see  sometimes  in  this  world,  and  from 
the  very  nature  of  sin,  we  may  infer 
that  the  body  and  soul,  united  at  the 
resurrection,  will  have  raging  desires, 
passions,  and  appetites  which  will  never 
be  gratified  ;  that  they  will  be  shut  up 
with  wicked  and  loathsome  fiends,  ac- 
cursed of  God,  and  hated  as  the  insti- 
gators to  evil  ;  that  there  will  be  a  ma- 
lignant desire  to  torment  one  another, 
and  that  there  will  be  such  clear  con- 
victions of  sin  and  ill  desert,  that  the 
soul  will  be  torn  with  self-reproach,  re- 
morse, and  despair.  But  in  addition  to 
all  this,  will  be  the  direct  infliction  of 
the  wrath  of  God.  Who  can  form  any 
idea  of  this  dispensation  of  wrath  ?  Who 
knoweth  the  power  of  his  anger  (Ps. 
90  :  11)?  Who  can  abide  his  displea- 
sure, which  is  a  consuming  fire  (Heb. 
12  :  29)  to  all  who  have  not  taken  re- 


ye   gave   me    no    meat  :     I    was 

thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink ; 

43   I  was   a   stranger,   and  ye 

took  me  not   in  :   naked,  and  ye 

J?  2  Pe.  2  :  4 ;  Jude  6. 

fuge  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  ?  Ever- 
lasting. See  N.  on  v.  46.  Prepared 
for  the  devil,  &c.  See  N.  on  9  :  34. 
The  seats  of  bliss  had  been  prepared  for 
the  righteous  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world  ;  but  the  abode  of  the  lost 
had  been  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels.  God  would  have  all  men  come 
to  him  and  be  saved.  Salvation  through 
his  Son  has  been  provided  for  all.  But 
those  who  choose  death  instead  of  life, 
and  show  themselves  the  incorrigible 
enemies  of  God,  are  consigned  to  the 
same  place  of  punishment,  as  that  which 
has  been  prepared  for  the  angels,  which 
kept  not  their  first  estate  (Jude  6). 
They  who  seek  to  parry  off  the  force  of 
this  dreadful  passage  against  the  doc- 
trine of  universal  salvation,  assert  that 
hell  was  not  the  place  originally  de- 
signed for  man,  and  therefore  cannot 
be  regarded  as  his  everlasting  habita- 
tion. But  does  not  the  phra.-e  devil 
and  his  angels,  include,  as  Bloomfield 
well  remarks,  the  incorrigibly  wicked 
of  every  age?  Is  there  any  ground  of 
hope  that  the  punishment  of  the 
wicked  will  have  an  end,  because  they 
are  sentenced  to  a  place,  where  are  con- 
fined the  most  powerful  and  malignant 
of  God's  enemies  ?  The  very  reverse 
of  this  would  seem  to  be  taught  in  this 
awful  passage. 

42,  43.  The  same  test  of  character 
is  made  the  rule  of  judgment,  in  respect 
to  those  on  the  left  hand,  as  had  been 
employed  in  regard  to  the  righteous. 
Impartial  justice  will  be  meted  out  to 
all.  There  is  no  variation  in  the  words 
spoken  to  these  two  classes,  except  in 
the  employment  of  the  negative,  in  the 
second  member  of  each  sentence  ad- 
dressed to  the  wicked,  and  the  more 
condensed  expression,  "  sick,  and  in 
prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not,"  for  "I 
was  sick  and  ye  visited  me,  I  was  in 
prison  and  ye  came  unto  me,"  the  form 
addressed  to  the  righteous. 

44,  45.   Th^n   shall   th^y,   &c.      How 


846 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


clothed  me  not :  sick,  and  in  pri- 
son, and  ye  visited  me  not. 

44  Then  shall  they  also  answer 
him,  saying,  Lord,  when  saw  we 
thee  an  hungered,  or  athirst,  or 
a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or 
in  prison,  and  did  not  minister 
unto  thee  ? 
APr.  14:31,  &ir:5;    Zee.  2:8;  Ac.  9:5. 

different  their  spirit  of  self-exculpation, 
from  the  humility  and  sense  of  un- 
worthiness  manifested  by  the  righteous. 
These  wicked  persons  had  never  in 
their  whole  Uves  exhibited  any  love  to 
Christ  or  his  people.  Yet  they  imagine 
that  because  they  had  not  treated  him 
with  personal  neglect,  having  had  no 
opportunity  of  doing  so,  they  are  guilt- 
less of  the  charge  here  brought  against 
them.  But  as  the  Judge  disabused  the 
righteous  of  the  wrong  views  which 
they  entertained  of  their  unworthiness, 
so  he  now  shows  the  wicked  how  false 
were  their  pretensions  of  kindness  to 
him.  Least  of  these  refers  here,  as  in 
V.  40,  to  the  righteous. 

46.  Shall  go  away  from  the  presence 
of  the  Judge.  They  could  make  no 
reply  to  the  charge  of  having  neglected 
the  poor  and  despised  followers  of 
Christ.  Every  mouth  was  stopped 
(Rom.  3  :  19),  and  the  justice  of  their 
sentence  acknowledged.  Emrlasting 
punishment.  The  word  here  translated 
everlasting ^'is  the  same  as  that  which  is 
translated  eternal  in  the  next  clause. 
It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted,  that  our 
translators  did  not  render  the  original 
by  the  same  word  in  both  instances. 
Whatever  may  be  said  about  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Greek  word  aionion,  it  must, 
by  all  the  laws  of  interpretation  and 
common  sense,  have  the  same  significa- 
tion in  both  clauses.  Everlasting  pun- 
ishment is  here  set  over  against  ever- 
lasting life,  and  if  the  one  is  of  finite 
duration,  so  must  be  the  other.  But 
no  one  denies  that  the  doctrine  of  end- 
less felicity  in  heaven,  is  fully  and  expli- 
citly taught  in  the  Bible.  If  so,  then 
everlasting  life  means  that  which  has  no 
end,  and  the  same  must  be  true  of  the 


45  Then  shall  he  answer  them, 
saying,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
*  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to 
one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  did 
it  not  to  me. 

46  And  'these  shall  go  away 

iDa.  12  :  2  ;  Jn.  5  :  29;  Eo.  2:  7,  &c. 


antithetic  words,  everlasting  punish- 
ment. There  is  no  evading  this  result. 
Were  the  doctrine  of  future  and  end- 
less punishment  taught  nowhere  else 
in  the  Bible,  this  single  passage  would 
establish  its  truth  beyond  the  possi- 
bility of  doubt  or  contradiction.  But 
how  is  this  dreadful  truth  confirmed  by 
other  texts  in  God's  word,  as  well 
as  by  the  very  nature  and  necessity  of 
Christ's  death.  Let  no  one  refuse  to 
receive  this  doctrine  on  the  ground  of 
its  being  harsh,  cruel,  and  repugnant  to 
every  humane  feeling.  The  words  we 
are  here  considering  are  those  of  our 
compassionate  Savior,  who  gave  his 
life  to  save  us  from  so  dreadful  a 
doom.  He  did  not  employ  this  lan- 
guage to  frighten  the  timid,  or  harrow 
up  the  feelings  of  the  tenderhearted. 
He  uttered  a  solemn  truth  in  circum- 
stances, which  ought  to  render  it  one 
of  the  most  powerful  incitements  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  ever  ad- 
dressed to  man. 

In  respect  to  the  etymological  mean- 
ing of  the  word  aionioh,  the  ground 
signification  is  always  being.  When 
applied  to  human  existence  it  denotes 
the  whole  period  of  one's  life.  In  like 
manner,  when  it  is  used  of  a  dispensa- 
tion, age,  or  period  of  the  world,  it  signi- 
fies the  whole  of  that  age  or  period.  So 
when  applied  to  the  eternity  past  it  desig- 
nates, so  to  speak,  the  whole  of  that  eter- 
nity (see  2  Tim.  1:9;  Tit.  1 :  2  ;  1  Cor. 
2:7),  in  the  same  manner  as  aion, 
from  which  it  is  derived,  signifies  eter- 
nity past  in  Eph.  3:11.  When  it  is 
employed  also  as  an  attribute  of  the 
eternity  to  come,  it  denotes  the  whole  of 
that  eternity.  It  is  the  alivays  being 
of  that  state,  condition,  or  existence 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XX\  I. 


347 


into  everlasting  punishment :  but 
the  righteous  into  life  eternal. 


which  is  entered  upon,  and  thus  en- 
stamped  with  the  seal  of  eternity. 
This  fundamental  meaning  of  the  word, 
and  its  application  as  here  given,  can- 
not be  disputed.  Now,  in  reference  to 
which  of  these  periods  of  eternity 
must  the  meaning  of  this  word  be 
taken,  as  here  used  by  Christ  ?  Evi- 
dently in  the  sense  of  an  always 
BEING  punishment  of  the  wicked,  and 
an  ALWAYS  BEING  life  of  the  righteous, 

in     THE      ETERNITY     TO     COME.       This      Is 

plain  and  incontrovertible.  It  is  won- 
derful that  any  one  of  even  moderate 
philological  attainments,  should  have 
the  hardihood  to  contend,  that  aionion 
has  in  this  passage  the  meaning  of 
limited  duration. 

But  this  etymological  signification  of 
the  word  is  confirmed  by  its  general 
usage  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is  em- 
ployed sixty-six  times.  Of  these,  in 
fifty-one  instances,  it  is  used  of  the 
happiness  of  the  righteous,  in  two,  of 
God's  existence,  in  six,  of  the  church 
and  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  and  in  the 
remaining  seven,  of  the  future  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked.  If  in  these  seven 
instances  we  attach  to  the  word  the 
idea  of  limited  duration,  consistency 
requires  that  the  same  idea  of  limited 
duration  should  be  given  it,  in  the  fifty- 
one  cases  of  its  application  to  the  fu- 
ture glory  of  the  righteous,  and  the 
two  instances  of  its  application  to  God's 
existence,  and  the  six  cases  of  its  ap- 
propriation to  the  future  reign  of  the 
Messiah,  and  the  glory  and  perpetuity 
of  the  church.  But  no  one  will  pre- 
sume to  deny,  that  in  these  instances 
it  denotes  unlimited  duration,  and  there- 
fore in  accordance  with  the  sound  laws 
of  interpretation,  and  of  language  it- 
self, the  same  sense  of  unlimited  dura- 
tion must  be  given  it  when  used  of  fu- 
ture punishment. 

In  regard  to  the  word  punishment,  as 
used  in  this  verse,  it  does  not  signify  a 
mere  negation  of  happiness  or  enjoy- 
ment, or  a  mere  state  or  condition,  but 


A 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
ND  it  came  to  pass,  when  Je- 
sus   had    finished    all    these 


the  positive  infliction  of  punishment 
(see  Acts  4:21)  from  God.  See  N.  on 
V.  41.  Eternal  life.  See  N.  on  19  : 
16.  It  has  been  well  remarked,  by 
Alford,  that  life  does  not  here  mean 
bare  existence,  which  would  have  anni- 
hilation for  its  opposite  ;  but  blessedness 
and  reward,  to  which  ptmishment  and 
misery  are  antagonistic  terms. 

CHAP.  XXVI. 

1-16.  The  Conspiracy  of  the 
Rulers  ;  Supper  at  Bethany  ;  and 
Treachery  of  Judas.  Jerusalem. 
Bethany.  Fifth  dav  of  the  Week. 
Mark  14  :  1-11  ;  Luke  22  :  1-6. 

1.  All  these  sayiiigs  contained  espe- 
cially in  the  two  preceding  chapters. 
His  public  teaching  had  now  come  to 
a  close.  What  he  said  afterwards  was 
addressed  in  private  to  his  disciples. 

2.  After  two  days.  This  shows  that 
they  had  now  entered  upon  the  fifth 
day  of  the  week,  or  on  our  Thursday. 
But  as  the  Jewish  day  began  with  the 
preceding  evening,  it  may  have  been  on 
their  way  to  the  feast  at  Bethany  (see 
V.  6),  on  Wednesday  evening,  that  he 
made  this  announcement  to  his  disci- 
ples. Feast  of  the  pas.^over ;  literally, 
the  paschal  feast.  This  was  the  feast  of 
unleavened  bread,  commencing  with  the 
paschal  supper,  and  continuing  seven 
days,  until  the  close  of  the  21st  day  of 
Nisan  (April).  It  was  instituted  in  com- 
memoration of  the  Hebrew  liberation 
from  Egyptian  bondage,  and  of  the  pre- 
servation of  their  first  born  on  the  night, 
when  the  first  born  of  Egypt  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  angel  of  tlie  Lord.  On 
the  10th  day  of  the  month  Nisan,  the 
master  of  a  family  separated  a  yearling 
ram  or  goat  (Ex.  12  :  1-6),  which  he 
killed  on  the  14th  day  between  the  two 
evenings  (see  N.  on  14  :  15),  before  the 
altar,  upon  the  bottom  of  which  the 
blood  was  sprinkled.  In  Egypt, 
where  the  event  to  be  commemorated 
occurred,  the  blood  was  sprinkled  upon 
the  door  post  (Ex.  12  :  1).     This   ram 


348 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


sayings,  he  said  unto  his  disci- 
ples, 

2    "Ye    know   that    after    two 
days  is  the  feast  of  the  passover, 

a  Ma.  14:  1 ;  Lu.  22:  1;  Jn.  13  :  1. 

or  kid,  denominated  pascha  (protec- 
tion), was  roasted  whole  with  two  spits 
thrust  through  the  body,  the  one  longitu- 
dinally, the  other  transversely,  near  the 
fore  legs,  so  that  the  animal  was  in  a 
manner  crucified,  a  most  significant  cir- 
cumstance, which  was  little  deemed  by 
those  Avho  thus  impaled  the  animal,  as 
symbolical  of  the  crucifixion  of  the 
Lamb  of  God,  of  which  the  whole  pas- 
chal sacrifice  was  an  emblem  (1  Cor.  5  : 
V).  The  oven  in  which  the  animal  was 
roasted,  was  an  excavation,  two  and  a 
half  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  five  to 
six  feet  in  depth.  The  bottom  being 
paved  with  stones,  from  these,  when 
sufficiently  heated,  the  fire  was  remov- 
ed, and  the  animal  to  be  roasted  was 
placed  thereon,  and  the  mouth  of  the 
oven  was  then  shut.  When  thus  roast- 
ed, it  was  eaten  with  a  salad  of  wild 
and  bitter  herbs.  Not  fewer  than  ten 
or  more  than  twenty  persons  were  ad- 
mitted to  these  sacred  feasts.  At  first 
the  passover  was  eaten  with  loins  girt 
about,  shoes  on  the  feet,  and  all  the 
preparations  for  an  immediate  journey, 
but  this  was  not  the  case  afterwards. 
The  Jews,  however,  always  obeyed  the 
command  not  to  break  a  bone  of  the 
offering  (compare  Ex.  12  :  46  ;  John 
19  :  36). 

Dr.  Jahn  remarks  that  the  ceremonies 
practised  at  the  eating  of  the  paschal 
feast,  were  much  the  same  as  those  of 
the  present  day.  The  master  of  the 
family  having  broken  the  bread,  blessed 
it,  and  divided  it  among  those  who  par- 
took of  the  feast.  Preceding  and  fol- 
lowing this  act  or  part  of  the  feast,  was 
the  partaking  of  a  cup  of  wine.  The 
third  cup  drunk  on  the  occasion  was 
termed  the  cup  of  benediction.  This 
was,  doubtless,  the  one  employed  by 
our  Savior  in  his  institution  of  the 
Lord's  supper  (see  v.  2*7 ;  1  Cor.  10  :  16). 
After  this  cup  had  been  passed,  songs 
of    praise   were    sung,   viz.   Ps.   115- 


and  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed 
to  be  crucified. 

3  'Then  assembled  together  the 
chief  priests,  and  the  scribes,  and 

6Ps.2:2;  Jn.ll:4T;  Ac.  4  :  25,  &c. 


118.  This  was  imitated  by  Jesus  and 
his  disciples,  (vho  sang  a  hymn  at  the 
close  before  they  went  out  (see  v.  30). 
On  the  second  day  of  the  passover  (i.  e. 
the  16th  of  Nisan),  a  sheaf  of  barley 
was  offered  up,  and  a  lamb  of  a  year 
old  for  a  burnt  offering,  also  a  meat  of- 
fering and  a  libation.  On  every  day  of 
the  Paschal  week,  there  were  more 
than  the  usual  number  of  sacrificial 
victims  and  sin  offerings. 

And  the  Son  of  man,  &c.  Our  Lord 
now  declares  the  exact  time  of  his  be- 
trayal to  be  crucified.  The  word  ren- 
dered and,  is  susceptible  of  the  trans- 
lation a7id  then,  which  answers  better 
the  demands  of  the  passage.  To  be 
crucified.  He  foretells  again  (see  20 :  19) 
the  kind  of  death  he  was  to  suffer. 

3.  Then,  i.  e.  on  the  second  day  be- 
fore the  passover.  The  chief  priests, 
&c.  This  was  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim, 
the  members  of  which  had  become  so 
exasperated  by  our  Lord's  exposure  of 
their  hypocrisy,  and  by  the  dreadful 
woes  he  had  pronounced  upon  them 
in  the  temple,  that  they  now  assem- 
bled in  full  council,  to  plan  his  death 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  screened 
from  the  resentment  of  the  people, 
who  were  persuaded  that  Jesus  was 
a  true  prophet.  The  palace  ;  liter- 
ally, an  open  enclosure,  frequently 
used  for  the  exterior  court  or  yard  of  a 
building,  or  for  the  interior  cowt,  such 
as  is  in  the  middle  of  Eastern  houses. 
As  such  edifices  were  large  and  spacious, 
it  was  often  used  to  denote  a  7na7i- 
sion  or  palace.  So  we  employ  the 
word  hall,  to  denote  a  large  baronial 
edifice,  because  such  buildings  were 
provided  with  wide  and  spacious  halls. 
Caiaphas.  He  was  the  son-in-law  of 
Annas,  who  had  been  high  priest  from 
A.  D.  8,  to  A.  D.  14  or  15.  Caiaphas 
was  appointed  to  this  oflSce,  A.D.  26, 
by  Valerius  Grattus,  the  predecessor  of 
Pilate,   and  held  it   until  deposed  by 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


349 


the  elders  of  the  people,  unto  the 
palace  of  the  high  priest,  who 
was  called  Caiaphas, 

4  And  consulted  that  they 
might  take  Jesus  bj  subtilty,  and 
kill  him. 

c  Ma.  14:  3;  Jn.  11:1,  2,  &  12:  8. 


Vitellius,  A.D.  35.  He  was,  therefore, 
the  actual  high  priest  at  the  time  of 
our  Lord's  crucifixion,  although  Annas 
is  also  thus  called  (Acts  4  :  6),  because 
of  his  having  formerly  borne  the  office, 
and  his  near  relationship  to  Caiaphas. 
The  office,  which  at  first  was  hereditary, 
was  in  the  time  of  Christ  held  merely , 
at  the  pleasure  of  the  Roman  procura- 
tors. Between  Annas  and  Caiaphas, 
there  were  three  who  had  held  the 
office,  Imail,  Eleazer,  and  Simon. 

4.  And  consulted.  This  was  a  secret 
consultation,  and  they  therefore  as- 
sembled at  the  palace  of  the  high  priest, 
and  not  according  to  the  usual  custom 
at  the  temple.  Might  take.  This  re- 
fers to  a  forcible  seizure.  By  subtilti/. 
This  was  their  only  resource.  They 
had  endeavored  to  entrap  him  by  crafty 
and  perplexing  questions.  They  had 
watched  in  vain  for  some  word  or  ac- 
tion, by  which  they  might  accuse  him 
to  the  Roman  governor,  as  a  seditious 
person,  or  to  the  people,  as  one  who 
leaned  towards  Roman  interests,  and 
had  no  sympathy  for  their  oppressed 
condition.  He  must  be  removed  at  all 
hazards,  and  no  way  appeared  more 
feasible,  than  to  get  him  into  their 
power,  and  charge  him  with  some  pre- 
tended crime.  This  was  the  plan  con- 
cocted and  decided  upon  at  this  meet- 
ing. 

5.  But  they  said.  These  words  were 
probably  uttered  by  some  leading 
member,  and  concurred  in  by  the 
others.  Not  on  the  feast  day.  The 
elHpsis  fully  supplied  would  be  :  let  not 
this  be  done  at  the  time  of  the  festival. 
Although  these  great  festivals  were  the 
Occasions  chosen  for  the  execution  of 
notorious  criminals,  yet  the  Sanhedrim 
feared  to  proceed  thus  in  the  case  of 
Jesus.     They   had   not    forgotten   the 


5  But  they  said,  Not  on  the 
feast  day,  lest  there  be  an  uproar 
among  the  people. 

6  *lf  '  Now  when  Jesus  was  in 
"^Bethany,  in  the  house  of  Simon 
the  leper, 

dCh.21:n. 


hosannas  of  the  multitude,  and  had 
good  reason  to  fear  that  many,  if  not 
all  the  people  who  thronged  the  city 
at  that  time,  would  unite  to  rescue  from 
their  hands  a  man,  held  in  such  esteem 
and  reverence  on  account  of  his  miracles, 
doctrines,  and  blameless  life.  Uproar, 
i.  e.  a  popular  tumult  or  commotion. 
Any  one  who  reads  the  history  of  the 
Jewish  wars  by  Josephus,  will  see  how 
frequent  and  violent  were  these  tu- 
mults and  seditions,  from  this  time 
onward  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem. 

6.  Noto  when  Jesus,  &c.  Some  dif- 
ficulty has  been  experienced  in  har- 
monizing the  time  of  this  supper  at 
Bethany,  with  the  same  supper  spoken 
of  by  John  (12;  2-8),  as  taking  place 
six  days  before  the  passover.  The 
circumstances  attending  the  supper 
show  clearly,  that  the  same  entertain- 
ment is  referred  to  by  all  the  evange- 
lists. But  from  the  fact  that  Judas, 
through  sudden  resentment  at  the  re- 
buke he  received  from  his  Master  dur- 
ing the  supper  (see  vs.  8-14  :  Mark 
14 :  4-10 ;  John  12  :  4-8),  conceived  the 
design  of  betraying  Jesus,  and,  as 
appears  from  Matthew's  account  (see 
V.  14),  put  it  into  execution  immedi- 
ately after  the  supper,  it  would  seem 
very  clear  that  it  took  place,  according 
to  the  order  of  events  specified  in  Mat- 
thew and  Mark.  This  would  be  more 
natural,  than  to  suppose  Judas  to  have 
formed  this  determination  at  an  early 
part  of  the  week,  and  yet  to  have  de- 
layed its  execution  until  several  days 
afterward,  although  having  such  abun- 
dant opportunity  to  carry  it  into  eftect, 
while  Christ  was  teaching  in  the  temple, 
and  returning  each  night  to  some  se- 
cluded place  on  Mount  Olivet,  for  con- 
cealment from  his  enemies.      The  act 


850 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


7  There  came  unto  him  a  wo- 
man having  an  alabaster-box  of 
very      precious      ointment,     and 


of  Judas  seems  also  to  have  been  done 
through  sudden  resentment,  which 
would  have  subsided,  had  several  days 
elapsed  before  he  carried  it  into  execu- 
tion, as  is  evident  from  his  remorse, 
and  self-destruction,  when  he  saw  what 
he  had  done  to  his  innocent  Lord  and 
Master.  The  natural  impression  made 
upon  the  common  reader  is,  that  Judas 
went  with  his  proposal  of  treachery  to 
the  chief  priests,  after  they  had  deter- 
mined in  secret  council  to  put  him  to 
death.  These  things  conspire  to  show 
that  John  anticipated  the  time  of  the 
supper,  as  Dr.  Robinson  well  remarks, 
"  in  order  there  to  bring  together  and 
complete  all  that  he  had  to  say  further 
of  Bethany,  which  he  mentions  no 
more."  It  is  proper  to  remark  that 
Doddridge,  Bloomfield,  Barnes,  Alford, 
and  some  others  reconcile  this  disagree- 
ment of  time,  on  the  contrary,  by  suppos- 
ing it  to  be  narrated  in  Matthew  and 
Mark  out  of  its  place,  in  order  to  con- 
nect it  with  the  account  of  Judas'  treach- 
ery, which  grew  out  of  it. 

In  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper.  He 
had  been  a  leper,  and  probably  was 
cured  by  our  Lord.  He  was  therefore 
distinguished  by  this  surname,  as  Mat- 
thew was  called  the  publican,  from  his 
having  been  one.  John  (12  :  2)  says  that 
Martha  served  at  this  supper,  and  that 
Lazarus  was  one  of  the  guests.  This 
seems  to  indicate  of  itself  that  the  sup- 
per was  not  at  the  house  of  that  family, 
as  some  suppose,  who  think  that  a  dif- 
ferent entertainment  is  referred  to  by 
John  from  that  in  Matthew  and  Mark. 
It  is  evident,  however,  that  the  families 
were  on  such  intimate  terms,  that  Mar- 
tha assisted  at  the  supper  both  as  a 
friendly  act,  and  to  show  her  love  for 
her  Lord  and  Master. 

7.  Came  nnto  him,  as  he  was  reclining 
at  the  table  (see  N.  on  23  :  6).  A 
woman.  According  to  John  (12  :  3)  she 
was  Mary,  the  sister  of  Martha  and  Laz- 
arus.    The  same  characteristics  of  the 


poured  it  on  his  head,  as  he  sat 
at  meat. 

8  '  But  when  his  disciples  saw 

e  Jn.  12  :  4. 


two  sisters  are  seen  here,  which  dis- 
played themselves  on  a  former  occasion 
(Luke  10  :  38-42),  only  that  Martha 
appears  in  more  softened  and  amiable 
colors.  She  is  however  the  same  ac- 
tive, watchful,  careful  housekeeper, 
having  an  eye  on  every  thing  adapted 
to  make  the  feast  worthy  of  her  Lord, 
to  whom  she  was  under  such  obliga- 
tions. Mary's  heart  too,  was  overflow- 
ing with  love  to  Jesus,  and  she  took 
occasion  to  publicly  express  it  in  a  way 
accordant  with  that  gentle,  loving, 
trustful  spirit,  which  she  had  given 
evidence  before  of  having  possess- 
ed, when  she  sat  at  Jesus'  feet,  and 
chose  the  "good  part,"  which  could 
never  be  taken  from  her.  An  alabaster 
box.  It  was  so  called,  because  at  first 
made  of  a  species  of  marble  called  onyx, 
from  being  the  color  of  the  human  nail. 
Vases  for  unguents  or  perfumes  were 
afterwards  called  by  this  name,  although 
manufactured  of  any  material,  as  glass, 
gold,  stone.  These  vases  were  in  the 
form  of  vials  with  long  necks,  and  hence 
Mark  says,  that  the  woman  brake  the 
vase,  i.  e.  its  neck.  Very  precious  oint- 
ment. Mark  and  John  call  it  ointment 
of  spikenard,  which  was  regarded  by 
the  ancients  as  the  most  precious  of 
ointments.  It  was  extracted  from  a 
plant  called  nard,  from  its  blossom 
being  shaped  like  an  ear  of  corn.  It 
was  an  oil  rather  than  an  unguent,  and 
hence  Mary  is  said  to  have  poured  it 
upon  her  Savior's  head.  John  says 
that  she  anointed  his  feet.  There  is 
no  disagreement.  She  probably  anoint- 
ed both  head  and  feet,  and  as  Matthew 
and  Mark  had  spoken  only  of  the  former, 
John  who  wrote  afterwards,  in  order  to 
make  the  narration  complete,  speaks 
of  her  having  applied  the  ointment  to 
his  feet.  John  also  says  that  there  was 
a  pound  of  this  ointment.  The  Roman 
pound  was  equivalent  to  about  twelve 
ounces  avoirdupois  weight.  This,  as  well 
as  the  high  value  put  upon  it  by  Judas 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


351 


it,  they  had  indignation,  saying, 
To  what  purpose  is  this  waste  ? 
9  For  this  ointment  might  have 

(see  Mark  14  :  5  ;  John  12  :  5),  shows 
that  the  quantity  was  large  as  well  as  the 
quality  good.  As  he  sat,  i.  e.  reclined. 
Their  posture  at  meals  rendered  such 
an  act  as  this  easy  to  be  done. 

8.  But  when  his  disciples,  &c.  Several 
of  them  may  have  beheld  with  a  sort 
of  regret,  what  seemed  to  them  a  waste 
of  this  precious  ointment,  but  it  was 
Judas  (see  John  12  :  4),  who  openly 
expressed  his  displeasure,  and  in  such 
terms  as  called  forth  the  rebuke  of  his 
Master.  The  reason  for  this  is  given 
by  John,  in  his  disposition  to  purloin 
and  convert  to  his  own  use,  what  was 
put  into  the  common  bag  or  receptacle, 
placed  under  his  care.  Had  the  money 
into  which  this  ointment  might  have 
been  converted  been  given  to  him  for 
the  common  use  of  the  party,  he  might 
have  appropriated  no  inconsiderable 
portion  of  it  to  his  private  use.  He 
was  an  avaricious  man,  and  this  led 
him  from  crime  to  crime,  until  he  end- 
ed his  career  by  selling  his  Lord,  and 
afterwards  committing  suicide.  Truly  in 
his  case,  the  love  of  money  was  the 
root  of  all  evil.  Saying.  Judas  was 
the  one  who  spoke.  It  is  worthy  of 
note,  that  the  first  time  he  is  recorded 
to  have  spoken,  he  uttered  this  un- 
charitable censure  of  the  oifering  of 
Mary.  In  how  strong  a  contrast  is  his 
selfishness  here  placed,  with  her  over- 
flowing love  for  her  dear  Lord.  To 
what  piirpose,  i.  e.  why  or  for  what  rea- 
son. Waste  of  the  ointment.  So  it 
appeared  to  Judas,  and  probably  in  a 
less  degree  and  on  far  different  grounds, 
to  some  of  the  other  disciples,  for  we 
must  not  forget  that  Matthew  is  hei'e 
speaking  of  the  disciples  in  general,  and 
it  is  only  from  John,  that  we  see  the 
form  of  Judas  rise  up  in  such  dark  and 
prominent  outlines  in  this  transaction. 
There  were  none  of  them  that  appre- 
hended what  our  Lord  afterwards  de- 
clared (v.  12),  that  it  was  an  anointment 
for  the  burial  which  his  body  was  soon 
to  undergo. 


been  sold  for  much,  and  given  to 
the  poor. 

10  When  Jesus  understood  it, 

9.  For  this  ointment,  &c.  This  was 
a  hypocritical  reason,  for  he  cared  no- 
thing for  the  poor  (see  John  12:  6), 
but  only  wished  to  appropriate  the 
money  to  his  own  use.  Iliffht  have 
been  sold,  &c.  In  Mark,  "for  more 
than  three  hundred  pence  "  (see  N.  on 
18:28).  Given  to  the  poor.  Judas  took 
the  strongest  claim  of  benevolence,  in 
order  to  cover  up  his  real  sentiments. 
The  poor  had  always  received  the  kind- 
est notice  of  his  Master.  By  referring 
to  this  class,  as  the  persons  to  be  bene- 
fited by  the  sale  of  the  ointment,  he 
thought  he  should  both  win  the  com- 
mendation of  his  Lord,  and  lead  many 
to  bestow  upon  Jesus  and  his  disciples, 
means  to  gratify  their  benevolent  de- 
sires to  assist  the  poor.  This  pretended 
love  for  the  poor  has  not  been  confined 
to  Judas  alone.  Thousands  in  every 
age,  and  especially  in  these  times  of 
benevolent  eflbrt  to  spread  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen,  have  declaimed 
against  what  they  term  a  misuse  of 
Christian  charity,  in  giving  so  much  for 
the  cause  of  missions,  while  there  are  so 
many  poor  in  every  neighborhood.  In 
the  great  majority  of  instances,  these 
very  men,  hke  Judas,  care  little  for 
the  poor,  and  only  use  this  plea  in 
their  behalf  as  a  cloak  to  conceal  their 
displeasure,  that  so  much  is  bestowed 
upon  the  cause  of  Jesus  Christ.  As  a 
general  fact,  they,  whose  sympathies 
and  benefactions  are  enlisted  in  objects 
of  Christian  benevolence,  are  the  fore- 
most also  in  those  charities,  which  refer 
to  the  temporal  wants  of  those  around 
them. 

10.  Why  tro^ible  ye,  kc.  Mark  says, 
"  they  murmured  against  her."  She 
was  doubtless  reproved  for  what 
seemed  to  all  a  prodigal  waste  of  this 
ointment.  She  hath  wrought,  &c.  She 
has  performed  a  very  timely  and  suit- 
able service,  when  viewed  in  connec- 
tion with  the  event  of  my  death,  which 
is  soon  to  take  place.  This  is  expressed 
more  fully  in  v.  12.     Mary  did  not  in- 


352 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


he  said  unto  them,  Why  trouble 
ye  the  woman  ?  for  she  hath 
wrought  a  good  work  upon  me. 

11  'For  ye  have  the  poor  al- 
ways with  you  ;  but  ^  me  ye  have 
not  always. 

12  For  in  that  she  hath 
poured    this     ointment     on     my 

/De.  15 :  11 ;  Jn.  12:8.  g  See  ch.  18  :  20,  & 
2S  :  20  ;  Jno.  13  :  33,  &  14 :  19.  &  16 :  5,  28, 
&  17  :  11. 


tend  it  for  any  such  service,  but  only 
as  an  expression  of  deep  and  overflow- 
ing love,  for  her  Lord. 

11.  Ye  have  the  poor,  kc.  Attention 
to  the  wants  of  the  poor  is  here  indi- 
rectly enjoined  upon  us.  But  in  the 
case  of  the  disciples,  as  with  us,  there 
were  continued  opportunities  to  perform 
this  duty,  whereas,  what  was  to  be 
done  for  their  Lord  was  to  be  done 
quickly,  as  he  was  soon  to  leave  them. 
The  greater  duty  was  to  take  preced- 
ence of  the  less.     See  N.  on  5  :  23,  24. 

12.  For  in  that  she  hath  poured,  &c. 
More  literally,  for  hi  having  poured  this 
ointment  on,  tni/  body,  she  hath  done  it 
for  the  preparing  of  me  for  burial.  I 
cannot  agree  with  Alford  in  supposing 
this  to  have  been  Mary's  intention  or 
purpose.  But  we  are  often  made  the 
instruments  of  providential  purposes, 
without  our  being  in  the  least  conscious 
of  it.  Some  translate,  "  she  has  done 
it  as  if  for  my  burial."  But  this  trans- 
lation is  founded  on  an  unjustifiable 
ellipsis,  and  falls  below  the  full  import 
of  the  passage,  which  is  that  the  thing 
was  actually  done  in  reference  to  his 
burial,  however  unconscious  she  may 
have  been  of  the  real  meaning  of  her 
act.  In  regard  to  the  preparation  of 
bodies  for  burial,  it  was  the  Oriental 
custom  to  anoint  them  with  aromatic 
sul:>stances,  especially  myrrh  and  aloes. 
Mary  had  therefore  only  anticipated 
what  would  be  done  after  his  death. 
As  this  custom  was  common,  they  had 
no  reason  to  find  fault  with  its  being 
thus  performed,  in  reference  to  his 
death  and  burial,  which  was  so  near  at 
hand. 


body,   she  did  it  for   my  burial. 

13  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be 
preached  in  the  whole  world,  there 
shall  also  this,  that  this  woman 
hath  done,  be  told  for  a  memorial 
of  her. 

14  IF  *  Then  one  of  the  twelve, 

h  Ma.  14 :  10 ;  Lu.  22 :  3 ;  John  13  :  2,  80. 


13.  This  gospel,  i.  e.  the  gospel  relat- 
ing to  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  In 
this  sense  the  word  is  used  in  Mark  1  : 
15  ;  13  :  10  ;  14  :  9.  After  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  the  word  gospel  was  usually 
employed,  to  denote  the  gospel  scheme 
or  plan  of  redemption  through  Christ, 
with  its  doctrines,  duties,  precepts,  &c. 
In  the  whole  world.  These  words  are  to 
be  taken  with  wheresoever,  and  refer 
here  to  the  whole  habitable  earth.  For 
a  memorial,  &c.  i.  e.  to  her  honorable 
remembrance.  See  Acts.  10 :  4,  where 
the  word  is  also  used  of  something 
praiseworthy. 

14.  Then.  This  word,  as  has  been 
remarked  (N.  on  v.  6),  seems  clearly  to 
connect  the  visit  of  Judas  to  the  chief 
priests,  with  the  preceding  incident  at 
the  supper.  It  is  taken  in  the  more  in- 
definite sense,  about  that  time,  by  those 
who  have  supposed  the  supper  to  have 
taken  place  at  the  time  mentioned  by 
John,  six  days  before  the  passover 
(see  N.  on  v.  6).  It  may  seem  strange 
that  for  so  mild  and  slight  a  rebuke, 
Judas  should  have  resolved  on  so  base 
and  treacherous  a  deed.  But  several 
things  are  to  be  borne  in  mind.  The 
rebuke  was  felt  keenly  by  him,  through 
consciousness  of  having  so  richly  de- 
served it,  and  the  evidence  thereby 
furnished,  that  his  true  character  was 
known  to  his  Master.  He  had  no  grace 
in  his  heart,  to  make  the  words  of  re- 
proof as  excellent  oil  (Ps.  141 :  5),  but 
was  in  such  a  frame,  that  all  his  bad 
passions  were  stirred  up  and  set  on  fire 
of  hell.  There  may  have  also  been 
some  previous  rebukes,  which  rankled 
in  the  traitor's  heart,  and  which  needed 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVr. 


353 


called  '  Judas  Iscariot,  went  unto 
the  chief  priests, 

15  And  said  unto  them,  ^What 
will  ye  give  me,  and  I  will  deli- 

i  Ch.  10  :  4. 


only  this  fresh  reproof,  to  be  aroused 
in  all  their  force  to  hurry  him  on  to  his 
desperate  undertaking.  He  had  no 
conception  of  the  sad  results  of  his  act 
of  betrayal.  This  appears  from  his  aw- 
ful remorse  and  suicide,  when  he  found 
that  he  had  betrayed  innocent  blood  to 
the  malice  of  those,  who  would  be  satis- 
fied with  nothing  short  of  his  Master's 
death.  One  of  the  tivelve.  This  height- 
ens his  guilt.  He  was  one  of  our  Lord's 
fiimily,  chosen  to  the  honorable  and 
responsible  office  of  apostle.  Called 
Judas  Iscariot.  His  name  is  given  to 
make  the  record  more  emphatic  and 
expressive.  Luke  says  that  "  Satan 
entered  into  him,"  which  does  not  im- 
ply his  previous  freedom  from  Satanic 
influence,  but  simply  the  more  active 
effort  of  diabolical  agency  in  this  sud- 
den purpose  to  betray  his  Lord.  It  is 
generally  supposed  that  his  avarice  was 
the  ruling  passion,  to  which  at  this 
time  the  temptation  of  the  devil  was 
addressed.  But  while  this  may  have 
had  its  influence,  yet  the  connection 
clearly  refers  it  to  the  angry  feelings, 
excited  by  the  rebuke  he  received  from 
Jesus.  Went  unto  the  chief  priests. 
Luke  adds  "captains,"  which  refers  not 
to  military  officers,  but  to  the  prefects 
and  governors  of  the  temple  (see 
Acts  4  :  1).  They  had  command  of  the 
priests,  who  kept  guard  over  the 
temple.  If  this  supper  took  place  on 
the  evening  of  the  fourth  day  (i.  e. 
the  evening  which  commenced  the 
fifth  day,  according  to  Jewish  reckon- 
ing), the  Sanhedrim  was  yet  in  session, 
or  had  scarcely  adjourned,  when  Judas 
came  with  his  treacherous  proposal. 
Some  who  make  vs.  4-13  a  parenthesis, 
inserted  out  of  its  proper  place,  con- 
nect this  with  V.  3  thus :  while  they 
were  in  doubt  whether  they  should 
apprehend  Jesus  or  not,  at  that  time 
one  of  the  twelve,  called  Judas  Iscariot, 
went,  &c. 


ver  him  unto  you  ? 
covenanted  with  him 
pieces  of  silver. 
16    And   from 


And   they 
for    thirty 


k  Zee.  11 :  12  ; 


that   time 

Ch.  27:3. 


he 


15.  What  will  ye  give  me.  His  av- 
arice was  to  be  satisfied,  as  well  as  his 
revenge.  Will  deliver  him  unto  you, 
i.  e.  notify  you  where  he  passes  the 
night,  so  that  you  may  easily  appre- 
hend him.  Tliey  covenanted  with  him  ; 
literally,  they  placed  (in  a  balance),  i.  e. 
weighed  out  to  him.  It  is  not  material 
whether  the  money  was  at  once  paid 
to  him,  or  after  the  apprehension  of 
Jesus.  The  account  in  Mark  seems  to 
favor  the  latter  supposition.  They  cer- 
tainly made  an  agreement  with  him. 
They  arranged  the  terms.  They  had 
intended  to  defer  their  proceedings 
against  Jesus,  until  after  the  festival 
which  was  at  hand.  But  this  unlooked- 
for  defection  of  one  of  his  followers, 
promised  such  favorable  results,  that 
they  changed  their  plan,  and  resolved 
to  avail  themselves  of  this  opportunity 
to  get  him  in  their  power.  Tliirty 
pieces  of  silver.  The  Jewish  shekel  is 
here  referred  to,  which  was  about  60 
cents,  making  the  sum  for  which  he 
sold  his  Master  about  $18.  This,  to  a 
man  of  sordid  avarice,  whose  savings 
had  been  in  small  sums,  seemed  a  large 
amount  of  money. 

16.  And  from  that  time,  &c.  It  was 
during  the  night  which  followed  the 
next  day,  that  he  succeeded  in  carry- 
ing his  infamous  plan  into  execution. 
Luke  says,  that  "he  sought  opportu- 
nity to  betray  him  to  them  in  the 
absence  of  the  multitude."  On  the 
night  when  this  promise  was  made,  our 
Lord  was  in  Bethany,  surrounded  by 
his  friends,  where  he  seems  to  have 
spent  the  next  day  also.  Towards 
evening,  he  sent  his  disciples  into  the 
city  (v.  18)  to  prepare  a  place  for  the 
passover.  On  that  night,  Judas,  tak- 
ing advantage  of  his  knowledge  of  the 
place  of  our  Lord's  usual  retirement  for 
prayer  and  meditation,  effected  his 
plan  and  betrayed  him  to  the  priests. 

17-19.  Preparation  for  the  Pass- 


354 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  33. 


sought  opportunity  to  betray 
him. 

17  ^  '  Now  the  first  day  of  the 
feast  of  unleavened  bread,  the 
disciples  came  to  Jesus,  saying 
unto  him,  Where  wilt  thou  that 

I  Ex.  12 :  6, 18 ;  Ma.  14  :  12 ;  Lu.  22  :  7. 

OVER.  Jenisalem.  Fifth  day  of  the 
week.  Mark  14:12-16;  Luke  22: 
7-13. 

17.  iVow  the  first  day,  &c.  This  was 
the  14th  day  of  the  month  Nisaii,  and 
was  called  the  first  day  of  unleavened 
bread,  because  it  constituted  a  day  of 
preparation  for  the  passover,  which  was 
celebrated  on  the  evening  of  that  day 
(i.  e.  the  evening  ushering  in  the  15th 
day,  which  it  commenced  according  to 
the  Jewish  mode  of  reckoning  time). 
At  or  before  noon  of  the  14th  day,  the 
Jews  began  their  preparation  by  put- 
ting from  their  houses  all  leaven,  and 
getting  all  things  in  readiness  to 
slay  the  paschal  lamb,  which  was  done 
a  little  before  sunset  between  the  two 
evenings  (see  N.  on  14:  15).  This  was 
done  in  order  to  meet  the  interpreta- 
tion of  Ex.  12  :  6  (see  Marg.  Reading) ; 
Levit.  23  :  5 ;  Numb.  9 :  3, 5;  Deut.  16:  6. 
This  day  of  preparation  might  well 
and  naturally  be  referred  to,  as  the 
first  day  of  the  festival  of  unleavened 
bread,  although,  properly  speaking, 
that  feast  did  not  commence,  until 
after  the  passover  had  been  eaten  the 
following  evening.  This  is  confirmed 
by  Josephus,  who  speaks  in  one  place 
of  the  14th  day  of  Nisan,  as  being  the 
day  of  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  al- 
though in  another  place,  he  expressly 
fixes  the  beginning  of  that  festival  on 
the  fifteenth.  In  this  way  also  that 
historian  speaks  of  the  festival,  as  con- 
tinuing eight  days.  Where  wilt  thou, 
&c.  This  question  was  doubtless  pro- 
posed, as  the  day  began  to  draw  to  a 
close.  It  probably  had  reference  to 
some  remark,  which  had  fallen  from 
Jesus,  of  his  purpose  to  eat  the  pass- 
over  with  his  disciples,  or  perhaps  to 
call  his  attention  to  the  subject,  as  the 
time  of  preparation  was  drawing  nigh. 


we  prepare  for  thee  to  eat   the 
passover  ? 

18  And  he  said,  Go  into  the 
city  to  such  a  man,  and  say  unto 
him,  The  Master  saith,  My  time 
is  at  hand ;  I  will  keep  the  pass- 


To   eat  the  passover,  i.  e.  to  celebrate 

the  paschal  feast.     See  N.  on  v.  2. 

18.  llie  city,  i.  e.  Jerusalem.  Such 
a  man.  So  in  our  language  we  say, 
Mr.  Such-a-one,  or  Mr.  So-and-so,  not 
deeming  it  fit  or  necessary  to  call  him  by 
name.  In  Mark  and  Luke,  they  were  told 
how  they  should  distinguish  the  man. 
The  master  of  the  house  into  which  he 
entered,  they  were  to  address  in  the 
manner  here  directed.  His  omniscient 
eye  saw  clearly  that  all  this  would  take 
place  as  predicted,  and  another  evi- 
dence was  furnished  his  disciples,  that 
he  knew  well  what  would  befall  him  in 
the  city,  whither  he  was  going  for  the 
last  time,  before  he  was  led  within  its 
gates  to  suffer.  77ie  Master.  See  N. 
on  12 :  38.  My  time  is  at  hand.  Some 
interpret  thus :  My  time  of  keeping  the 
passover,  (which  is  one  day  earlier  than 
the  time  of  its  observance  by  the  Pha- 
risees,) is  at  hand.  But  this  is  too 
trifling  a  sense  for  the  time  and  occa- 
sion. It  is  to  be  referred  most  unques- 
tionably to  the  time  of  his  sufiering  and 
death  (see  John  17  :  4).  It  is  not  to  be 
supposed,  however,  that  the  master  of 
the  house  was  aware  of  the  import  of 
the  words,  although  the  disciples,  to 
whom  he  had  so  plainly  and  frequently 
declared  his  approaching  death,  prob- 
ably now  understood  them  in  their  true 
sense.  I  unll  keep,  &c.  The  message 
is  more  fully  given  in  Mark  and  Luke, 
to  which  the  reader  is  referred.  With 
my  disciples.  A  room  of  some  size 
would  be  required  for  such  a  company. 
Hence  we  are  told  in  Mark  and  Luke, 
that  it  was  a  large  upper  room,  furnish- 
ed and  prepared  with  couches  spread 
around  the  table.  It  is  most  likely  that 
in  reference  to  the  vast  numbers, 
which  came  from  the  country  into  the 
city  to  celebrate  the   passover,  many 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


355 


over  at  thy  house  with  my  disci- 
ples. 

19  And  the  disciples  did  as  Je- 
sus had  appointed  them ;  and 
they  made  ready  the  passover. 

20  11 '"  Now  when  the  even  was 
come,  he  sat  down  with  the 
twelve. 

m  Ma.  14 :  17-21 ;  Lu.  22  :  14 ;  Jn.  13 :  21. 

houses  were  thus  prepared  for  the  re- 
ception of  country  friends,  or  for 
general  purposes  of  hospitality. 

19.  And  the  disciples  did.,  &c.  They 
found  it  as  Jesus  had  declared,  and 
thus  had  an  additional  proof  of  his 
omniscience.  Hade  ready.  They  pro- 
vided a  paschal  lamb,  and  saw  that  it 
was  prepared  and  cooked  for  the  occa- 
sion. 

20-25.  The  Passover  Meal.    Judas 

IS    POINTED    OUT    AS    THE    TrAITOR     AND 

WITHDRAWS.  Jerusalem.  Evening  in- 
troducing the  sixth  day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  14:  17-21;  Luke  22:  14-18; 
21-23. 

20.  Tlie  even  introducing  the  sixth 
day,  and  corresponding  to  our  Thurs- 
day evening.  He  sat  down,  i.  e.  he  re- 
clined at  the  table,  according  to  the 
Oriental  manner.  See  N.  on  23 :  6.  At 
first,  they  were  to  eat  the  passover 
standing,  but  in  later  times  the  regula- 
tion was  dispensed  with. 

21.  Between  this  and  the  preceding 
verse,  Luke  22 :  14-18,  and  24-30,  and 
John  13  :  1-20,  are  to  be  read.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem,  we  are  told  in  Luke, 
that  while  reclining  at  this  supper, 
there  was  a  strife  among  the  disciples, 
which  of  them  should  be  accounted 
greatest.  It  may  have  had  reference 
to  the  places  of  honor  at  the  triclinium 
(see  N.  on  23:  6).  The  incident  re- 
corded by  John  (13:  4-20),  which  di- 
rectly followed  this  strife,  was  designed 
to  rebuke  this  spirit  and  teach  them 
humility.  As  they  did  eat.  While  par- 
taking of  the  paschal  feast.  Verily  I 
say,  &c.  This  is  noted  by  all  the  evan- 
gelists. John  says  that  before  he  made 
the  announcement,  he  was  troubled  in 
spirit,  and  openly  testified  what  he  had 


21  And  as  they  did  eat,  he 
said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That 
one  of  you  shall  betray  me. 

22  And  they  were  exceeding 
sorrowful,  and  began  every  one 
of  them  to  say  unto  him,  Lord, 
is  it  I  ? 

23  And  he  answered  and  said, 


hinted  at  a  few  moments  previous 
(see  John  13  :  18).  The  idea  that  one 
of  his  disciples,  whom  he  had  chosen  to 
be  near  him,  and  had  honored  with 
such  tokens  of  affection  and  confidence, 
should  betray  him  to  his  enemies,  so 
filled  him  with  sadness,  that  his  emo- 
tions became  irrepressible,  and  he  gave 
vent  to  them  in  the  words  here  related. 

22.  And  they  were,  &c.  They  knew 
that  he  referred  to  one  of  them  who 
were  then  present,  for  he  had  said  (Mark 
14  :  18  ;  Luke  22  :  21),  that  the  betray- 
er was  eating  with  him  at  the  table. 
What  an  announcement!  Well  might 
they  be  filled  with  sorrow  and  conster- 
nation in  view  of  it.  Lord,  is  it  I?  This 
question,  which  was  proposed  by  them 
all,  or  as  Mark  says,  one  by  one,  may 
have  a  twofold  sense.  It  may  be  taken 
as  an  expression  of  confidence  in  their 
integrity,  as  an  appeal  to  the  Savior  of 
their  innocence.  This  would  accord 
well  with  the  vain  confidence  of  Peter 
(see  vs.  33,  34).  But  the  other  and 
more  commonly  received  interpretation, 
which  makes  it  expressive  of  distrust 
in  their  integrity,  a  fear  that  they 
might  be  left  to  commit  this  great 
crime,  is  doubtless  the  true  one.  It 
harmonizes  also  better  with  what  Luke 
says,  that  "  they  began  to  inquire 
among  themselves,  which  of  them  it 
was  that  should  do  this  thing." 

23.  He  answered  and  said.  Pre- 
viously to  the  reply  of  our  Lord,  John, 
at  Peter's  instance,  had  inquired  of  him 
in  direct  terms,  who  the  traitor  was. 
As  he  reclined  next  to  Jesus  at  the 
table,  he  could  easily  propose  this  ques- 
tion, so  as  not  to  be  heard  by  the  other 
disciples.  He  was  informed,  but  in 
such    low  tones  that    none  but   him 


356 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


"  He  that  dippeth  his  hand  with 
me  in  the  dish,  the  same  shall  be- 
tray me. 

24:  The  Son  of  man  goeth,  "  as 
it  is  written  of   him  :    but  ^  woe 

71  Ps.  41  :  9  ;  Lu.  22 :  21 ;  Jn.  13  :  18. 
oPs.22;  Is.  53;  Da.  9  :  26  ;  Ma.9:  12;  Lu.  24: 
25, 26, 46 ;  Ac.  17 :  2,  3,  &  26  ;  22, 23 ;  lCol.15  :  3. 

could  hear,  that  it  was  the  one  to  whom 
he  should  give  a  sop.  This,  after  he 
dipped  it,  he  gave  to  Judas.  Thus  all 
but  John  were  still  in  ignorance  of  the 
real  traitor.  This  is  evident  from  John 
13:  27-29.  He  thai  dippeth  his  hand, 
&c.  The  paschal  lamb  was  eaten  with 
a  bitter  sauce,  made  of  raisins,  vinegar, 
and  other  ingredients  beaten  together 
to  the  consistency  of  clay,  to  represent 
the  clay  in  which  their  forefathers 
wrought  while  making  brick.  This  is 
the  dish  thought  here  to  be  referred  to. 
It  may  have  been,  however,  the  dish 
containing  the  pieces  of  meat,  into 
which  the  hand  was  plunged  accord- 
ing to  the  Eastern  mode,  in  order 
to  transfer  the  food  to  the  mouth. 
The  expression  dippeth  his  hand,  may 
be  literally  translated,  plungeth  in 
his  hand.  It  does  not  refer  to  the 
giving  of  the  sop,  which  was  a  private 
intimation  to  John  of  the  one  who  was 
to  betray  him,  but  is  a  proverbial  saying 
indicating  a  famihar  friend,  a  table  com- 
panion, one  of  a  company  of  friends, 
like  those  then  reclining  at  the  table. 
But  if  Judas,  as  is  probable,  sat  so  near 
our  Lord,  as  to  use  the  same  dish,  the 
saying,  even  though  proverbial,  ren- 
dered the  designation  more  specific  than 
the  first  annunciation,  which  was  so 
general  as  to  include  all  who  were  eat- 
ing with  him  at  that  time.  The  answer 
of  our  Savior  was  admirably  adapted 
to  bring  Judas  to  reflection  and  repent- 
ance. He  was  not  yet  specifically 
pointed  out,  although  our  Lord,  by 
narrowing  the  number  including  the 
unknown  traitoi",  to  those  who  were 
using  the  same  dish  with  himself,  show- 
ed that  his  designs  were  all  well  known 
to  his  Master.  Then  was  the  time  for 
him  to  have  paused,  and  sought  his 
Lord's  forgiveness  with  tears  of  repent- 


unto  that  man  by  whom  the  Son 
of  man  is  betrayed  !  it  had  been 
good  for  that  man  if  he  had  not 
been  born. 

25  Then  Judas,  which  betrayed 

^  John  17: 12. 


ance.  But  even  this  evidence  that  his 
heart  was  open  to  the  eye  of  Jesus,  and 
the  dreadful  woe  pronounced  in  v.  2-1 
upon  him,  failed  to  produce  any  good 
effect  upon  this  son  of  perdition. 

24.  This  verse,  as  is  evident  from 
Luke,  forms  a  part  of  the  announce- 
ment in  V.  23.  Goeth,  i.  e.  dieth,  de- 
parteth  from  life.  As  it  is  written.  A 
suffering,  dying  Messiah  was  predicted 
in  Ps.  22  :  1-3  ;  Isa.  63  :  8  ;  Dan.  9  ;' 
26  ;  Zech.  12  :  10  ;  13  :  7.  But  woe 
unto  that  man,  &c.  It  rendered  the 
conduct  of  Judas  none  the  less  criminal, 
that  it  was  the  plan  and  purpose  of 
God,  that  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  should 
be  deUvered  up  to  be  put  to  death. 
Wicked  men  are  unconsciously  fulfilling 
the  purposes  and  designs  of  God,  but 
this  does  not  excuse  their  wickedness 
(Acts  2  :  23).  They  sin  voluntarily. 
Judas  could  have  broken  his  wicked 
compact  with  the  chief  priests,  and 
fallen  at  the  feet  of  his  Lord  for  pardon. 
But  he  chose  to  do  otherwise,  and  his 
sin  was  just  as  great,  as  though  Jesus 
had  not  been  delivered  up  (as  Peter 
says)  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknowledge  of  God.  It  had  been 
good,  &c.  A  proverbial  saying,  denot- 
ing the  most  miserable  condition  to 
which  one  can  come.  The  Jews  had  a 
saying  :  "  He  that  knoweth  the  law  and 
doeth  it  not,  it  were  better  for  him  that 
he  had  not  come  into  the  world."  The 
woe  pronounced  upon  Judas,  has  very 
properly  been  adduced  in  proof  of  end- 
less punishment,  since,  were  it  other» 
wise,  however  countless  the  ages  which 
might  roll  away  before  its  end,  the  eter- 
nity of  bliss,  which  would  follow  his  pe- 
riod of  punishment,  would  render  ex- 
istence a  blessing  to  him  and  not  a 
curse. 

25.  Then  Judas,  &c.     Judas  appears 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


357 


him,  answered  and  said,  Master, 
is  it  I  ?  He  said  unto  him,  Thou 
hast  said. 

q  Ma.  14  :  22 :  Lu.  22  :  19. 


to  have  kept  silence,  while  the  other 
disciples  proposed  the  question  in  v. 
22.  But  in  view  of  what  our  Lord  had 
just  said,  and  to  avoid  the  suspicion  of 
guilt,  which  his  silence  might  fasten 
upon  him,  he  now  in  turn  proposes  the 
inquiry.  Thou  hast  said.  A  Hebraistic 
form  of  emphatic  affirmation.  In  view 
of  what  is  said  in  John  13  :  28,  Alford 
thinks  that  our  Lord  did  not  utter  the 
words  thou  hast  said,  but  that  Matthew 
recorded  the  substantial  meaning  of  our 
Lord's  reply  in  v.  23,  and  especially  the 
sign,  by  which  he  revealed  the  traitor 
to  his  beloved  disciple  in  v.  26.  There 
will  be,  however,  no  necessity  of 
this,  if  we  refer  the  ignorance  of  the 
disciples  noted  in  John  13  :  28,  to  the 
import  of  the  words  spoken  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  "  that  thou  doest  do  quick- 
ly." But  if  the  disciples,  except  John, 
were  altogether  ignorant  that  Judas  was 
referred  to,  this  passage  will  furnish  no 
insuperable  difficulty,  when  we  consider 
that  Judas  reclined  so  near  his  Lord, 
that  the  reply  to  this  question  may 
have  been  spoken  in  such  low  tones, 
that  none  but  him  could  hear  it.  John 
says  that  after  he  had  received  the  sop, 
which  probably  was  almost  simulta- 
neously with  our  Lord's  reply  to  his 
question,  "  Satan  entered  into  him." 
His  rage  was  excited  at  being  thus  de- 
tected, and  through  apprehension  of 
further  disgrace,  and  with  the  fires  of 
hell  raging  in  his  bosom,  after  being 
further  admonished  by  our  Lord  to  do 
quickly  what  he  was  about  to  do,  he 
went  forth  in  the  dark  night  to  perform 
a  deed,  the  most  infamous  which  has 
ever  been  recorded  in  the  annals  of 
crime. 

26-29.  The  Lord's  Supper.  Jeru- 
salem. Evening  introducing  the  sixth 
dav  of  the  "Week.  Mark  14  :  22-25  ; 
Luke  22  :  19,  20  ;  1  Cor.  11  :  23-25. 

26.  Between  this  and  the  preceding 
verse,  we  are  to  place  vs.  31-35,  in 
which  Jesus  foretells  the  denial  of  Peter, 


26  1"  ^  And  as  they  were  eat- 
ing, '■Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed 
it,  and  brake   it,  and   gave  it  to 

r  1  Co.  1>:  23,  24,  25. 


and  the  dispersion  of  the  disciples.  This 
is  evident  from  the  order  of  John, 
which  is  here  to  be  followed.  Were 
eating  the  passover.  It  was  towards  the 
close  of  the  paschal  feast,  that  the 
Lord's  supper  was  instituted.  This  was 
an  appropriate  season,  inasmuch  as  the 
passover  was  itself  a  type  of  Christ  our 
Passover,  the  Lamb  slain  for  the  sins  of 
the  world.  Ihok  bread;  hterally,  the 
bread  used  at  the  paschal  feast.  And 
blessed  it,  i.  e.  invoked  his  Father's 
blessing  upon  it.  Luke  says,  "  had 
given  thanks,"  which  has  caused  some 
to  prefer  the  same  reading  in  Matthew, 
found  in  some  MSS.  It  was  the  Jewish 
custom  never  to  take  food  or  drink, 
without  asking  God's  blessing  upon  it, 
and  thanking  him  for  his  goodness. 
Our  Lord  was  beginning  now  as  it  were 
a  new  supper,  and  therefore  although 
they  had  not  risen  from  the  paschal 
feast,  he  invoked  God's  blessing  upon 
the  bread,  and  also  the  cup  which 
followed.  Brake  it.  Unleavened  bread 
was  baked  in  very  thin  round  cakes,  so 
that  they  were  not  cut  but  broken. 
This  was  symbolical  of  Christ's  body 
broken  for  sin  (see  1  Cor.  11  :  24). 
There  was  not  a  bone  of  our  Lord's 
body  broken  (John  19  :  36),  and  yet 
torn,  pierced,  and  wounded  on  the 
cross,  as  well  as  by  the  previous  scourg- 
ing and  crown  of  thorns,  his  body 
might  well  be  said  to  have  been  broken 
and  bruised  for  our  sin.  Gave  it  to  the 
disciples.  The  pieces  were  distributed 
among  them,  either  by  our  Lord  per- 
sonally, or  by  being  passed  from  one  to 
another.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
Judas  was  not  present  at  the  Eucharist, 
having  previously  left  the  company, 
on  his  traitorous  errand  to  the  chief 
priests  (see  John  13  :  30).  Take,  eat. 
"Words  of  invitation  and  encouragement, 
addressed  to  all  true  believers  down  to 
the  end  of  time,  and  from  which  no 
one  who  gives  evidence  of  being  a  child 
of  God,  and  is  walking  in  communion 


358 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33, 


the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat ; 
'  this  is  my  body. 

s  1  Co.  10  :  16. 


and  fellowsliip  with  Christ's  followers 
can  be  lawfully  debarred.  This  is  my 
body,  i.  e.  this  represents  my  body. 
The  form  of  expression  is  borrowed 
from  Ex.  12:11,  "  it  (i.  e.  the  lamb) 
is  the  Lord's  passover,"  i.  e.  the  lamb 
represents  the  Lord's  passing  by  the 
houses  of  the  Israelites,  when  the  first 
born  of  Egypt  were  slain.  As  the  chil- 
dren of  the  families,  in  which  the  Jewish 
passover  was  eaten,  would  inquire  as  to 
its  meaning,  so  the  disciples  might  look 
inquiringly  at  their  Lord,  as  he  was 
breaking  and  blessing  the  bread.  It 
was  necessary  for  him,  therefore,  to  in- 
form them,  who  were  yet  children  in 
spiritual  knowledge,  as  to  the  symbo- 
hcal  meaning  of  this  bread  and  wine,  of 
which  he  was  inviting  them  to  partake. 
They  did  not  inquire  as  to  what  the 
bread  consisted  of,  when  they  turned 
their  wondering  eyes  upon  the  Lord,  but 
what  it  signified,  and  his  assertion,  this 
is  my  body,  could  only  be  understood  by 
them  in  the  sense,  that  the  bread  was 
representative  of  his  body.  This  ap- 
pears further  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  Jewish  passover,  which  was  sym- 
bolical or  representative.  The  lamb  re- 
presented the  deliverance,  which  gave 
occasion  for  the  institution  of  the 
passover.  But  when  the  Jewish  chil- 
dren were  told  that  this  was  the  Lord's 
passover,  who  of  them  would  be  so  dull 
as  to  suppose,  that  the  paschal  lamb 
was  by  some  mysterious  process  chang- 
ed into  the  very  act  of  deliverance,  the 
passhig  by  or  over  the  dwellings  of 
the  Israelites?  How  then  could  the 
disciples,  sitting  at  a  table,  the  food  of 
which  was  thus  symbolical,  have  re- 
ceived our  Lord's  language  in  any  other 
than  a  figurative  or  symbolical  sense  ? 
Nothing  cculd  have  been  further  from 
their  mind,  than  the  idea  that  this  was 
Christ's  literal  body.  Indeed  it  is  one 
of  the  strangest  figments  that  ever  en- 
tered the  human  mind,  to  suppose  that 
such  was  his  meaning.  Luke  and  John 
both  add  the  words,  "  this  do  in  remem- 


27  And  he  took  the  cup,  and 
gave     thanks,    and    gave    %t    to 


brance  of  me,"  which  would  be  void  of 
any  intelligible  sense,  if  the  real  body  of 
Christ  was  eaten  in  the  bread.  But  if 
the  eating  of  the  loaf  was  symbolical  of 
his  passion  on  the  cross,  then  its  object 
or  purpose  might  well  be  declared  to  be 
the  keeping  of  these  sufferings  and  death 
in  remembrance.  It  may  be  here  re- 
marked, that  the  form  of  words  in  the 
original  does  not  refer  so  much  to  the 
bread,  which  is  not  mentioned,  as  to  the 
thing,  which  as  Alford  remarks,  pre- 
cludes all  idea  of  a  substantial  change. 
It  only  remains  to  be  added,  that  the 
word  translated  is,  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage often  has  the  sense  of  represents. 
Compare  Gen.  40  :  12  ;  41  :  26  ;  Dan.  7  : 
23  ;  8  :  21  ;  1  Cor.  10  :  4  ;  Gal.  4  :  24. 
27.  The  cup  in  which  was  contained 
the  wine  drunk  at  the  passover.  This 
was  mingled  with  water,  a  custom 
which  the  Romanists  still  observe,  and 
was  drank  four  times  during  the  festi- 
val. It  is  supposed  that  the  third  cup 
is  here  referred  to,  which  was  called 
the  cup  of  blessing  (see  N.  on  v.  2). 
Luke  says  that  "  he  took  the  cup,  when 
he  had  supped,"  which  must  of  course 
refer  to  the  paschal  supper.  We  have 
no  evidence  that  our  Lord  himself  par- 
took of  the  eucharist.  The  words  take, 
eat,  as  here  rendered,  and  especially  in 
Luke  22  :  17,  seem  clearly  to  imply 
that  he  did  not.  There  is  no  reason, 
however,  with  Olshausen,  to  suppose 
from  this,  that  the  one  who  administers 
the  sacrament  should  not  himself,  on 
that  occasion,  partake  of  it.  Alford 
well  inquires  in  view  of  this,  how  an 
unassisted  minister  could  then  ever  com- 
municate. If  the  minister  represented 
Christ  only,  Olshausen's  view  might  be 
correct,  but  he  is  also  one  of  the  disci- 
ples for  whom  Christ  died,  and  who 
himself  requires  the  spiritual  refresh- 
ment furnished  by  the  feast.  Gave 
thanks.  From  the  original  word  eitcha- 
ristesas,  employed  by  Matthew  and 
Mark  in  reference  to  the  cup,  and  by 
Luke  and  John  also  in  reference  to  the 


A.  D.  33.] 


them,  saying,  '  Drink  ye  all  of  it ; 

28  For  "  this  is  my  blood  "  of 

the  new  testament,  which  is  shed 


CHAPTER  XXVI.  359 

''for  many  for  the  remission  of 


t  Ma.  14  :  23. 


wSee  Ex.24:  8;  Le.  17:H. 
a;  Je.  81:31. 


bread,  the  Lord's  supper  was  called  by 
the  early  Christians  the  Eucharist,  the 
feast  of  thanks  and  praise.  Drink  ye 
all  of  it.  How  strange  that  the  Ro- 
manists, in  face  of  this  passage,  should 
prohibit  the  cup  from  the  laity,  as 
though  it  were  originally  designed  for 
the  apostles  and  their  successoi's  only. 
The  same  argument  which  confines  the 
wine  to  the  clergy,  when  fairly  applied, 
must  limit  the  bread  also  to  them.  But 
in  regard  to  neither  of  the  elements,  is 
there  any  such  restriction.  On  the  con- 
trary, in  this  verse,  all  are  commanded 
to  drink  of  the  cup,  and  this  certainly 
must  embrace  all  who  had  been  pre- 
viously invited  to  partake  of  the  bread, 
that  is,  the  whole  body  of  believers. 

28.  For  this  is  my  blood,  i.  e.  a  sym- 
bolical representation  of  my  blood. 
Of  the  new  testament,  that  by  which 
the  new  covenant  (i.  e.  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation) is  ratified  and  sanctioned. 
This  is  called  a  new  testament  or  cove- 
nant, in  contradistinction  from  the 
Mosaic  covenant  or  Jewish  economy, 
which  was  entered  into  at  Mount  Sinai, 
and  ratified  with  the  blood  of  sacrificial 
victims.  So  the  new  or  Christian  dis- 
pensation, with  its  promised  blessings 
and  conditions,  was  to  be  ratified  with 
the  blood  of  Christ,  represented  by  the 
cup  of  which  the  disciples  were  directed 
to  drink.  Luke  and  John  express  it, 
"  this  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my 
blood,"  the  same  idea  of  ratifaction  by 
the  blood  of  Christ  being  expressed  in 
a  slightly  varied  form,  as  though  it  had 
been  said,  "  this  cup  represents  the 
commencement  of  a  new  covenant  or 
dispensation  ratified  with  ray  blood." 
Which  is  shed,  &c.  This  explains  the 
object  or  purpose  for  which  Christ's 
blood  was  to  be  shed,  viz.  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins.  This  was  what  the  sacri- 
ficial blood,  which  ratified  the  former 
covenant,  could  not  effect.  But  the 
blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin. 


29  But '  I  say  unto  you,  I  will 

y  Ch.  20  :  2S  ;  Ko.  5:15;  He,  9  :  22. 
B  Ma.  14  :  25 ;  Lu.  22 :  18. 

It  purifies  the  soul,  and  removes  all  the 
dire  consequences  of  transgression.  It 
needed  to  be  shed  but  once  only,  for, 
not  like  the  high  priest  with  the  blood 
of  goats  and  bullocks  once  every  year 
(Heb.  9  :  7),  but  with  his  own  blood  he 
entered  once  for  all  into  the  sanctuary 
(Heb.  9  :  12).  Which  is  shed,  i.  e. 
about  to  be  shed.  In  the  original  the 
participle  is  used  in  the  sense  of  the 
proximate  future,  the  event  being  how- 
ever mentally  regarded  as  present. 
For  many.  See  N.  on  20  :  28.  For 
the  remission  of  si7is,  i.  e.  for  freeing 
from  the  guilt  and  consequences  of 
sins.  "  Without  shedding  of  blood 
there  is  no  remission  of  sin."  Heb.  9  : 
22.  This  was  true  under  the  Mosaic 
economy.  Every  sin  and  trespass  had 
to  be  atoned  for  or  freed  from  tempo- 
ral penalty,  by  specified  and  appropriate 
sacrifices.  Some  transgressions  were 
so  heinous,  that  exemption  from  tem- 
poral punishment  even,  could  not  be  ob- 
tained by  sacrifices  (Numb.  15  :  30, 
31).  How  much  more  true  was  it,  that 
the  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  law  could 
not  free  the  soul  from  guilt,  in  the 
sight  of  a  righteous  and  holy  God  (Heb. 
10  :  4).  In  what  way  then  was  remis- 
sion of  sin  to  be  obtained  ?  By  the 
shedding  of  blood,  and  that  too  of  a 
being,  whose  worth  and  dignity  would 
render  him  of  sufficient  value  to  be  ac- 
cepted of  God,  as  a  substitute  for  the 
sinner.  Such  a  personage  was  Jesus 
Christ,  the  incarnate  God,  who  in  offer- 
ing himself  to  death  made  an  atone- 
ment for  the  sinner,  so  that  God,  with- 
out compromising  the  interests  of  jus- 
tice, can  now  grant  pardon  to  all  who 
accept  of  salvation  on  the  terms  offered 
in  the  gospel. 

29.  I  vnll  not  drink  henceforth,  &c. 
Various  interpretations  have  been  given 
to  this  verse,  but  all  hinge  on  the  sense 
given  to  the  phrase,  in  my  Father''s 
Jcingdom,  or,  as  Luke  has  it,  in  the  king- 


360 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


not  drink  bencefortli  of  this  fruit 
of  the  vine,  "  until  that  day  when 
I  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my 
Father's  kingdom. 

a  Ac.  10 :  41. 

dom  of  God.  Those  who  give  to  these 
expressions  the  general  sense,  the  gospel 
dispensation,  suppose  the  meaning  to 
be,  that  he  would  drink  no  more  with 
them,  until  after  his  death  and  resur- 
rection. But  we  have  no  evidence, 
that,  he  drank  wine  with  them  after  his 
resurrection.  Nor  does  this  interpre- 
tation give  any  adequate  sense  to  the 
word  7ieu\  unless  it  is  made  to  refer  to 
Christ's  spiritual,  communing  presence 
in  the  Eucharist,  which  would  press  its 
meaning  too  far.  Those  who  believe 
in  Christ's  personal  reign  on  earth  at 
the  millennium,  refer  it  to  his  sharing  in 
earthly  festivities  at  that  time  with  his 
people.  But  there  is  no  proof  of  such 
a  personal  reign  in  God's  word  rightly 
expounded,  and  this  interpretation  of 
the  passage  falls  therefore  to  the 
ground.  Closely  allied  to  this  is  their 
view,  who  refer  it  to  the  marriage  feast 
of  the  Lamb,  or  the  "marriage  supper 
which  is  prepared  for  the  church  at  the 
second  coming  of  Christ"  (Thiersch). 
Alford,  who  cites  with  approbation  this 
view  of  Thiersch,  says,  that  "these  words 
carry  on  the  meaning  and  continuance  of 
this  eucharistic  ordinance,  even  into  the 
new  heavens  and  new  earth."  That  in- 
terpretation seems  to  be  most  free  from 
objections  which  refers  the  wine  spoken 
of  here,  to  the  joys  and  communion  of 
heaven,  which  are  often  represented 
under  the  imagery  of  a  feast.  Wine 
thus  emblematic  of  this  heavenly  com- 
munion, would  be  drank  new  (i.  e.  in  a 
far  higher  and  more  spiritual  sense) 
with  him  in  his  Father's  Idngdom,  when 
they  entered  upon  their  heavenly  in- 
heritance. The  v/ovdsfncit  of  the  vine 
are  here  put  for  ivine,  and  this  declara- 
tion being  made  at  the  close  of  the 
feast,  when  the  cup  was  about  to  be 
passed  around,  he  naturally  and  appro- 
priately uses  the  drinking  of  wine,  as  a 
figure  to  show  that  his  life  was  soon  to 
end,  and  that  he  would  never  on  earth 


30  *  And  when  they  had  sung 
an  hymn,  they  went  out  into  the 
mount  of  Olives. 

31  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  them, 

b  Ma.  14  :  26. 


again  partake  with  them  of  such  a 
feast,  as  they  were  then  celebrating, 
but  that  the  reality  of  this  symbolical 
representation,  would  be  enjoyed  by 
them  all  in  his  Father's  kingdom  in 
heaven.  TJiat  day  is  to  be  taken  in  the 
general  sense  of  time,  and  its  actual 
reference  to  each  believer,  is  the  time 
of  his  admission  to  the  upper  sanctuary 
at  the  hour  of  death. 

30.  When  they  had  sung,  &c.  This 
was  probably  the  whole  or  part  of  the 
Paschal  Hymn,  called  the  Hallel  (see 
N.  on  V.  2).  The  literal  rendering 
having  hymned,  shows  that  they  may 
have  sung  one  hymn  or  several.  Pre- 
vious to  this  song  of  praise,  our  Lord 
pronounced  the  discourse,  and  oifered 
the  prayer  contained  in  John,  chaps. 
14-17.  Alford  places  these  discourses 
and  the  prayer  between  the  singing  of 
the  hymn  and  the  going  forth,  but  this 
seems  less  natural.  Went  out  of  the 
city.  Mount  of  Olives.  See  N.  on 
21:  1. 

31-35.  Jesus  Foretells  Peter's 
Fall,  and  the  Dispersion  of  the 
Twelve.  Jerusalem.  Evening  intro- 
ducing the  sixth  day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  14  :  27-31. 

31.  Then  saith  Jesus,  &c.  Accord- 
ing to  Matthew's  order,  this  would 
seem  to  have  been  addressed  to  the 
disciples  after  the  institution  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  and  after  they  had  gone 
forth  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  But  the 
true  order  of  narration  is  found  in 
John,  who  places  this  prediction  of 
Peter's  fall  and  the  dispersion  of  the 
Twelve,  before  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
while  they  were  yet  in  the  city.  Dod- 
dridge however  supposes  that  this 
warning  was  twice  given  to  Peter,  once 
before  and  once  after  the  supper.  All 
ye  shall  be  offended  because  of  me, 
1.  e.  ye  shall  all  desert  me,  through  fear 
and  dejection  at  the  trial  to  which  I  am 
to  be   subjected.     Fo7'  it    is    written. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


361 


'All  ye  shall  ''be  offended  because 
of  me  this  night :  for  it  is  writ- 
ten, '  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd, 
and  the  sheep  of  the  flock  shall 
be  scattered  abroad. 

32  But  after  I  am  risen  again, 


c  Ma.  14  :  27;  Jn.  16  :  82.        d  Ch.  11 :  6. 

eZec.l3:  T. 


The  quotation  is  from  Zech.  13  :  7,  in 
which  it  was  predicted,  that  the  disci- 
ples were  to  be  dispersed,  just  as  sheep 
are  scattered,  when  the  shepherd  is 
smitten,  and  there  is  no  one  to  loolc 
after  them.  This  prophecy  was  now 
to  have  a  fulfillment.  God  is  said,  in 
the  original  prophecy,  to  thus  address 
the  sword  of  his  justice :  "  Awake 
sword  against  my  shepherd  (i.  e.  the 
shepherd  of  my  people),  and  (even) 
against  the  man,  my  fellow  (i.  e.  my 
equal),  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts  :  Smite 
the  shepherd,"  &c.  Here  God's  sword 
is  commissioned  to  do  what  was  really 
done  by  the  hands  of  wicked  men,  who 
were  his  instruments,  yet  in  such  a  sense 
as  to  be  voluntary  agents,  deserving  of 
Peter's  charge,  that  with  wicked  haruk 
they  crucified  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  sword  of  God  also  pierced  our 
Lord  in  those  mysterious  agonies  in  the 
garden  and  on  the  cross,  which  far 
transcended  his  physical  sufferings.  The 
prophecy  is  a  clear  proof,  both  of  the 
divine  nature  of  Christ,  and  of  the  de- 
sign of  his  death  to  satisfy  the  demands 
of  divine  justice. 

The  words  of  this  prophecy  as  they 
stand  in  Zechariah,  are  thought  by 
some,  from  the  preceding  context,  to 
refer  to  a  wicked  shepherd,  who  had 
vainly  endeavored  to  disguise  the  fact 
of  his  being  a  false  prophet,  and  who 
was  devoted  therefore  to  destruction. 
But  whether  the  words  are  to  be  ap- 
plied to  Christ,  as  a  direct  prediction, 
or  by  the  argument  a  fortiori  (see  N. 
on  5  :  15) — that  if  such  consequences 
resulted  to  the  flock  from  the  smiting 
of  an  evil  shepherd,  what  direful  effects 
must  ensue  from  the  smiting  of  a  true 
one  like  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — the 
application  of  the  prophecy  to  himself 
Vol.  L— 16 


^1  will  go  before  you  into  Gali- 
lee. 

33  Peter  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  Though  all  men  shall 
be  offended  because  of  thee,  yet 
will  I  never  be  offended. 

34  Jesus  said  unto  him,  ^Verily, 

/Ch.  28  :  7, 10, 16;  Ma.  14:  28,  &  16  : 7. 
g  Ma.  14:  30 ;  Lu.  22  :  34 ;  Jn.  13 :  38. 


by  our  Lord,  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the 
use  we  may  make  of  it. 

32.  But  after  I  am  risen,  &c.  He 
had  twice  (16 :  21  ;  20  :  19)  before  told 
them,  that  he  should  rise  from  the  dead. 
/  will  go,  &c.  Some  find  in  this  form 
of  expression  a  pastoral  metaphor:  I 
will  go  before  you  into  Galilee,  where, 
if  you  follow  me,  you  will  again  find 
your  shepherd  and  leader.  But  it  seems 
better  to  regard  it  as  a  simple  announce- 
ment, that  he  would  precede  them  into 
Galilee.  Most  if  not  all  of  them  present 
belonged  in  Galilee,  and  would  natural- 
ly return  thither,  after  the  passover 
was  ended.  It  is  probable  that  our 
Lord  named  the  particular  place  in  Ga- 
lilee, where  he  would  meet  them.  By 
a  comparison  of  28  :  16,  with  John  21 : 
1,  it  appears  to  have  been  a  mountain 
near  to  Tiberias,  a  central  and  accessi- 
ble place,  especially  to  those  beyond 
Jordan. 

33.  Peter  answered,  &c.  With  his 
usual  promptness,  and  in  this  instance, 
at  least,  with  no  small  share  of  vain  con- 
fidence, Peter  replies  that  he  at  least 
would  remain  firm,  although  every  one 
else  forsook  him.  What  a  lesson  of 
self-distrust  is  taught  us  in  this  vain-glo- 
rying boast  and  subsequent  fall  of  Peter. 

34.  Jesus  said  unto  hitn.  Previously 
to  this  direct  prediction  of  Peter's  fall, 
our  Lord  graciously  informs  him  (see 
Luke  22 :  31,32),  that  Satan  was  about  to 
make  the  most  desperate  efforts  to  effect 
his  ruin,  but  that  in  answer  to  his  prayer, 
he  would  not  foil  beyond  recovery,  and 
that  when  he  was  restored,  his  first  care 
should  be  to  strengthen  his  brethren. 
But  Peter  again  affirmed  his  readiness 
to  go  with  his  Lord,  both  into  prison 
and  to  death.  This  passage  in  Luke 
fills  out  the  story,  and  renders  it  more 


362 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


I  say  unto  thee,  That  this  night, 
before  the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt 
deny  me  thrice. 

35  Peter  said  unto  him,  Though 


complete  and  impressive.  Before  the  cock 
crow.  Mark  says,  "  before  the  cock  crow 
twice."  This  includes  the  first  crow- 
ing, which  takes  place  about  midnight, 
and  which  was  left  out  of  account  by 
the  other  Evangelists,  inasmuch  as  the 
second  crowing,  which  takes  place 
about  day-break,  was  the  only  one 
used  to  designate  a  particular  time  of 
night.  There  is  then  no  discrepancy 
in  the  more  circumstantial  statement  of 
Mark,  as  compared  with  that  of  the 
other  Evangelists.  Thou  shalt  deny  me 
thrice,  i.  e.  disown  all  acquaintance  with 
me.  What  an  appaUing  announce- 
ment to  Peter.  On  that  very  night  of 
his  confident  boast,  that  he  would  never 
forsake  his  Master,  he  was  three  times 
to  deny  in  the  most  positive  terms,  that 
he  had  any  acquaintance  with  him,  or 
even  knew  him  (Luke  22  :  34). 

35.  With  such  repeated  evidence  of 
his  Lord's  knowledge  of  the  future,  one 
would  have  supposed  that  Peter  would 
have  hesitated  to  repeat  his  professions 
of  steadfastness  "the  more  vehement- 
ly "  (Mark),  declaring  that  he  would 
sooner  die  than  to  deny  his  Master  in 
any  manner  whatever.  Tliough  I  should 
die  with  thee  ;  literally,  even  though  it 
might  be  necessary  for  me  to  die,  &c.  A 
violent  death  is  here  referred  to.  Yet 
will  I  not  deny  thee.  Such  was  also  the 
asseveration  of  all.  In  their  zeal  and 
love  for  their  Lord,  and  with  all  sincer- 
ity, but  very  little  self-knowledge,  they 
join  in  Peter's  profession  of  fidelity,  al- 
though that  very  night  they  all  forsook 
him  and  fled  (see  v.  56  ;  Mark  14  :  15). 
Perhaps  there  never  was  an  instance, 
in  which  human  presumption  received 
a  severer  rebuke,  and  a  boastful,  self- 
reliant  spirit  shown  to  be  so  worthless 
in  time  of  peril,  as  in  this  simple  history 
of  the  protestations  of  fidchty  on  the 
part  of  Peter  and  his  fellow-disciples, 
and  their  subsequent  desertion  of  their 
Lord. 


I  should  die  with  thee,  yet  will  I 
not  deny  thee.  Likewise  also 
said  all  the  disciples. 

36  *![  ''Then  cometh  Jesus  with 

h  Ma.  14 :  32-35 ;  Lu.  22  :  39 ;  Jn.  18  : 1. 

36-40.  The  Agony  in  Gethskmane. 
Mount  of  Olives.  Evening  introducing 
the  sixth  day  of  the  Week.  Mark  14  : 
32-42  ;  Luke  22  :   40-46  ;  John  18  :  1. 

36.  Tlien  cometh  Jesus,  &c.  It  ap- 
pears from  Luke  22  :  35-38,  that  after 
the  professions  of  fidelity  made  by 
Peter  and  the  other  disciples,  our  Lord, 
after  referring  to  the  fact,  that  when 
he  sent  them  forth  on  a  former  occa- 
sion, they  lacked  nothing,  taught  them 
that  they  were  now  going  into  a 
strife,  which  would  demand  the  exer- 
cise of  all  their  energies  and  means  of 
self-defence.  He  directed  them  to  arm 
themselves  for  the  conflict  which  was 
approaching,  and  upon  their  answering, 
through  misapprehension  of  the  kind  of 
weapons  to  which  he  referred,  that 
they  had  two  swords,  he  replied,  that  of 
such  weapons  they  had  enough,  thus  dis- 
abusing them  of  their  error  in  suppos- 
ing him  to  have  reference  to  carnal 
weapons.  After  having  thus  forewarn- 
ed them  of  the  dreadful  spiritual 
conflict  which  was  approaching,  and 
in  which  they  would  be  called  to 
bear  a  principal  part  after  his  resurrec- 
tion and  ascension,  he  went  forth  to 
the  garden,  where  almost  immediately 
commenced  those  awfiU  and  mysterious 
sufferings,  upon  which  angels  must  have 
looked  down  with  amazement,  and 
which  no  created  mind  can  ever  fathom. 
Itifo  a  place,  i.  e.  a  field  or  farm.  Such 
fields  had  names  frequentlv  given  them. 
See  2  Kings  18  :  17  ;  2  Sam.  2:16; 
Acts  1:19.  This  "field,  which  John 
(18  :  1)  denominates  a  garden,  had  the 
name  Gethsemane  (i.  e.  an  oil  press  or 
the  place  of  oil  presses),  probably  from 
the  olives  with  which  the  place  abound- 
ed. Tradition  places  this  plot  or  gar- 
den on  the  brook  Kidron,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  "  It  is  a  field 
or  garden,"  says  a  recent  traveller, 
"  about  fifty  paces  square,  with  a  few 
shrubs  growing  in  it,  and  eight  olive 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


363 


tliem  unto  a  place  called  Getbse- 
mane,  and  saith  unto  the  disciples, 
Sit  ye  here,  while  I  go  and  pray 
yonder. 

37  And  he  took  with  him  Pe- 


i  Ch.  4  :  21. 


trees  of  great  antiquity,  the  whole  en- 
closed with  a  stone  wall."  The  place 
was  probably  fixed  upon,  as  Dr.  Robin- 
son thinks,  during  the  visit  of  Helena 
to  Jerusalem,  A.  D.  3;i6,  when  the 
places  of  the  crucifixion  and  resurrec- 
tion, were  supposed  to  be  identified. 
Eusebius,  a  few  years  after  this  visit  of 
Helena,  says  that  Gethsemane  was  at 
the  foot  of  the  Mount  of  O'ives,  which 
is  the  location  which  Jerome  assigns  it, 
some  sixty  years  afterwards.  The 
church  which  Jerome  says  was  built 
upon  it,  Theophanes  mentions,  as  ex- 
isting near  the  seventh  century.  Thus 
tradition  quite  clearly  identifies  the 
place,  as  the  one  usually  assigned  it,  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  Olivet.  Sit  ye  here. 
This  direction  seems  to  have  been 
given,  as  they  entered  the  garden.  Ac- 
cording to  Luke,  he  enjoined  upon 
them  to  pray  that  they  entered  not 
into  temptation.  But  it  is  probable  that 
they  were  soon  overcome  with  sleep, 
as  were  Peter,  James,  and  John,  who 
were  nearer  the  scene  of  agony.  While 
I  go,  &c.  As  Jesus  had  frequently  left 
his  disciples,  to  enjoy  prayer  and  com- 
munion with  God  by  himself,  there 
was  nothing  unusual  in  his  retirement, 
even  at  this  late  hour  for  prayer. 

3*7.  A7id  he  took  ivith  him,  &c.  These 
were  his  favored  disciples,  who  saw  the 
glory  of  his  transfiguration.  They 
were  now  chosen  to  witness  his  agony. 
As  on  the  former  occasion  they  were 
heavy  with  sleep,  and  awaked  to  wit- 
ness only  the  closing  of  the  glorious 
scene,  so  now  they  fall  asleep,  and  leave 
him  to  plead  with  his  God  in  agony 
alone.  His  glory  was  then  beyond 
comprehension;  his  distress  and  an- 
guish now  are  equally  incomprehen- 
sible. On  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration, 
his  divine  nature  was  unveiled  to  mortal 
view  ;  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane, 
were  revealed  the  depths  of  his  suffer-  i 


ter,  and  '  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee, 
and  began  to  be  sorrowful  and 
very  heavy. 

38   Then  saith  he  unto   them, 
*My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful, 

A  John  12:  27. 


ing  humanity.  To  be  sorrowful  and  very 
heavy.  There  is  an  increase  of  mental 
distress  indicated  by  these  two  words, 
the  former  denoting  the  being  filled 
with  grief,  the  latter,  the  being  over- 
whelmed and  stupefied  with  anguish. 
Mark  says,  that  "  he  began  to  be  sore 
amazed  and  very  heavy,"  i.  e.  he  was  in 
such  mental  distress,  that  it  filled  him 
with  amazement.  He  knew  not  what  to 
think  of  such  dreadful  throes  of  mental 
agony. 

38.  My  soul  (i.  e.  our  Lord's  human 
soul)  is  exceedivff  sorroufnl,  even  unto 
death.  AVords  expressive  of  most  intense 
mental  anguish.  Literally,  my  soul  is 
environed  with  grief,  to  an  extent  of 
mortal  agony.  This  suffering  could  not 
have  arisen  from  the  terrors  of  approach- 
ing death.  Many  of  his  followers,  even 
of  the  weaker  sex,  have  gone  to  the 
bloody  amphitheatre  or  to  the  stake, 
singing  his  praises,  and  meeting  death 
with  the  calmest  composure.  They 
were  sinful  beings  too,  about  to  be 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  a  holy  and 
sin-hating  God.  But  he  had  never 
sinned.  He  was  one  who  had  received 
the  highest  tokens  of  honor  and  appro- 
val from  his  heavenly  Father.  His 
voice,  the  winds  and  waves,  and  even 
death  itself,  had  obeyed,  and  yet  he  is 
now  so  filled  with  agony,  that  he  sinks 
down  beneath  the  load  of  suffering,  and 
praying  again  and  again  for  its  removal, 
is  only  sustained  under  this  mortal  diS' 
tress,  by  the  ministration  of  an  angel 
from  heaven  (Luke  22  :  43).  Can  any 
one  suppose  that  all  this  suffering  was 
the  natural  shrinking  of  humanity  from 
the  death  of  the  cross?  That  Jesus 
had  an  instinctive  dread  of  physical 
suffering,  like  any  other  human  being, 
no  one  will  deny.  But  that  he  sliould 
manifest  less  fortitude  under  suffering, 
than  some  of  the  weakest  of  his  martyr- 
ed people,  is  beyond  belief.     There  is 


364 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


eveD  unto  death:  tarry  ye  here, 
and  watch  with  me. 


but  one  solution  to  his  overwhelming 
distress,  and  that  is,  that  in  some  mys- 
terious way,  he  was  caused  to  feel  the 
terrors  of  divine  wrath  against  sin,  that 
as  the  sinner's  substitute,  upon  him  de- 
scended the  stroke  of  God's  displeasure, 
under  which  his  humanity  (for  his  di- 
vine nature  could  not  suffer),  was  utter- 
ly crushed  and  overwhelmed. 

The  manner  and  degree  of  this  in- 
fliction of  divine  wrath,  we  do  not 
know.  It  may  have  been  in  part  the 
hiding  of  his  Father's  face,  which  to  a 
holy  being,  is  one  of  the  direst  of  calam- 
ities. This  seems  to  receive  confir- 
mation from  his  cry  on  the  cross,  Eloi^ 
eloi,  lama  mhacthavi,  when  this  agony 
of  the  garden  returned  again  with  in- 
creased strength.  It  is  thought  by 
some,  that  this  was  an  hour  also  of 
spiritual  conflict  with  the  powers  of 
darkness,  who  were  presenting  strange 
phantasies  and  strong  temptations  be- 
fore his  troubled  mind.  There  was 
doubtless,  as  we  have  before  hinted,  a 
positive  infliction  of  God's  wrath,  upon 
him,  so  that  he  not  only  tasted  of  tem- 
poral death  for  every  man,  but  had  ex- 
perience of  the  divine  anger  against 
sin,  which  will  for  ever  burn  against  the 
unregenerate  in  the  world  of  woe.  To 
some  such  causes  as  these  must  we  at- 
tribute his  excruciating  mental  anguish. 
It  should,  however,  be  constantly  borne 
in  mind  that  his  human  nature  alone 
shared  in  all  his  sufferings.  This  may 
be  mysterious  to  us,  but  not  more  so  than 
many  other  things  said  of  him,  which 
can  refer  only  to  his  human  nature,  as 
that  he  increased  in  wisdom  (Luke  2  : 
24),  and  knew  not  the  precise  time 
when  Jerusalem  was  to  be  destroyed 
(see  N.  on  24  :  86). 

It  is  thought  by  some,  that  while  his 
divine  nature  did  not  suffer  on  this  oc- 
casion, yet  it  imparted  strength  to  his 
human  nature,  so  that,  he  was  enabled 
to  endure  an  amount  of  suffering, 
under  which,  thus  unaided,  he  would 
have   sunk.      Such   seems   to   be    the 


39  And  he  went  a  little  further, 
and  fell  on  his  face,  and  'prayed, 

I  Ma.  14:  36;  Lu.  22  :  42:  He.  5:  7. 


opinion  of  that  eminent  scholar  and 
profound  thinker,  Prof.  Lewis.  "By 
their  union,"  says  he,  "and  only  by 
virtue  of  their  union,  does  the  divine 
and  human  person,  the  personality  of 
the  God-man,  become  (in  his  human 
nature  as  the  seat  or  medium,  if  any 
choose  thus  to  view  it,  but  still  none  the 
less  really)  capable  of  those  extraordi- 
nary, superhuman,  most  mysterious, 
and  ineffable  sufferings,  which  Christ 
endured  for  our  redemption,  even  those 
agonies  on  the  cross  and  in  the  gar- 
den." Bib.  Repos.  Third  Series.  Vol. 
II.  p.  40*7.  But  although  on  this  awful 
and  mysterious  subject,  we  should  speak 
with  great  reverence,  and  distrust  in 
our  own  feeble  and  short-sighted  intel- 
lect, yet  we  cannot  but  regard  this 
view,  to  say  the  least,  quite  questionable. 
Had  it  been  so,  there  would  seem  to 
h.ave  been  no  necessity  for  the  minis- 
tration of  an  angel  to  strengthen  him, 
thus  supported  and  rendered  capable  of 
suffering  by  the  divine  union.  It  ap- 
pears very  clear  from  his  whole  history, 
that  his  human  nature  alone  was  the 
theatre,  so  to  speak,  of  the  achievement 
of  man's  redemption.  Its  union  with 
the  divine  nature  gave  it  worth  and 
dignity,  and  rendered  it  an  offering  ac- 
ceptable in  the  sight  of  God,  for  the 
sin  of  a  fallen  world. 

Tarry  ye  here.  His  agony  was  too 
great  to  be  witnessed  by  any  human 
eye.  He  kindly  spared  his  disciples  a 
sight,  which  must  have  filled  them  with 
the  deepest  grief.  Watch  with  me. 
This  bespeaks  also  their  sympathy  in 
his  sufferings.  It  was  a  solace  in  his 
distress,  to  feel  that  he  had  friends  near 
him,  who,  if  they  could  not  alleviate  his 
sufferings,  were  ready  to  watch  with 
him,  and  unite  their  prayers  with  his 
for  divine  aid  in  this  hour  of  distress. 

39.  He  went  a  little  further.  Luke 
says,  "  he  was  withdrawn  from  them 
about  a  stone's  cast,"  where  the  verb 
has  much  the  signification  of  our  ex- 
pression,  to  tear  one's  self  away,  signi- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


365 


saying,  "*  0   my  Father,  if  it  be 
possible,  "let  this  cup  pass  from 

m,  John  12 :  27.       n  Ch.  20  :  22. 


fying  great  reluctance  to  leave.  He 
wished  the  sympathizing  company  of 
his  beloved  disciples,  but  was  impelled 
by  his  dreadful  agony  to  withdraw  by 
himself  alone.  And  fell  on  his  face. 
He  first  kneeled  down  (Luke),  but  as 
his  mental  anguish  increased,  he  pros- 
trated himself  on  the  ground,  and  "  with 
strong  crying  and  tears,  offered  up 
his  prayers  and  supplications"  (Heb. 
5:7).  0  my  Father.  "Abba,  Father." 
Mark.  Never  was  a  prayer  offered,  in 
which  these  words  had  greater  signifi- 
cance and  emphasis.  It  was  the  Son 
of  God  in  helpless  agony,  calling  upon 
his  Father  for  relief.  May  we  not  sup- 
pose that  the  Father  looked  with  the 
tenderest  sympathy  upon  the  Son  of 
his  bosom,  thus  prostrate  in  grief? 
But  the  work  of  human  redemption  was 
to  be  accomplished,  and  God  spared 
not  his  own  Son  (Rom.  8  :  82),  but 
laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all, 
and  bruised  and  wounded  him  for  our 
transgressions  (Isa.  53  :  5,  6).  How 
hopeless  does  this  render  the  condition 
of  those,  who  are  the  final  objects  of 
God's  wrath,  through  impenitence  and 
unbelief,  and  who  can  make  no  such 
plea  for  deliverance,  as  was  here  made 
by  God's  only  and  well-beloved  Son.  If 
it  be  possible.  All  things  are  possible 
with  God,  which  are  not  self-contradic- 
tory or  irreconcilable  with  his  attri- 
butes. But  our  Savior  refers  here  to 
what  is  possible,  viewed  in  relation  to 
the  accomplishment  of  God's  plans  and 
purposes  in  man's  redemption.  He 
prays  for  relief  from  his  dreadful  suffer- 
ings, if  God's  design  of  mercy  to  the 
human  race  whom  he  came  to  redeem, 
will  not  thereby  be  frustrated.  This 
same  idea  is  expressed  in  Mark,  al- 
though in  varied  form.  "  Abba  Father, 
alj  things  are  possible  unto  thee,"  i.  e. 
every  thing  is  subordinate  to  thy  will 
and  pleasure,  and  thy  goodness  will  not 
permit  any  suffering  which  can  be  dis- 
pensed with.     Let  this  cup  pass  from 


me  :  nevertheless,  "  not  as  I  will, 
but  as  thou  wilt. 

40  And  he  cometh  unto  the  dis- 

oJohn5:30,  &6:38;  Phi.  2  :  8. 


7ne,  i.  e.  remove  from  me  this  dreadful 
load  of  suffering.  The  expression  is 
borrowed  from  passing  the  cup  by  one 
at  the  feast.  In  respect  to  the  use  of 
the  word  cup,  see  N.  on  20  :  22.  In 
Mark  the  cup  is  designated  by  hour 
(i.  e.  the  hour  of  suffering).  In  respect 
to  the  slight  variations  in  the  different 
Evangelists,  they  are  only  verbal,  and 
affect  not  the  sense,  in  which  there  is  a 
remarkable  agreement.  In  the  intense 
agony  of  our  Lord,  he  may  have  em- 
ployed a  variety  of  forms  of  expression, 
some  of  which  were  repeated  by  one 
Evangelist,  and  some  by  another.  I 
cannot  therefore  think  with  Alford, 
that  "the  very  words  of  our  Lord,  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  not  seen  fit  to  give  us," 
but  rather  that  we  have  them,  in  the 
varied  forms  of  utterance  as  wrung 
from  the  anguished  soul  of  our  Lord." 
Nevertheless.  This  particle  has  the 
force  of  but  rather,  but  much  rather. 
Although  sinking  under  sufferings  al- 
most unendurable,  our  Lord  signified 
his  cheerful  acquiescence  to  his  Father's 
will.  We  must  not  misconceive  this 
passage,  in  which  Christ  prays  that  the 
cup  may  pass  from  him,  to  teach  in  the 
remotest  degree,  that  our  Lord's  pur- 
pose, as  the  Messiah,  God  incarnate, 
ever  faltered  in  the  work  of  human 
redemption.  This  was  the  cry  for  re- 
lief of  weak  humanity,  borne  down  to 
the  very  abyss  of  suffering,  under  the 
load  which  pressed  upon  it. 

40.  And  he  cometh,  &c.  He  can  find 
no  rest  or  relief  from  suffering,  and  he 
now  comes  for  sympathy  to  his  be- 
loved disciples.  Findeth  them  asleep. 
Neither  obedience  to  his  command,  nor 
sympathy  in  his  grief,  prevented  their 
falling  asleep.  This  seems  almost  un- 
accountable. It  was  not  however  be- 
cause they  were  indifferent  either  to 
his  command  or  his  distress.  Our  Lord 
himself  exonerates  their  spirit  or  dis- 
position from  all  blame  (v.  41).  They 
had  become  exhausted  by  the  intense 


366 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  83. 


ciples,  and  findetli    them  asleep, 
and   saith     uuto     Peter,    What, 

p  Ma.  13 :  83,  &  14 :  38  ;  Lu.  22 :  40, 46 ;  Ep.  6 :  18. 


emotions  awakened  by  the  scenes  of  the 
last  supper,  and  now  at  this  late  hour 
of  night,  were  physically  unable  to  re- 
sist the  influence  of  sleep.  Their  eyes 
were  heavy  (Mark),  and  no  effort  of  the 
will  could  keep  them  from  closing  in 
sleep.  Luke's  expression  is  not  to  be 
overlooked,  "he  found  them  sleeping 
through  sorrow."  Their  physical  and 
mental  energies  were  not  only  ex- 
hausted, but  they  were  so  stupefied  by 
grief  at  his  intense  sufferings,  that 
sleep  easily  overcame  them.  Dr.  Rush 
says,  that  "  profound  sleep  is  a  symp- 
tom of  grief"  Viewed  in  this  light, 
what  at  first  appears  to  be  an  indiffer- 
ence on  their  part  to  the  sorrows  of 
their  Master,  is  a  proof  of  their  deep 
devotion  to  him.  Saith  unto  Peter. 
He  was  the  oldest  and  leading  disciple, 
and  had  but  a  short  time  before  been 
loud  in  his  professions  of  willingness 
to  go  with  his  Master  even  unto  death. 
He  is  now  gently  admonished,  that  if  he 
cannot  watch  with  him  a  few  brief  mo- 
ments, he  cannot  hope  to  stand  the 
trial,  to  which  his  courage  and  affection 
for  his  Master  will  soon  be  subjected. 
This  appears  more  clearly  in  Mark, 
"  Simon  (not  Peter,  the  rock-like,  ar- 
dent, zealous  disciple,  but  Simon,  the 
name  borne  before  he  had  any  know- 
ledge of  Jesus),  steepest  thou  ?  Thou 
who  madest  such  professions  of  attach- 
ment, couldst  not  thou  watch  one 
hour?  We  are  not  to  suppose  from 
this  designation  of  time,  that  the  agony 
of  our  Lord  lasted  just  one  hour.  The 
expression  is  used  for  an  indefinitely 
short  period. 

41.  Watch  and  pray.  At  first  they 
were  directed  to  watch  (v.  38),  but  now 
prayer  is  added  as  a  duty.  It  is  Chris- 
tian watchfulness  which  is  now  enjoined 
upon  them.  They  were  wearied  out  in 
body  and  mind.  This  rendered  them 
more  liable  to  yield  to  the  temptations, 
whicli  were  soon  to  beset  them.  They 
were  directed  to  watch  against  tempta- 


could  ye  not  watch  with   me  one 
hour  ? 

41  ''Watch  and  pray,  that  ye 


tion,  and  to  pray  for  strength  adequate 
to  the  occasion.  That  ye  enter  not,  &c. 
This  does  not  mean  a  state  or  condition 
where  they  woidd  not  be  tempted,  for 
this  while  on  earth  they  could  not  avoid, 
and  indeed  as  furnishing  a  test  of  cha- 
racter, and  as  a  means  of  wholesome 
discipline,  they  were  to  rejoice  when 
they  fell  into  divers  temptations  (James 
1  :  2).  But  the  evil  against  which  they 
were  to  pray,  lies  in  the  words,  enter 
into,  which  here  means  to  fall  under, 
yield  to.  Such  also  is  the  sense  of  the 
phrase,  "  fall  into  temptation."  The 
spirit,  &c.  This,  as  was  remarked  under 
V.  40,  was  a  kind  apology  for  their  pre- 
vious remissness.  But  it  was  also  meant 
to  be  an  incentive  to  greater  vigi- 
lance, and  more  earnest  prayer  in  this 
time  of  unwonted  trial.  Spirit,  i.  e. 
will,  counsel  or  purpose,  whose  seat  is 
in  the  mind  ;  or  spirit,  as  opposed  to  the 
body  or  physical  energies.  Willing  ; 
literally,  eager,  zealous.  The  same  word 
is  used  in  Mark,  and  better  translated 
ready,  for  willing,  in  our  use  of  the 
term,  does  not  reach  the  full  mean- 
ing of  the  original.  They  were  not  re- 
presented as  merely  willing  to  watch 
and  suffer  with  their  Lord,  but  were 
forward,  ready,  zealous  to  do  so.  But 
their  Jlesh  was  weak.  Their  bodily 
powers  were  incapable  of  long  endur- 
ance, their  natures  were  carnal,  corrupt, 
prone  to  sin,  liable  to  be  overcome  with 
temptation.  Here  lay  their  great  need 
of  constant  watchfulness  and  prayer. 
This  kind  and  considerate  admonition 
of  his  disciples,  is  a  remarkable  exam- 
ple of  a  mind  weighed  down  with  an- 
guish, and  yet  full  of  tender  solicitude 
for  the  welfare  of  others.  I  cannot 
agree  with  Alford  and  some  others,  who 
regard  this,  as  intended  to  be  taken  in 
a  general  sense,  and  that  our  Lord  him- 
self is  included  in  it.  It  bereaves  the 
passage  of  its  pathos  and  power,  and 
overlooks  its  manifest  connection  with 
the  preceding  context,  as  a  reason  for 


A.  D.  S3.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


3G7 


enter  not  into  temptation :  the 
spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the 
flesh  is  weak. 

42  He  went  away  again  the  se- 
cond time  and  prayed,  saying,  0 
my  Father,  if  this  cup  may  not 
pass  away  from  me,  except  I 
drink  it,  thy  will  be  done. 

the  prayer  and  watchfulness  there  en- 
joined. 

42.  Again  the  second  time.  This  is 
not  pleonastic,  but  an  emphatic  fullness 
of  expression.  The  idea  is  imparted, 
that  he  was  again,  a  second  time,  im- 
pelled by  his  agony,  to  resort  in  prayer 
to  God  for  relief.  //  this  cup,  &c.  Mark 
says,  "  he  prayed  and  spake  the  same 
words."  This  does  not  imply  absolute 
sameness  of  words,  but  that  the  gene- 
ral burden  of  his  prayer  was  the  same. 
Every  agonizing  groan  and  cry  for  re- 
lief from  the  depths  of  his  distress,  was 
accompanied  with  the  all-absorbing  de- 
sire, that  his  Father's  will  instead  of  his 
own  might  be  done.  How  long  he  re- 
mained in  these  repeated  seasons  of 
prayer,  we  are  not  told.  We  must 
not  suppose  them  to  be  longer  than 
would  be  consistent  with  the  numerous 
events,  which  are  crowded  into  this  re- 
nr.irkable  night. 

43.  Found  them  asleep,  &c.  The 
reason  is  given  in  the  next  clause, 
their  eiies  were  heavy,  i.  e.  (as  we  say  in 
common  parlance)  they  were  unable  to 
keep  open  their  eyes.  He  probably 
administered  to  them  some  gentle  re- 
proof, for  Mark  says  that  "  they  wist 
not  what  to  answer  him,"  i.  e.  they 
were  so  surprised  and  confused  at 
being  again  found  sleeping,  that  they 
could  make  no  reply.  They  had  strug- 
gled hard  against  the  insidious  ap- 
proach of  sleep,  but  their  physical  and 
mental  exhaustion  was  .such,  that  all 
their  watchfulness  against  it  was  in  vain, 
and  they  were  overwhelmed  with  shame 
and  confusion,  at  their  apparent  disre- 
gard of  the  injunction  of  their  Lord. 

44.  And  he  left  them,  &c.  At  this 
time,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  he  expe- 
rienced the  dreadful  agony  recorded  by 


43  And  he  came  and  found 
them  asleep  again  :  for  their  eyes 
were  heavy. 

44  And  he  left  them,  and  went 
away  again,  and  prayed  the  third 
time,  saying  the  same  words. 

45  Then  cometh  he  to  his  dis- 
ciples, and  saith  unto  them,  Sleep 

Luke  (22  :  44).  If  so,  his  mental  distress 
had  been  all  the  M-hile  increasing,  and 
he  would  not  be  likely  to  tarry  long 
with  his  disciples  on  his  second  re- 
turn. He  probably  repeated  his  in- 
junction to  prayer  and  watchfulness, 
and  was  hurried  back  by  his  anguish  of 
mind,  to  the  scene  of  prayer  and  con- 
flict. At  this  time,  Luke  says  that 
"  there  appeared  unto  him  from  heaven 
an  angel  strengthening  him."  The 
strength  thus  imparted  enabled  him  to 
pray  "  more  earnestly,  and  his  sweat 
was  as  it  were  (literally,  as  if  it  iverc) 
great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to 
the  ground."  Strange  that  any  can 
attribute  this  agony,  to  the  mere 
shrinking  of  human  nature  from  the 
death  of  the  cross.  Taken  in  counec- 
tion  with  our  Lord's  history,  it  has 
neither  the  elements  or  features  of 
mere  dread  of  physical  suffering.  That 
our  Savior  shrunk  from  the  dreadful 
death  which  awaited  him,  no  one  will 
deny.  But  his  anguish  in  the  garden 
appears  to  be  aside  and  above  this. 
Words  expressive  of  such  agony,  are  no- 
where in  the  annals  of  human  suffering 
to  be  found.  Saying  the  same  words. 
The  burden  of  his  prayer  was,  that 
God's  will  might  be  accomplished,  even 
if  he  were  to  drain  the  cup  of  suffering. 
May  we  never  lose  sight  of  this  feature 
in  our  Savior's  prayer,  and  in  all  our 
afflictions,  may  we  say  also,  "  not  my 
will  but  thine  be  done." 

45.  T/ien  cometh  he,  &c.  So  Mark, 
in  harmony  with  Matthew,  says :  "  and 
he  cometh  the  third  time."  The  hour 
of  his  agony  and  conflict  had  now  come 
to  an  end.  He  returns  to  his  disciples, 
and  finding  them  again  sunk  in  sleep, 
he  addresses  them  in  the  words  of 
Luke  (22  :  46),    "  Why  sleep  ye  ?  rise 


368 


MATTHEW. 


[A.D.33. 


on  DOW  and  take  your  rest :  be- 
liold,  the  hour  is  at  hand,  and  the 
Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into  the 
hands  of  sinners. 


and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation." 
But,  knowing  that  Judas  and  his  band 
were  now  entering  the  garden,  he  con- 
tinues, in  the  words  of  Matthew  and 
Mark  :  sleep  on  now  and  take  your  rest : 
behold,  the  hour,  &c.  Some  regard  this  as 
a  question  :  do  you  sleep  now  ?  or,  do  you 
yet  sleep  ?  But  the  original  does  not 
permit  this,  as  the  word  rendered  now, 
has  the  invariable  sense,  henceforward, 
henceforth,  for  the  rest  of  the  time. 
Others  find  in  it  a  slight  shade  of 
irony,  but  the  time  and  circumstances 
forbid  the  use  of  this  figure,  even  in 
the  slightest  degree.  It  is  better  to  re- 
gard it  as  a  plain  intimation,  that  the 
hour  of  his  distress,  in  which  he  stood 
ill  special  need  of  their  sympathy,  was 
past,  and  that  they  were  now  per- 
mitted to  take,  during  the  remainder  of 
the  night,  such  rest  as  they  might  be 
able  to  obtain.  There  is  no  discrep- 
ancy between  this  permission,  and 
the  following  words  in  Mark,  "  rise, 
let  us  be  going,"  for  this  had  re- 
ference to  joining  the  disciples,  who 
had  been  left  at  the  entrance  of  the 
garden  (v.  36).  The  permission  to 
sleep  did  not  imply  that  they  were  to 
spend  the  residue  of  the  night  in  the 
garden,  but  that  after  his  forcible  seiz- 
ure, which  was  now  at  hand,  they 
might  rest,  as  their  circumstances 
would  permit.  The  direction  sleep  on 
7MW,  was  a  simple  removal  of  the  pre- 
vious command,  watch  with  me,  and 
shows  the  considerate  kindness  of  our 
Lord,  for  their  bodily  as  well  as  their 
spiritual  necessities.  Behold.  A  com- 
mon word  to  arrest  and  call  attention 
to  some  important  sentiment.  77ie 
hour,  i.  e.  the  time  of  my  betrayal. 
This  appears  from  the  next  clause,  the 
So7i  of  man  is  betrayed,  &c.  where 
there  is  a  striking  antithesis  between 
the  words  So7i  of  man,  an  epithet  by 
which  our  Lord  so  frequently  refers  to 
himself  as   the   Messiah,  and  sinners. 


46  Rise,  let  us  be  going :  be- 
hold, he  is  at  hand  that  doth  be- 
tray me. 

47  TI  And  *  while  he  yet  spake, 

Q  Ma.  14 :  43 ;  Lu.  22 :  47 ;  Jno.  18 : 3 ;  Ac.  1 :  16. 

Although  special  reference  is  had  to 
the  chief  priests,  who  dispatched  the 
band,  with  Judas  as  guide,  to  appre- 
hend him,  yet  the  general  term  si7iners, 
as  opposed  to  the  Son  of  man,  who 
"came  to  save  that  which  was  lost" 
(18  :  11 ;  Luke  19  :  10),  seems  designed 
to  include  the  human  race,  all  of  whom 
virtually  shared  in  the  dreadful  sin  of 
crucifying  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Some 
critics  refer  it  to  the  heathen  or  gen- 
tiles, to  whom  Jesus  was  delivered  up 
to  be  crucified  (27:  2;  Mark  15:  1; 
Acts  3:  13;  4:  27).  But  this  is  far 
fetched,  and  unsuitable  to  the  wants  of 
the  passage,  as  Jesus  was  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  the  chief  priests,  and  by 
them  delivered  up  to  the  Roman  au- 
thority. 

46.  Rise,  let  us  he  going.  It  will  be 
seen  that  Jesus,  to  the  last,  took  all  ne- 
cessary precautionary  measures  against 
the  machinations  of  his  enemies.  He 
did  not  throw  himself  into  their  power. 
He  went  out  of  the  city  to  a  secluded 
place,  where  he  would  have  remained 
in  concealment,  had  he  not  been  be- 
trayed by  Judas.  In  view  of  this,  we 
can  be  at  no  loss  in  what  sense  to  take 
these  words,  rise,  let  us,  &c.  It  was  a 
note  of  alarm,  rather  than.of  exhortation, 
as  it  has  usually  been  interpreted,  to  go 
forth  and  meet  their  enemies.  It  is  as 
though  he  had  said  :  let  us  leave  the 
garden,  which  is  no  longer  a  place  of 
concealment,  since  he  is  at  hand  that 
doth  betray  me.  When  it  is  said  in 
John  18:4,  that  he  went  forth  and  said 
to  them,  "  whom  seek  ye  ?  "  it  is  spoken 
of  what  took  place,  after  Judas  and  his 
company  came  in  full  sight. 

47-56.  Jesus  betrayed  and  appre- 
hended. Motmt  of  Olives.  Evening 
introducing  the  sixth  day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  14  :  43  ;  52  ;  Luke  22  :  47-53. 

47.  Here  may  be  read  John  18:2, 
3,  where  we  are  told  that  Judas,  who 
knew  well  the  place,  as  one  to  which 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


869 


lo,  Judas,  one  of  the  twelve, 
came,  and  with  him  a  great  mul- 
titude with  swords  and  staves, 
from  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
of  the  people. 

our  Lord  frequently  resorted,  conducted 
thither  a  band  of  men  and  officers  from 
the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees.  Judas, 
one  of  the  twelve,  came.  He  went  before 
the  others  (Luke),  in  order  to  point  out 
Jesus  by  the  preconcerted  sign  (v.  48). 
This  is  the  last  time  he  is  denominated 
in  the  gospel,  one  of  the  twelve.  See 
Acts  1  :  25.  A  great  multitude.  John 
speaks  more  particularly  of  this  multi- 
tude, as  composed  of  "  a  band  of  men 
(i.  e.  guards  of  the  temple)  and  officers," 
i.  e.  the  attendants  or  beadles  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  It  would  appear  also  from 
Luke  22  :  52,  that  some  at  least  of  the 
Sanhedrim  were  present,  to  stir  up 
the  multitude  against  him,  and  see  that 
his  apprehension  was  effected.  The 
word  "  band,"  in  John,  has  been 
thought  by  some  to  refer  to  a  detach- 
ment of  Roman  soldiers,  stationed  at 
the  tower  of  Antonia,  to  quell  any  se- 
dition which  might  arise  in  the  city  dur- 
ing the  passover.  But  had  these  been 
sent  to  take  Jesus,  they  would  have 
conducted  him  at  once  to  the  Roman 
governor.  It  appears  also  in  the  very 
face  of  this  passage  in  Matthew,  as  well 
as  the  parallel  passages  in  Mark  and 
Luke,  compared  with  26  :  55  ;  Mark  14: 
48  ;  Luke  22  :  52,  that  a  tumultuous 
band  of  men,  and  not  an  orderly,  well- 
disciplined  cohort  of  Roman  soldiers, 
are  referred  to.  The  chief  priests  would 
not  lack  instruments  in  the  rabble  to 
do  their  vile  work.  With  swords  and 
staves,  as  they  might  be  able,  on  so 
short  a  notice,  to  arm  themselves,  as  if 
to  arrest  a  desperate  thief  (v.  55).  From 
the  chief  priests,  &c.  This  band  acted, 
therefore,  under  the  authority  of  the 
Sanhedrim. 

48.  The  thread  of  the  narrative  re- 
quires what  is  related  by  John  (18  :  4- 
9)  to  be  here  read.  It  appears  that  on 
their  approach,  he  went  forth  to  meet 
them,  and  inquired  whom  they  sought. 
On  tlieir  replying  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he 
Vol.  I.— 16* 


48  Now  he  that  betrayed  him, 
gave  them  a  sign,  saying,  Whom- 
soever I  shall  kiss,  that  same  is 
he  ;   hold  him  fast. 

49  And  forthwith  he  came  to 


answered  that  he  was  the  man,  at  which 
they  were  inspired  with  such  awe,  or  so 
affected  by  the  energy  of  his  divine 
power,  that  they  drew  back  and  fell  to 
the  ground.  When  they  recovered 
from  this  state  of  awe  and  terror,  he 
again  asked,  "  Whom  seek  ye  ?"  Upon 
their  replying  as  before,  he  requested 
that  his  disciples  might  be  suffered  to 
depart  in  peace,  by  which  circumstance 
a  prediction  of  his  intercessory  praver 
(John  17  :  12)  had  a  fulfilment.  Dr. 
Robinson  thinks  that  nothing  more  is 
meant  by  their  prostration,  than  the 
usual  mode  of  reverence  practised  by 
the  Orientals.  But  it  would  hardly  be 
within  the  bounds  of  probability,  that 
such  a  multitude,  composed  of  the  rab- 
ble, and  led  on  by  his  most  virulent 
enemies,  would  do  reverence  to  one 
whom  they  were  about  to  apprehend, 
as  they  would  a  thief.  Now  he  that  be- 
trayed, &c.  A  circumlocution  for  Judas. 
In  the  original,  the  betrayer.  Gave  them 
a  sign,  as  they  set  out,  or  while  on  their 
way  to  the  garden.  I  shall  kiss.  This 
mode  of  salutation  was  conimon  in  those 
times,  as  indeed  it  is  now  in  Oriental 
countries,  and  among  some  of  the  Eu- 
ropean nations.  Hold  him  fast.  Let 
him  not  go,  whatever  may  be  his  pro- 
testations or  attempts  to  escape.  Pro- 
bably Judas,  judging  our  Lord  by  his 
own  low  standard  of  truthfulness, 
thought  that  he  would  deny  that  he 
was  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  or  would  resort 
to  some  artifice  to  avoid  being  taken. 

49.  And  forthwith  he  came,  &c.  As 
Jesus  had  just  avowed  himself  to  be  the 
man  whom  they  sought,  it  may  seem 
strange  that  this  further  sign  should  be 
required,  that  he  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
But  the  leaders  may  have  required  this 
additional  proof  of  his  identity,  through 
fear  that  some  one  of  his  disciples 
would  personate  him,  in  order  to  give 
him  opportunity  to  escape.  They  ab- 
stained, therefore,  from  ai-resting  Jesus, 


370 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


Jesus,   and    said,   Hail,    Master; 
'and  kissed  him. 

50  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
'Friend,  wherefore  art  thou  come  ? 
Then  came  they,  and  laid  hands 
on  Jesus,  and  took  him. 

r  2  Sa.  20  :  9.    s  Ps.  41 :  9,  &  55 :  13. 

until  the  traitor  had  designated  him  by 
the  preconcerted  sign.  It  is  not  an  im- 
probable conjecture,  that  it  may  have 
resulted  from  a  desire  on  the  part  of 
Judas  to  perform  to  the  very  letter  his 
part  of  the  engagement,  in  order  that 
there  might  be  no  apology  for  with- 
holding his  reward,  on  the  ground  that 
his  services  had  been  but  partially  called 
into  requisition.  Hail ;  literally,  joy  to 
thee,  man  3^y  o.itsnd  thee.  The  Ori- 
entals, when  they  met  or  parted,  used 
this  and  similar  friendly  salutations. 
Compare  Ruth  2:4;  Judg.  19  :  20  ;  1 
Sam.  25  :  26  ;  2  Sam.  20  :  9  ;  Ps.  129  :  8. 

50.  Friend.  An  expression  of  ci- 
vility, and  not  necessarily  of  friendship. 
See  N.  on  22  :  12.  In  Luke  he  is 
called  directly  by  name.  Wherefore 
art  thou  come  ?  It  is  for  no  good  pur- 
pose. There  is  treachery  in  thy  heart, 
and  in  this  very  act  of  pretended  friend- 
ship. The  question  of  our  Lord  con- 
veyed a  most  stinging  rebuke,  rendered 
still  more  pointed,  by  the  words  re- 
corded in  Luke,  "betrayest  thou  the 
Son  of  man  with  a  kiss  ? "  Dost  thou 
prostitute  this  most  endearing  token  of 
friendship,  to  so  infamous  a  purpose,  as 
the  betrayal  of  thy  Master  ?  And  laid 
hands  on  Jesus.  Judas  had  told  them 
to  hold  him  fast.  Our  Lord  made  no 
resistance.  "  He  was  led  like  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter."  There  was  no  occa- 
sion for  violence.  Yet  from  the  fact 
that  his  apprehension  was  effected  by 
his  most  bitter  enemies,  and  one  of  his 
disciples  was  aroused  to  resistance  in  his 
behalf,  we  may  well  suppose  that  he 
was  treated  in  a  very  rough  and  unbe- 
coming manner. 

51  One  of  them.,  kc.  This  was  Peter 
(see  Johii  18  :  10),  whose  ardent,  im- 
pulsive nature  could  not  brook  the  un- 
worthy treatment,  which  his  Master  was 
experiencing.    It  seems  from  Luke,  that 


51  And  behold,  '  one  of  them 
which  were  with  Jesus  stretched 
out  his  hand,  and  drew  his  sword, 
and  struck  a  servant  of  the  high 
priest,  and  smote  off  bis  ear. 

52  Then  said   Jesus  unto  him, 

t  John  18 :  10. 

they  in  whose  hands  were  the  two 
swords  (Luke  22  :  38),  first  inquired  of 
Jesus  whether  they  should  use  their  wea- 
pons, but  without  waiting  for  an  answer, 
Peter  drew  and  wounded  the  high 
priest's  servant,  as  here  related.  He 
had  the  physical  courage  to  lay  down  his 
life  for  Christ,  as  he  had  expressed  his 
readiness  to  do.  But  he  lacked  mo- 
ral intrepidity  in  the  presence  of  the 
great  Sanhedrim,  to  confess  that  he  be- 
longed to  the  party  of  one,  who  was  the 
object  of  their  hatred  and  contempt, 
and  he  fell  as  our  Lord  had  predicted. 
The  sword  which  Peter  used,  was  what 
is  called  by  us,  a  cutlass,  i.  e.  a  sword 
adapted  to  cutting,  rather  than  pierc- 
ing, being  bent  instead  of  being  straight. 
These  two  swords  were  in  the  company, 
probably  as  weapons  of  defence  against 
robbers  and  banditti,  who  infested 
the  roads  in  the  region  of  Jerusalem. 
Stretched  out  his  hand,  i.  e.  laid  his 
hand  upon  his  sword  to  draw  it  from 
the  scabbard.  A  servant,  &c.  His 
name  was  Malchus  (John).  Smote  off 
his  ear.  The  blow  was  directed  at  his 
head,  but  glancing  a  little,  or  not  being 
well  aimed  in  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
descended  upon  his  ear.  As  it  is  said 
in  Luke,  that  Jesus  "  touched  his  ear 
and  healed  him,"  it  has  been  thought 
that  the  ear  was  only  partially  cut  oif, 
or  as  we  say,  hung  by  the  skin.  The 
miracle  ought  to  have  admonished  them, 
that  they  were  arresting  no  ordinary 
person,  but  one  who  was  continually 
giving  the  most  numerous  and  satisfac- 
tory credentials  of  his  divine  mission. 

62.  Put  up  again,  &c.  Return  it  to 
its  sheath.  Desist  from  any  further  act 
of  violence.  Tliy  sword.  Not  the 
kind  of  weapon  to  be  employed  in  my 
cause  (2  Cor.  10  :  4).  Into  his  place 
(more  properly,  into  its  place).  "  The 
sheath  is  the  place  for  the  Christian's 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


371 


Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  his 
place  :  "  for  all  they  that  take  the 
sword,  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 
53  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot 
now  pray  to  my  Father,  and  he 
shall  presently  give  me  ■^  more 
than  twelve  legions  of  angels  ? 

MGe.9:6;  Ke.  13  :  10.  a!2Kl.  6  :  17;  Da.  7: 10. 

<!word"  (Alford),  to  be  drawn  only 
when  it  subserves  the  will  of  God,  in 
the  punishment  of  evil  doers.  Rom. 
13 :  4.  For  all  they  that  take,  &c. 
Some  have  regarded  this  as  a  predic- 
tion, that  they  who  are  now  drawing 
the  sword  againt  him,  shall  fall  by  the 
sword  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
But  this  is  forced  and  unnatural.  It  is 
better  to  regard  it,  as  a  proverbial  ex- 
pression of  the  almost  certain  and 
premature  death  of  those,  who  resort 
to  the  sword  for  the  redress  of  wrong, 
founded,  perhaps,  on  the  great  truth 
which  underlies  Gen.  9:6.  It  is  in- 
tended for  the  disciples,  as  a  warning 
against  resorting  to  the  sword  for  de- 
fence, on  occasions  like  this.  The 
weapons  of  their  warfare  were  not  to 
be  carnal,  but  spiritual,  and  in  this  lay 
their  only  safety. 

63.  Peter's  conduct  was  not  only 
rash  and  inconsiderate,  but  distrustful 
of  God,  as  though  he  would  leave  his 
well  beloved  Son  to  be  defended  by  a 
human  arm,  were  there  not  some  great 
moral  necessity,  that  he  should  thus  suf- 
fer from  the  hands  of  wicked  men. 
Thinke&t  thou,  &c.  Here  was  his  error. 
He  acted  as  though  his  Lord  no  longer 
possessed  that  amazing  power,  which 
had  stilled  tempests,  created  food, 
raised  the  dead,  and  expelled  powerful 
and  malignant  demons  from  those 
whom  they  had  possessed.  Now.  Even 
at  this  present  moment,  when  I  am  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  my  enemies. 
Pray  to  my  Father.  Christ,  as  Media- 
tor, was  subordinate  to  the  Father, 
and  hence  this  aid  is  represented  as 
being  granted  to  hira  in  answer  to 
prayer.  Tvielve  legions.  The  number 
twelve  was  selected,  either  as  a  favorite 
number    with   the    Jews,    or   because 


54  But  how  then  shall  the 
scriptures  be  fulfilled,  •"  that  thus 
it  must  be  ? 

55  In  the  same  hour  said  Jesus 
to  the  multitudes,  Are  ye  come 
out  as  against  a  thief  with  swords 
and  staves  for  to  take  me  ?    I  sat 

y  Is.  58 :  7,  &c. ;  ve.  24 ;  Lu.  24 :  25, 44,  46. 


Christ  with  the  eleven  apostles  made 
that  number.  The  Roman  legion  con- 
sisted of  about  6,000  men,  which  would 
make  the  whole  number  here  referred 
to  72,000  angels.  This,  however,  is 
put  for  an  indefinitely  great  number. 
Doddridge  remarks :  "  how  dreadfully 
irresistible  would  such  an  army  of  an- 
gels have  been,  when  one  of  these 
celestial  spirits  was  able  to  destroy 
185,000  Assyrians  at  one  stroke!" 

54.  But  how  then.  The  correct  trans- 
lation is  how  then,  referring  back  to 
Peter's  rash  attempt  to  defend  his  Mas- 
ter. The  train  of  thought  is :  since  I 
do  not  invoke  my  Father's  aid,  how  then 
shall  the  Scriptures  (which  foretell  the 
passion  and  death  of  the  Messiah)  be 
fulfilled,  if  you  interpose  with  the  car- 
nal weapons  of  defence  ?  That  thus  it 
must  be.  There  is  an  ellipsis,  which  the 
reader  will  easily  supply :  (which  say) 
that  thus,  &c.  Some  punctuate  and 
read  thus :  how  then  shall  the  Scrip- 
tures be  fulfilled  ?  For  thus  it  must  be. 
The  sense  remains  the  same,  whichever 
translation  is  adopted.  In  John,  this 
sentiment  is  expressed  in  the  words, 
"the  cup  which  my  P'ather  hath  given 
me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?"  Not  only 
was  God's  word  to  be  fulfilled  and  hon- 
ored in  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  but 
obedience  unto  death  in  submission  to 
the  will  of  his  Father,  was  also  de- 
manded of  him.  This  shows  that  the 
cup  spoken  of,  did  not  refer  to  the 
agony  of  the  garden,  for  tliat  had 
passed  by,  but  to  his  suffering  and 
death  taken  as  a  whole. 

55.  In  that  same  hour.  At  that  time. 
To  the  multitudes.  In  Luke,  "  to  the 
chief  priests  and  captains  of  the 
temple  and  the  elders."  In  addressing 
the  leaders,  he  virtually  addressed  the 


372 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


daily  with  you  teaching  in  the 
temple,  and  ye  laid  no  hold  on 
me. 

56  But  all  this  was  done,  that 
the  '  scriptures  of  the  prophets 
might  be  fulfilled.  Then  "  all  the 

e  La.  4 :  20 ;  ver.  54.     a  See  Jno.  18  :  15. 

bands  of  men  whom  they  commanded. 
As  against  a  thief.  He  was  no  thief, 
robber,  or  desperado,  that  they  had  need 
come  to  arrest  him  at  the  dead  of  night, 
with  such  a  formidable  band  of  armed 
men.  I^at  daily,  &c.  I  was  among 
you  as  a  public  teacher.  You  had 
every  opportunity  to  hear  me,  and  call 
me  to  account  for  any  thing  I  did  or 
said  which  was  wrong.  Ye  laid  no  hold 
on  me,  because  you  knew  that  there  was 
no  ground  of  accusation  against  me, 
which  would  justify  you  in  the  sight  of 
the  people  (see  21 :  46).  Luke  adds,  "  be- 
cause this  is  your  hour  and  the  power 
of  darkness."  This  was  the  hour  of 
their  triumph.  Instigated  by  the  pow- 
ers of  darkness,  they  were  now  given 
up  to  inflict  upon  him  all  these  indig- 
nities, which  they  had  long  been  desir- 
ous of  doing,  but  from  which,  up  to 
this  hour,  they  had  been  kept  in  check 
by  his  heavenly  Father. 

56.  But  all  this  ivas  done,  &c.  Ac- 
cording to  some  expositors,  these  are 
the  words  of  the  evangehst.  But  a 
reference  to  Mai-k  will  show  that  they 
are  those  of  our  Lord.  The  great 
stress  here  laid  upon  the  fulfilment  of 
the  Scriptures, shows  conclusively  their 
divine  origin.  The  necessity  of  their 
fulfilment  arose  from  their  being  the 
word  of  God.  By  scriptnres  of  the 
prophets,  is  meant  the  prophetical  writ- 
ings, which  speak  of  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  the  Messiah,  such  as  the 
P.salms,  Lsaiah,  Daniel,  Zechariah,  &c. 
All  the  disciples,  &c.  Our  Lord  re- 
quested those  who  had  been  sent  to  ap- 
prehend him,  to  let  his  disciples  depart 
in  safety,  and  had  they  remained  with 
him  a  few  moments  longer,  as  Doddridge 
remarks,  they  would  have  received  a 
kind  dismissal.  But,  either  through 
fear  that  Peter's  rash  act  would  be  im- 
puted  to   them  all,  or  seized   with  sud- 


disciples  forsook  him,  and  fled. 
57  1  *  And  he  that  had  laid 
hold  on  Jesus,  led  him  away  to 
Caiaphas  the  high  priest,  where 
the  scribes  and  the  elders  were 
assembled. 

6  Ma.  14  :  53 ;  Ln. 22  :  54;  Jno.  18: 12, 18,  24. 


den  alarm,  at  the  angry  demonstra- 
tions of  the  multitude  as  they  were 
binding  Jesus,  they  suddenly  forsook 
him,  notwithstanding  their  repeated  pro- 
testations a  little  while  before,  that  they 
would  never  desert  him.  He  was  thus 
left  alone  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies. 
"He  looked,  and  there  was  none  to 
help,  and  wondered  that  there  was 
none  to  uphold."  Mark  relates  an  in- 
cident, which  appears  in  strong  con- 
trast with  this  cowardly  conduct  of  the 
disciples.  A  young  man,  probably  the 
owner  of  the  field,  who  lived  near  by, 
hearing  this  midnight  tumult,  arose 
hastily  from  his  bed,  and,  with  nothing 
but  a  loose  garment  thrown  around 
him,  proceeded  to  the  place,  and  find- 
ing that  Jesus  was  apprehended  and 
led  away,  followed  him,  and  that  too 
with  such  evident  tokens  of  being  his 
friend,  that  they  seized  hold  of  him, 
and  he  only  escaped  by  leaving  in 
their  hands  the  cloth  wrapped  around 
him. 

57-68.  Jesus  before  Caiaphas  and 
THE  Sanhedrim.  Jerusalem.  Night 
introducing  the  sixth  day  of  the  Week. 
Mark  14:  53-67  ;  Luke.  22:  54,  63-71; 
John  18: 13-18. 

57.  Led  him  aicay,  &c.  It  appears 
from  John,  that  he  was  led  first  to 
Annas,  the  father-in-law  of  Caiaphas. 
This  was  done  to  confer  honor  upon 
him,  or  because  it  was  first  thought 
best  to  convene  the  council  for  exam- 
ining Jesus  at  his  house.  When  they 
brought  him  to  the  palace  of  Annas,  he 
underwent  a  sort  of  private  or  unoffi- 
cial examination,  after  which  he  was 
sent  bound  to  Caiaphas,  who  was  then 
high  priest  (John  18 :  24).  At  this 
place,  the  Sanhedrim,  feeling  quite  sure 
of  his  apprehension  through  the  treach- 
ery of  Judas,  had  already  assembled,  so 
that  there  was  no  delay  in  his  trial. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI, 


373 


58  But  Peter  followed  him  afar 
off,  uuto  the  high  priest's  palace, 


58.  But  Peter  followed,  &c.  This 
shows  his  anxious  solicitude  and  love 
for  his  Master.  He  followed  him  into 
the  palace  of  the  high  priest,  to  watch 
the  proceedings,  and  with  some  faint 
hope,  perhaps,  of  furnishing  aid  to  him 
should  opportunity  occur.  But  he  fol- 
lowed his  Lord  afar  off  (Luke  22:  54). 
He  would  not  be  known  as  one  of  his 
followers.  When  charged  with  this  he 
denied  it  repeatedly,  and  with  an 
oath.  We  learn  from  this,  the  danger 
of  not  making  a  firm  and  open  pro- 
fession of  our  attachment  to  Christ.  It 
becomes  in  many  instances  the  occa- 
sion of  gross  sins,  which  the  contrary 
course  would  have  prevented.  Into  the 
hall.  This  was  the  inner  court  or 
quadrangle,  around  which  open  space 
the  Oriental  houses  were  built,  and 
which  was  usually  occupied  by  visitors, 
while  waiting  for  audience  or  recep- 
tion, and  also  by  servants.  From  the 
front  entrance  to  the  house,  which  was 
closed  with  a  strong  and  heavy  gate, 
was  a  passage  or  porch  (see  v.  71 ;  Mark 
14:  68),  sometimes  arched  to  the  in- 
terior open  court.  Besides  this  there 
was  a  smaller  gate  for  the  entrance  of 
single  persons,  which  was  kept  by  a 
porter.  It  was  in  this  interior  and  open 
court,  that  Peter  stood  and  warmed 
himself  by  a  fire,  which  had  been  made 
by  the  attendants,  as  the  nights  in 
that  season  of  the  year  were  cold,  espe- 
cially towards  morning.  In  the  rear  of 
this  court,  or  in  some  apartment  on 
one  side,  the  examination  of  Jesus 
was  conducted,  but  so  open  to  the 
court,  that  persons  in  either  place 
could  see  what  was  going  on  in  the 
other.  This  shows  how  Jesus  could 
hear  Peter's  words,  and  turn  and  look 
upon  him  after  his  third  denial  (Luke 
22:  61).  And  went  in.  According  to 
John,  he  did  not  go  in  until  a  fellow 
disciple,  who  was  known  to  the  high 
priest,  had  first  entered  and  obtained 
leave  to  bring  Peter  in.  That  fellow 
disciple  was  John,  which  accounts  for 
his    mentioning   this    incident,    which 


and  went  in,  and  sat  with  the 
servants,  to  see  the  end. 

59   Now  the  chief  priests,  and 

had  been  omitted  by  the  other  evange- 
lists. And  sat  with  the  servants  in  the 
open  area  or  court  above  referred  to. 
7b  see  the  end,  i.  e.  to  await  the  issue  of 
the  trial.  Probably  they  yet  hoped 
that  he  would  be  acquitted,  being  slow 
to  believe  all  which  had  been  written 
in  the  prophets,  and  said  by  himself, 
respecting  his  sufferings  and  death. 

59.  All  the  council ;  literally,  even 
the  whole  Sanhedrim.  Luke  (22  :  66) 
says  that  this  took  place  at  early 
dawn.  This  renders  it  almost  certain, 
that  the  examination  narrated  in 
John  18:  19-24,  took  place  previously, 
probably  at  the  house  of  Annas,  to 
whom  Jesus  was  first  sent,  or  else 
the  palace  of  Caiaphas,  before  the 
members  of  the  Sanhedrim  had  fully 
assembled.  It  was  immediately  pre- 
ceding, and  during  this  preliminary  ex- 
amination, that  Peter  denied  his  Lord. 
Compare  John  18  : 1.5-27.  Sought  false 
witnesses.  Under  the  Mosaic  law,  it  was 
necessary  to  establish  criminal  charges 
by  at  least  two  witnesses.  In  capital 
trials  the  parties  concerned  were  also 
put  under  oath  (1  Sam.  14  :  37-43). 
As  no  true  charges  could  be  brought 
against  Jesus,  they  were  obliged  to 
hunt  up  false  testimony.  This  was 
found  to  be  no  easy  task  from  the  dis- 
crepancy, which  almost  always  exists  be- 
tween those  who  perjure  themselves. 
The  knowledge  of  our  Lord's  wondrous 
miracles  and  high  character  as  a  pro- 
phet, kept  many  from  giving  direct  tes- 
timony against  him,  who  would  other- 
wise have  been  ready  to  do  this,  in  order 
to  ingratiate  themselves  with  the  San- 
hedrim. It  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
that  the  council  did  not  professedly 
seek  false  witness,  but  were  in  search 
of  condemning  evidence,  caring  not 
whether  it  were  true  or  false,  provided 
it  were  against  him.  They  sheltered 
themselves  in  this  by  the  notion,  that 
an  idolater,  false  prophet,  or  impostor, 
might  be  proved  guilty  by  any  testi- 
mony, whether  true  or  false,  in  order 
to  secure  a  legal  condemnation.     This 


374 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


elders,  and  all  the  council,  sought 
false  witness  against  Jesus,  to  put 
him  to  death  ; 

60  But  found  none:  yea,  though 
'  many  false  wituesses  came,  yet 
found  they  none.  At  the  last 
came  ''two  false  witnesses, 

61  And  said.  This  fellow  said, 
'  I  am  able  to  destroy  the  temple 

c  Ps.  27:12,  &  35:  11;  Ma.  14:55;  So  Ac.  6: 
13.    d  De.  19  :  15.     e  Ch.  27 :  40 ;  Jn.  2  :  19. 

whole  trial  shows  that  the  proposal  of 
Judas  had  hurried  matters,  or  else  they 
would  have  previously  prepared  and 
tutored  their  witnesses.  To  put  him  to 
death.  Their  object  was  to  convict  him 
of  a  capital  offence,  and  hence  they 
sought  witnesses  to  this  effect. 

60.  But  found  none.  Their  testi- 
mony either  fell  short  of  what  was  ne- 
cessary to  secure  conviction,  or  was  too 
discordant  to  be  of  any  value.  Yea 
though  many ;  literally  and  (i.  e.  even) 
though  many,  &c.  An  emphatic  anti- 
thesis. See  N.  on  12  :  12.  Many  of- 
fered themselves  as  witnesses,  but  when 
put  to  the  test,  either  through  the 
alarm  of  an  awakened  conscience,  failed 
to  manufacture  evidence  sufficient  for 
his  conviction,  or  were  so  bereft  of  their 
usual  cunning,  that  they  crossed  them- 
selves and  disagreed  with  one  another 
(Mark  14  :  56),  and  thus  rendered  their 
testimony  worthless.  In  this  we  have 
evidence,  not  only  of  the  perfect  inno- 
cence of  our  Lord,  but  of  the  divine 
interposition  in  protecting  that  in- 
nocence from  the  aspersions  of  wicked 
men.  The  repetition  of  the  words  they 
found  none,  gives  emphasis  to  the 
worthlessness  and  rottenness  of  the 
testimony  hitherto  given  in  the  trial. 
At  last,  when  they  had  begun  to  despair 
of  success  in  hunting  up  such  evidence 
against  him. 

61.  Tins  fellow.  The  word /cWow  and 
man,  in  a  parallel  phrase  (27  :  47),  are 
omitted  in  the  original,  but  express  well 
the  contempt  implied  in  the  Greek  pro- 
noun. It  is  as  though  t-he  finger  point- 
ed him  out,  he  not  being  worthy  to  be 
named  or  even  looked  at.  The  words 
of  our  Savior,  which  these  false  witnesses 


of  God,  and  to  build  it  in  three 
days. 

62  ^  And  the  high  priest  arose, 
and  said  unto  him,  Answerest 
thou  nothing  ?  what  is  it  which 
these  witness  against  thee  ? 

63  But  ^  Jesus  held  his  peace. 
And  the  high  priest  answered 
and  said  unto  him,  "I  adjure  thee 

/Ma.  14  :  60.     g  Is.  53 :  7 ;  Ch.  27 :  12,  14. 
ALe.5:  1;  1  Sa.  14  :  24,  26. 


marred  and  perverted,  are  narrated  in 
John  2:19,  and  could  by  no  means 
have  been  referred  by  those  who  heard 
him,  to  the  destruction  of  the  temple. 
That  the  chief  priests  themseh-es  did  not 
so  understand  him,  is  evident  from  27  : 
63.  /  am  able  to  destroy.  Here  was  a 
perversion  of  his  words,  as  will  be  seen 
by  referring  to  John  as  above  quoted.  Of 
God.  This  was  added  to  heighten  the 
enormity  of  the  offence,  in  speaking 
thus  of  the  temple.  In  Mark  they  add, 
"  that  is  made  with  hands,"  an  expres- 
sion which  he  never  used,  and  which 
they  would  not  have  added,  had  it  not 
been  well  understood  at  that  time  that 
he  spake  of  his  body.  Mark  also  adds, 
that  "  neither  so  did  their  witness  agree 
together."  Perhaps  Matthew  narrates 
the  testimony  of  one,  and  Mark  that  of 
the  other.  There  were,  doubtless,  other 
points  of  disagreement.  Thus  this  at- 
tempted proof  of  his  having  spoken  ir- 
reverently of  the  temple  and  predicted 
its  destruction,  fell  to  the  ground  by  the 
disagreement  of  the  witnesses. 

62.  The  high  priest  despairing  of 
being  able  to  convict  Jesus  on  such  tes- 
timony, now  changes  his  plan,  and  en- 
deavors to  entrap  him  by  a  direct  ex- 
amination. Arose  to  give  his  question 
more  authority.  Ansteerest  thou  noth- 
ing ?  This  question  was  put  as  though 
something  had  been  proved,  which  re- 
quired from  Jesus  a  denial  or  justifying 
plea,  although  the  high  priest  well  knew 
that  there  was  nothing  in  all  this  false 
swearing,  which  demanded  an  answer. 
The  design  to  ensnare  Jesus  was  so  ap- 
parent that  he  made  no  reply. 

63.  And  the  high  priest,  &c.  We 
find  in  Luke  22  :  67-69,    that  the  high 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


375 


by  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell 
us  whether  thou  be  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God. 

64  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thou 
hast  said  :  nevertheless,  I  say  un- 
to you,   '  Hereafter   shall  ye  see 

tDa.  7:  13;  Ch.  16:2T,  ifc  24  :  30 ;  Lu.  21 :  27, 
&25;31;  Johnl:51:  Ko.  14:  10;  1  Th.  4: 16: 
Ke.  1  :  7. 

priest  continued  his  interrogatories,  by 
inquiring  of  Jesus  whether  he  was  the 
Christ.  It  was  in  reference  to  what 
Jesus  then  said,  that  he  proceeds  to 
adjure  him  by  the  Uving  God,  to  de- 
clare plainly  whether  he  was  the  Christ. 
/  adjure  thee.  A  most  solemn  form  of 
administering  an  oath.  In  capital  trials, 
the  criminal  himself  might  be  put  under 
oath  (see  N.  on  v.  59).  When  put  in 
this  interrogative  form,  the  accused 
person  was  bound  to  reply,  and  his 
answer  was  regarded  as  made  on  oath. 
Living  God.  See  N.  on  16  :  16. 
Wliether  thou  be,  &c.  This  question 
was  artfully  framed.  If  our  Lord  re- 
plied in  the  affirmative,  they  were 
ready  to  charge  him  with  blasphemy  ; 
if  in  the  negative,  they  would  accuse 
him  to  the  people  as  an  impostor.  In 
either  case,  they  were  sure  of  his  con- 
viction. But  it  is  manifest,  that  if  the 
mere  declaration  of  one's  Messiahship 
in  itself  constituted  blasphemy,  no  one 
could  ever  lay  claim  to  the  office,  with- 
out incurring  that  charge.  Christ's 
works  and  doctrines  were  a  proof  of 
his  divine  mission,  and  to  this  proof 
they  should  have  given  their  attention, 
before  they  pronounced  him  guilty  of 
blasphemy  in  assuming  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah. By  the  phrase  the  Christ  the  Son 
of  God,  they  meant  the  Messiah.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  they  attached 
to  the  words  their  high  and  full  import, 
such  as  was  involved  in  the  reply  of 
our  Lord.  Their  views  of  the  Messiah 
were  low  and  temporal. 

64.  T7iou  hast  said.  This  was  a 
solemn  affirmation  of  the  truth  involved 
in  the  question.  Alford  thinks  that  re- 
ference is  also  had  to  previous  convic- 
tions and  admissions  of  Caiaphas  him- 
self (John  11  :  49,  50).     But  this  is  not 


the  Son  of  man  ''sitting  on  the 
right  hand  of  power,  and  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven. 

65  '  Then  the  high  priest  rent 
his  clothes,  saying,  He  hath  spo- 
ken   blasphemy;     what    further 


k  Ps.  110 : 1 ; 


Ac.  7 :  55. 
&  19 : 1. 


I  2  Ki.  18  :  37, 


very  probable.  In  Mark  the  answer  is 
I  am,  conforming  more  to  our  method 
of  reply.  Nevertheless,  i.  e.  besides, 
furthermore.  The  general  idea  is  that 
a  sign  of  his  Messiahship  shall  be  given, 
in  addition  to  his  solemn  declaration. 
Hereafter ;  literally,  fi-om  now.  The 
days  of  his  humiliation  were  now  about 
to  end.  Henceforth  he  would  be  seen 
only  in  a  state  of  exaltation  and  glory. 
In  reference  to  the  sublime  appearance 
of  our  Savior  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
see  N.  on  24  :  80.  The  expression  on  the 
right  hand  of  power,  is  equivalent  to 
saying,  on  the  right  hand  of  God  (the 
abstract  being  put  for  the  concrete),  or 
clothed  with  diviiie  power.  This  in  24  : 
30,  is  denoted  by  the  words,  "  with 
power  and  great  glory."  What  a  claim 
to  be  put  forth  by  this  meek  and  help- 
less man,  in  the  presence  of  his  power- 
ful malignant  enemies.  What  a  rever- 
sal of  their  relative  position,  when  he 
shall  appear  in  all  the  glory  of  his  God- 
head, surrounded  by  his  mighty  angels, 
to  take  vengeance  on  his  enemies,  and 
to  establish  on  an  unshaken  foundation 
his  Messianic  kingdom. 

65.  Rent  his  clothes.  It  was  for- 
bidden the  high  priest  to  rend  his  gar- 
ments (Levit.  21  :  10),  but  that  may  re- 
fer to  the  usual  mourning  for  the  dead 
(see  Levit.  10  :  6),  or  it  may  have  re- 
ference to  his  priestly  robes,  which  he 
put  on  when  officiating  in  his  priestly 
capacity.  In  the  present  instance,  he 
rent  his  clothes,  as  though  struck  with 
pious  horror  at  such  impious  bla.'^phemy. 
The  garment  was  usually  rent  from  top 
to  bottom,  although  sometimes  in  the 
opposite  direction.  He  hath  spoken 
hlasphemoiisly  in  claiming  to  be  the  Son 
of  God.  Had  our  Lord  been  an  impostor, 
this    would    have   been    true.     Woids 


376 


MATTHEW. 


need  have  we  of  witnesses  ?  be- 
hold, now  ye  have  heard  his  blas- 
phemy. 

66  What  think  ye  ?     They  an- 

«iLe.  24:16;  Jno.  19:7. 


more  blasphemous  can  hardly  be  con- 
ceived, if  they  were  those  of  a  mere 
man,  and  not  one  who  possessed  a  di- 
vine as  well  as  a  human  nature.  What 
further  need,  &c.  They  truly  needed 
no  further  witnesses.  But  they  stood 
in  need  of  an  humble,  teachable,  candid 
temper,  to  examine  the  claims  of  our 
Lord  to  the  Messiahship,  in  the  light  of 
the  wondrous  miracles  he  had  wrought, 
and  the  purity  and  spirituality  of  his 
doctrines.  It  was  the  want  of  this  dis- 
position to  get  at  the  truth,  which 
caused  them  to  pronounce  him  guilty 
of  blasphemy,  and  to  pass  sentence 
upon  him  as  one  worthy  of  death. 

66.  What  think  ye?  This  was  a 
form  of  putting  the  question.  The 
high  priest  assumed  that  our  Lord  was 
guilty  of  blasphemy,  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  demand  sentence  of  condemna- 
tion. In  all  this  there  was  an  absence, 
not  only  of  the  spirit,  but  of  the  com- 
mon forms  of  justice,  in  the  haste  with 
which  the  Sanhedrim  were  pressed  to 
pronounce  sentence  of  death  upon  him, 
and  their  ready  response  to  the  wishes 
of  the  high  priest.  He  is  guilty  of  death  ; 
literally,  he  is  held  fast  of  death,  he  is  a 
subject  of  death,  i.  e.  to  him  belong  the 
pain  and  penalty  of  death.  The  pun- 
ishment of  blasphemy  was  death  by 
stoning  (Lev.  24  :  16),  to  inflict  which 
they  must  have  obtained  leave  of  the 
Roman  governor.  This  they  could 
easily  have  done.  But  they  resorted 
to  another  mode  of  inflicting  death, 
probably  from  the  following  considera- 
tions. Punishment  by  stoning  must 
necessarily  have  been  attended  by  a 
vast  concourse  of  Jews,  from  whom 
they  had  reason  to  apprehend  a  rescue 
of  their  prisoner  (see  26  :  5  ;  Mark  14  : 
2  ;  Luke  22  ;  2  ;  23  :  27).  This  would 
be  avoided  by  giving  him  up  to  the 
Romans,  to  be  punished  in  their  way, 
and  under  their  authority.   The  punish- 


[A.  D.  33. 
He  is  guilty  of 


swered  and  said, 
death. 

67  "  Then  did  they  spit  in  his 
face,  and  buflfeted  him  ;  and  "  oth- 

w  Is.  50  :  6,  &  53 : 3  ;  Ch.  27  :  30. 
oLu.  22:63;    Jno.  19:3. 


ment  by  the  cross,  in  which  the  victim 
died  an  agonizing  and  prolonged  death, 
furnished  them  also  with  greater  oppor- 
tunity to  feast  their  eyes  with  his  suf- 
ferings, and  insult  him  as  he  hung  be- 
fore them  (see  27  :  39-44  ;  Mark  15  : 
29-32  ;Luke  23  :  35-37). 

A  question  sometimes  arises  in  the 
mind,  whether  no  friendly  voice  in  be- 
half of  Jesus  was  raised  in  this  council, 
to  protect  him  against  such  injustice, 
and  undue  haste.  Doubtless  there  was, 
if  at  least  Nicodemus,  or  Joseph  of 
Arimathea,  or  we  should  hope  if  Gama- 
liel were  present.  But  either  their 
feeble  remonstrances  were  drowned  in 
the  general  clamor  against  him,  or  they 
were  passed  by  in  this  nocturnal  session 
of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  not  summoned 
to  the  council.  The  former  would  seem 
the  true  supposition  from  Luke  23  :  51, 
so  far  at  least  as  Joseph  was  concerned. 
Nicodemus,  if  present,  doubtless  urged 
a  principle  of  justice,  which  he  had  laid 
down  with  such  effect  on  a  former  occa- 
sion (John  7  :  50,  51).  But  with  these 
exceptions,  the  whole  council  most 
likely  were  united  in  the  sentence  pro- 
nounced against  him. 

67.  They  now  commence  to  heap 
upon  him  the  vilest  indignities.  Tfien 
did  they  spit,  &c.  This  in  ancient  as 
well  as  in  modern  times,  was  deemed 
one  of  the  greatest  insults  which  could 
be  offered.  In  this  and  the  other  indig- 
nities, the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  as 
well  as  the  common  people,  participated 
(see  Mark  14  :  65  ;  Luke  22  :  63,  64). 
And  buffeted  him  ;  literally,  struck  him 
with  the  fist,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
act,  designated  in  the  next  clause  by 
smiting  him  with  the  palms  of  their 
hands,  which  in  the  original  answers 
very  well  to  our  word  slap,  as  with  the 
open  hand.  These  represent  the  variety 
of  ways,  by  which  they  put  him  to  pain, 
and  expressed  their  contempt  of  him. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


377 


ers  smote  him  with  the  palms  of 
their  hands, 

68  Saying,  ^  Prophesy  unto  us, 
thou  Christ,  Who  is  he  that  smote 
thee? 

69  1[  '  Now  Peter  sat  without 

pMa.l4:65;  Lu.22:64. 

Not  only  the  hand  but  the  foot  may 
have  been  used,  in  the  insults  here 
heaped  upon  him. 

68.  Saying,  prophesy,  &c.  This  was 
done  to  deride  his  claims  to  the  Mes- 
siahship.  So  while  he  hung  on  the 
cross,  they  tauntingly  said :  "  If  thou 
be  the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the 
cross  "  (27  :  40) ;  "  let  Christ  the  King 
of  Israel  descend  now  from  the  cross, 
that  we  may  see  and  believe"  (Mark 
15  :  32).  Here  they  bid  him,  having 
been  previously  blindfolded,  to  tell  who 
struck  him,  as  an  evidence  of  his  being 
the  Christ.  The  word  prophesy  means 
here  simply  declare.  But  as  the  decla- 
ration was  in  regard  to  a  thing  con- 
cealed from  the  natural  eye,  it  implied 
a  revelation  to  the  mind  by  some  supe- 
rior intelligence.  It  might  well  be  ren- 
dered here,  divine  unto  us,  thou  Christ 
(spoken  sarcastically),  who  is  he  that 
smote  thee  ?  Luke  says,  "  many  other 
things  blasphemously  spake  they  against 
him."  A  remarkable  expression  in 
connection  with  the  fact,  that  they  had 
just  sentenced  him  to  death  for  blas- 
phemy. There  was  blasphemy,  and 
that  too  of  the  most  appalling  kind,  but 
it  lay  on  their  souls,  in  thus  rejecting 
and  putting  to  shame  and  suffering  the 
eternal  Son  of  God. 

69-75.  Peter  thrice  Denies  Jesus. 
Jerusalem.  Night  introducing  the  sixth 
day  of  the  Week.  Mark  14  :  66-72  ; 
Luke  22  :  54-62 ;  John  18  :  15-18  ; 
25-27. 

69.  The  three  denials  of  Peter  are 
related  by  Matthew  and  Mark  after  the 
trial  of  Jesus,  but  by  Luke  and  John, 
before.  They  doubtless  took  place 
while  the  trial  was  going  on,  although 
narrated  together  for  the  sake  of  con- 
venience. Sat  without,  i.  e.  outside  of 
the  apartment,  in  which  Jesua  was  ex-  I 


in  the  palace  :  and  a  damsel  came 
unto  him,  saying,  Thou  also  wast 
with  Jesus  of  Galilee. 

70  But  he  denied  before  ihem. 
all,  saying,  I  know  not  what  thou 
sayest. 

q  Ma.  14:66;  Ln.  22  :  55 ;  Jo.  18  :  16, 17,  25. 


amined.  Mark  says  beneath,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  slight  elevation  of  the 
room,  where  the  high  priest  was  ques- 
tioning Jesus.  In  the  palace.  In  the 
open  court,  around  which  were  the 
apartments  of  the  palace  (see  N.  on  v. 
58).  A  damsel.  A  maid  servant.  She 
was  the  porteress.  See  John  18  :  16, 
17.  Females  often  performed  this  ser- 
vice. Compare  Acts  12  :  13.  Came 
unto  him.  She  approached  him  to 
scan  his  features  more  closely.  Luke 
says,  "she  earnestly  looked  upon  him." 
She  had  seen  him  at  some  former  time 
with  Jesus,  or  such  concern  was  now 
depicted  on  his  countenance,  that  her 
suspicions  were  excited  that  he  was 
one  of  his  followers.  Tliou  also  loast, 
&c.  John  puts  this  in  an  interrogative 
form,  a  very  common  mode,  when  the 
answer  is  conceived  as  being  certain 
beyond  a  doubt.  The  word  also,  found 
in  all  the  Evangelists,  has  led  many  to 
suppose  that  John,  who  was  with  Peter, 
was  known  as  Jesus'  disciple,  or  had 
acknowledged  himself  to  be  such. 
The  words  may  have  been  used,  how- 
ever, in  reference  to  Jesus  himself,  as 
though  she  had  said  :  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth is  now  on  trial,  and  thou  also  art 
one  of  his  company.  With  Jesus  of 
Galilee,  i.  e.  one  of  his  party.  To  be 
with  one  is  often  used  in  the  ancient 
writings  in  the  sense,  to  be  on  one's 
side.  The  damsel  expressed  her  sus- 
picions to  others,  before  she  addressed 
Peter  (Luke). 

70.  But  he  denied.  See  N.  on  v.  34. 
Before  them  all.  He  spoke  openly  and 
boldly,  the  more  effectually  to  screen 
himself  from  all  further  suspicion  of 
belonging  to  the  party  of  Jesus.  In 
the  same  loud  and  boisterous  tones,  the 
subsequent  denials  were  doubtless  ut- 
tered, all  of  which  reached  the  ear  of 


378 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


71  And  when  he  was  gone  out 
into  the  porch,  another  maid  saw 
him,    and    said   unto    them    that 


his  Master,  in  the  adjacent  apartment. 
/  know  not,  &c.  This  was  one  of  the 
strongest  forms  of  denial.  He  pro- 
fessed the  most  profound  ignorance  of 
the  nature  or  foundation  of  the  charge 
made  against  liim.  The  answer  of 
Peter,  as  given  in  the  various  Evangel- 
ists, differs  in  words  but  not  in  sense. 
In  his  strong  desire  to  free  himself  from 
all  suspicion,  he  may  have  reiterated 
his  denial  in  the  various  forms  here 
given.  It  should  be  noted  that  Mark, 
who  is  supposed  to  have  written  his 
gospel  under  the  eye  of  Peter  himself, 
so  far  from  extenuating  the  denial  of 
the  apostle,  gives  a  fuller  account  of  it, 
than  any  other  of  the  Evangelists.  See 
N.  on  v.  34. 

'71.  mien  he  was  gone  out,  &c.  Peter 
was  ill  at  ease,  when  he  found  himself 
in  such  danger  of  being  recognized, 
and  retreated  from  the  open  court  to 
the  porch  or  entrance-way  (see  N.  on  v. 
58),  where  he  might  watch  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  trial  with  less  danger  of 
exposure.  Soon  after  his  departure 
from  the  court,  according  to  Mark,  the 
cock  crew.  This  was  his  first  crowing, 
and  is  spoken  of  by  Mark,  because  in 
his  gospel  it  is  stated  that  Jesus  said, 
"  before  the  cock  crow  twice,  thou  shalt 
deny  me  thrice."  Peter  could  not  have 
heard  this  first  crowing  of  the  cock 
with  unconcern,  but  he  was  not  yet 
brought  from  his  state  of  presumption 
and  self-confidence,  to  one  of  penitence 
and  reliance  upon  his  Lord  and  Savior. 
Another  maid.  She  was  doubtless  a 
porteress,  or  one  who  attended  upon 
the  duties  of  the  porch.  Mark  says 
that  the  same  waid  (incorrectly  trans- 
lated in  our  common  version,  a  maid) 
saw  him  again.  She  may  have  followed 
him  into  the  porch,  or  Peter,  when 
closely  pressed  by  those  in  the  porch, 
may  have  returned  into  the  open  court, 
and  exposed  himself  again  to  the  no- 
tice of  the  maid  whose  suspicions  were 
first   awakened.     The  word  translated 


were  there,  This  felloio  was  also 
with  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

72  And  again   he  denied  with 
an  oath,  I  do  not  know  the  man. 


another,  is  put  by  Luke  in  the  mascu- 
line gender.  It  would  appear  by  a  com- 
parison of  Mark  and  Luke,  that  one  of 
the  men,  to  whom  the  maid-servant 
had  communicated  her  suspicions  of 
Peter,  directly  charged  him  with  being 
one  of  the  company  of  Jesus.  Thus 
while  hoping  to  escape  observation  by 
retreating  from  the  open  court,  he  fell  in 
with  others  who  repeated  the  charge. 
These  reiterated  recognitions  were  of 
course  met  with  as  oft-repeated  denials, 
so  that,  as  Alford  remarks,  "he  spoke 
not  one  sentence  only,  but  a  succession 
of  vehement  denials."  In  reference 
however  to  the  three  occasions  on 
which  he  was  recognized  during  the 
night,  he  is  said  to  have  thrice  denied 
his  Lord,  "  each  occasion  embracing  re- 
iterated and  importunate  denials"  (Al- 
ford). This  felloiu.  See  N.  on  v.  6L 
Jesus  of  Nazareth.  In  v.  69,  Jesus  of 
Galilee.  This  was  added  by  way  of 
reproach. 

72.  And  again  he  denied,  &c.  In 
John  this  second  denial  took  place  in 
the  open  court,  as  they  were  standing 
around  the  fire.  But  this  is  easily  ex- 
plained, if  we  suppose  that  Peter, 
through  restlessness  of  mind,  or  the 
greater  danger  of  detection  in  the 
porch,  had  re-entered  the  open  court. 
The  second  denial  may  have  taken 
place,  as  has  been  intimated  (N.  on  v. 
71),  both  in  the  portico  and  the  open 
court.  This  appears  to  have  been  the 
fact,  both  from  a  comparison  of  this 
statement  of  John  with  that  of  the 
other  Evangelists,  and  also  from  the 
assertion  of  Mark,  that  it  was  the  same 
damsel,  who  on  seeing  him  again  re- 
iterated her  first  charge,  whicli  could 
not  have  been  done,  unless  she  had 
followed  him  into  the  porch,  or  he  had 
returned  (as  is  evident  from  John)  into 
the  open  court.  There  is  one  other 
mode  of  reconciling  these  apparent 
discrepancies.  What  appears  in  John 
to  have  been  the  second  denial,    may 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


379 


73  And  after  a  wliile  came  unto 
him  they  that  stood  by,  and  said 
to  Peter,  Surely  thou  also  art 
one  of  them  ;  for  thy  "■  speech  be- 
wrayeth  thee. 

T-Lu.  22:59. 


have  been  a  portion  of  the  third,  the 
second  having  been  omitted  by  him,  on 
the  ground  of  its  having  been  so  fully 
related  by  the  other  Evangelists.  It 
must  always  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
omission  involves  no  contradiction,  and 
that  there  would  have  been  no  need  of 
four  gospels,  if  the  same  events,  in  the 
same  order  and  fulness  of  narration, 
had  been  related  by  them  all.  The 
great  facts  of  this  fall  of  Peter,  are  re- 
corded in  all  the  Evangelists,  and  the 
trifling  variation  in  the  phraseology,  is 
nothing  more  than  could  be  expected 
by  independent  writers,  especially  if,  as 
is  true  beyond  question,  on  each  occa- 
sion Peter  reiterated  his  denial  in 
various  forms,  and  with  a  change  of 
locality,  at  least  so  far  as  the  second  is 
concerned.  With  an  oath.  Such  an 
alarming  publicity  was  now  given  to  the 
charge  of  his  being  in  the  company  of 
Jesus,  that  Peter  felt  the  necessity  of 
warding  off  suspicion,  by  more  vehe- 
ment protestations  of  his  total  igno- 
rance of  the  man.  He  confirmed  his 
denial  at  this  time  with  an  oath. 

73.  And  after  a  lohile.  "About  an 
hour  after."  Luke.  The  scene  of  the 
third  denial  was  in  the  open  court,  as  it 
was  within  sight  and  hearing  of  Jesus 
(Luke  22  :  61).  It  may  be  thought 
wonderful,  that  Peter  did  not  leave  at 
once  the  high  priest's  house.  Perhaps 
he  thought  it  more  prudent  to  brave  it 
out  with  stout  denials,  than  by  stealing 
away,  to  admit  virtually  the  truth  of 
these  charges.  He  had  also  at  heart 
such  deep  affection  for  his  Lord,  that 
he  could  not  prevail  upon  himself  to 
leave  him.  We  may  well  suppose,  that 
he  was  all  this  time  in  a  most  unen- 
viable frame  of  mind,  although  it  was 
not  until  his  Lord  looked  upon  him, 
that  he  became  so  fully  conscious  of  the 
enormity  of  his  sin,  as  to  go  forth  and 
weep  bitter   tears  of  repentance.    For 


74  Then  'began  he  to  curse 
and  to  swear,  saying^  I  know  not 
the  man.  And  immediately  the 
cock  crew. 

75  And  Peter  remembered  the 


s  Ma.  14  :  71. 


thy  speech,  &c.  The  provincial  dialect 
of  the  Galileans  compared  with  that  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Judea,  according  to 
the  Rabbinical  writers,  was  broad  and 
unpolished.  In  addition  to  his  coarse 
Galilean  dialect,  a  kinsman  of  Malchus 
whose  right  ear  Peter  had  cut  off,  di- 
rectly affirmed  that  he  saw  Peter  in 
the  garden  (John  18  :  20). 

74.  Then  began  he,  &c.  He  was  irri- 
tated and  alarmed  by  these  repeated 
charges,  and  by  his  identification  by 
the  kinsman  of  Malchus.  Giving  way 
to  his  naturally  quick  and  vehement 
temper,  he  poured  forth  a  volley  of 
curses  and  imprecations,  regardless  of  all 
consequences,  so  far  as  Jesus  was  within 
sight  and  hearing.  To  curse ;  literally, 
to  anathematize.  He  invoked  curses 
upon  himself,  if  what  he  said  was  not 
true.  And  to  swear  probably  by  the 
name  of  Jehovah,  or  some  such  oaths  as 
were  forbidden  in  5  :  34-36.  His  lan- 
guage must  have  been  shocking,  even 
to  the  rabble  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded. Nothing  saved  Peter  at  this 
time  from  irretrievable  ruin,  but  the 
unchanging  love  of  his  Lord.  He  had 
prayed  for  his  erring  disciple,  and  Satan 
was  not  permitted  to  effect  his  destruc- 
tion (see  Luke  22  :  31,  32).  Imme- 
diately the  cock  crew.  This  was  his 
second  crowing,  or  that  which  takes 
place  about  the  break  of  day.  It  was 
while  he  was  yet  speaking  that  the  cock 
crew  (Luke). 

7.5.  And  Peter  remembered,  &c. 
How  must  his  soul  have  been  over- 
whelmed, at  the  recollection  of  what 
his  Lord  had  said.  It  was  recalled  to 
his  mind,  not  only  by  the  crowing  of 
the  cock,  but  by  the  tender  and  ex- 
pressive look  given  him  (Luke  22  :  61) 
by  his  Master,  whom  he  had  been  deny- 
ing with  cursing  and  swearing.  He 
now  thinks  of  nothing  else.  The  San- 
hedrim, the  false  witnesses,  the  jeering 


380 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


word  of  Jesus,  •which  said  unto 
him,  '  Before  the  cock  crow,  thou 
shalt  deny  me  thrice.  And  he 
went  out,  and  wept  bitterly. 

CHAPTER   XXVn. 

WHEN  the  morning  was  come, 
"all  the  chief  priests  and 

t  Ver.  84 ;  Ma.  14  :  30 ;  Lu.  22  :  61,  62 :  John 
13:38. 

crowd,  are  all  lost  sight  of  in  that  look 
which  had  pierced  his  soul.  He  has  no 
further  business  in  the  palace  of  the 
high  priest.  He  is  unworthy  to  stay 
any  longer  in  the  presence  of  his  Lord. 
Had  he  offered  himself  to  death  in  his 
Master's  service,  it  could  not  have 
atoned  for  his  sin,  or  restored  peace  to 
his  soul.  He  went  out  andtvept  bitterly. 
He  sought  some  place  by  himself,  and 
all  that  day,  while  his  Master  hung  on 
the  cross,  and  John,  who  had  shown 
no  such  pusillanimous  conduct,  was 
suffered  to  be  with  him  to  receive  his 
last  words,  Peter  was  probably  weeping 
and  praying  in  the  depths  of  his  dis- 
tress, for  the  pardon  of  his  great  sin. 
But  Jesus  heard  the  prayer  of  his  weep- 
ing, repentant  disciple,  and  the  words 
of  the  angel  to  the  woman  at  the  se- 
pulchre, "  go  tell  his  disciples  and 
Peter"  were  an  announcement  that  he 
w^as  restored  to  the  favor  and  position 
with  his  Lord,  which  he  had  for  a  sea- 
son forfeited.  Henceforth  we  see  in 
him  no  traces  of  a  timorous  spirit,  but 
his  courage  and  boldness,  when  brought 
before  the  Jewish  rulers,  were  such  as 
to  inspire  his  fellow  disciples  with  a 
like  intrepidity,  and  thus  he  was  the 
means  of  strengthening  his  brethren 
(Luke  22  :  32). 

CHAP.  XXVII. 

4-14.  Jesus  led   to  Pilate.     Judas 

REPENTS     AND     HANGS     HIMSELF.       Sixth 

day  of  the  Week.  Jerusalem.  Mark 
15:  1-5  ;  Luke  23  :  1-5  ;  John  28  :  28- 
38  ;  Acts  1  :  18,  19. 

1.  When  tlie  morning,  &c.  They  had 
previously  adjudged  him  worthy  of 
death.  Their  purpose  in  the  present 
consultation  was,  doubtless,  to   devise 


elders  of  the  people  took  counsel 
against  Jesus  to  put  him  to  death. 
2  And  when  they  had  bound 
him,  they  led  him  away,  and  *  de- 
livered him  to  Pontius  Pilate  the 
governor. 


aPs.  2:2;  Ma.  15:1;  Lu.  22  :  66,  &23:1; 
Jno.  18  :  28.     6  Ch.  20  :  19 ;  Ac.  3  :  13. 


some  way  of  effecting  this  without  ex- 
citing a  popular  commotion.  Some 
think  that  the  place  of  this  consultation 
was  the  temple,  but  it  appears  evident 
from  Luke,  that  they  did  not  leave  the 
palace  of  Caiaphas,  until  they  led  him 
to  Pilate.  Others  have  supposed  a  re- 
cess, but  this  was  unlikely,  when  such 
revenge  and  hate  were  to  be  gratified. 
They,  doubtless,  put  Jesus  out  of  the 
room,  while  they  plotted  in  secret  con- 
clave, the  best  and  safest  method  of  ef- 
fecting his  death.  To  put  him  to  death, 
i.  e.  in  what  way  to  do  this.  Stoning, 
as  has  been  remarked  (N.  on  26  :  66), 
was  the  penalty  incurred  by  blasphemy. 
But  this  kind  of  punishment  they  dared 
not  adopt,  through  fear  of  the  people. 
As  the  power  of  inflicting  capital  pun- 
ishment had  been  taken  away  from  the 
Sanhedrim  (see  John  18  :  31),  whatever 
mode  of  putting  him  to  death  they 
might  adopt,  it  would  have  to  receive 
the  sanction  of  the  Roman  governor. 
One  item  of  consultation,  and  not  the 
least  important,  was  what  charge  they 
should  make  against  him  at  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Pilate.  In  selecting  a 
crime  with  which  to  charge  him,  it  was 
a  matter  of  much  importance  to  fix 
upon  one  of  such  atrocity,  that  the  go- 
vernor could  not  well  pardon  him,  and 
thus  frustrate  their  schemes  of  revenge. 
They,  therefore,  shifted  the  charge  from 
blasphemy,  on  which  they  had  con- 
demned him,  to  the  crime  of  sedition 
(Luke  23  :  2),  knowing  well  that  a  Ro- 
man governor  would  feel  bound  to  take 
cognizance  of  such  an  offence,  while  he 
would  be  disposed  to  pass  lightly  over 
the  sin  of  blasphemy. 

2.  And  when  they  had  hound  hinu  As 
he  had  been  previously  bound  (John  18  ; 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


381 


3  1"  'Then  Judas,  which  had 
betrayed  him,  when  he  saw  that 
he  was  condemned,  repented  him- 
self, and  brought  again  the  thirty 

cCh.26:14,15. 

12),  we  must  refer  this  to  their  making 
his  bonds  tighter  and  more  secure,  in 
order  that  he  might  appear  to  Pilate  as 
a  desperate  person,  against  whose  es- 
cape more  than  ordinary  precaution  was 
to  be  observed.  Some  think,  however, 
that  his  previous  bonds  had  been  re- 
moved temporarily  during  his  examina- 
tion. But  this  was  very  unlikely.  De- 
livered him  as  a  criminal.  Pontius  Pilate^ 
who  has  attained  to  such  unenviable  no- 
toriety from  having  crucified  the  Sa- 
vior of  mankind,  was  the  fifth  Roman 
procurator  or  governor  of  Judea,  and 
although  subordinate  to  the  president 
of  Syria,  yet  as  that  personage  could 
give  no  personal  attention  to  the  affairs 
of  Judea,  he  was  clothed  with  presiden- 
tial powers,  even  to  the  infliction  of  ca- 
pital punishment.  He  entered  upon  his 
office,  A.D.  26,  and  held  it  about  ten 
years,  at  which  time  having  become  ex- 
ceedingly obnoxious  to  the  Jews  and 
Samaritans,  on  account  of  his  cruelty  and 
extortion,  he  was  accused  to  Vitellius, 
president  of  Syria,  and  sent  by  him  to 
Rome,  to  answer  before  the  emperor 
the  charges  made  against  him.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  banished  by  Cahgula 
to  Vienna  in  Gaul,  and  there  to  have 
died  by  his  own  hand.  While  in  Judea, 
his  ordinary  place  of  residence  was  at 
Caesarea,  but  he  was  now  at  Jerusalem,  to 
guard  against  popular  outbreaks  during 
the  feast.  The  governor.  Thus  he  is  styled 
also  by  Josephus,  although,  as  has  been 
remarked,  he  was  subordinate  to  the 
president  of  Syria.  Then  Judas,  &c. 
Dr.  Robinson  very  correctly  places  this 
repentance  and  suicide  of  Judas,  after 
our  Lord  had  been  delivered  by  Pilate 
to  be  crucified.  As  the  account  is  pe- 
culiar to  Matthew,  we  have  no  clue  to 
the  time  from  the  other  gospels.  It  is 
not  probable,  however,  that  our  Lord's 
trial  and  condemnation  in  the  palace  of 
Caiaphas,  would  have  wrought  such  hor- 
ror and  remorse  in  the   soul  of  the 


pieces    of    silver     to   the    chief 
priests  and  elders, 

4  Saying,  I  have  sinned  in  that 
I   have    betrayed    the     innocent 


traitor.  But  that  he  should  be  brought 
before  the  Roman  governor,  and  con- 
demned to  be  crucified,  was  so  far  beyond 
the  anticipated  consequences  of  his 
treachery,  that  he  awakens  to  the  enor- 
mity of  his  crime,  and  is  overwhelmed 
in  the  depths  of  despair.  Repented  him- 
self. This  word  is  used  both  here  and 
in  2  Cor.  7  :  8,  of  one  who  has  sorrow 
and  regret  for  a  sinful  act.  In  the  case 
of  Judas,  it  was  accompanied  by  the 
most  dreadful  remorse.  But  his  re- 
pentance was  not  genuine,  or  what  is 
termed  evangelical,  as  is  clear  from  his 
act  of  self-destruction,  and  the  awful 
words  of  our  Lord  respecting  him  in 
26  :  24,  and  what  is  said  also  in  John 
17  :  12  ;  Acts  1  :  25.  EvangeUcal  re- 
pentance is  always  expressed  by  ano- 
ther word  in  the  New  Testament,  de- 
noting not  merely  sorrow  and  remorse, 
but  a  change  of  mind  or  purpose.  The 
repentance  of  Judas  was  like  that  of 
Saul,  and  thousands  of  others,  a  sorrow 
for  wrong  doing  in  view  of  its  ininic- 
diate  consequences,  but  not  a  hatred  of 
sin  in  itself  considered,  as  is  wrought  by 
true  repentance.  See  2  Cor.  7  :  10,  11. 
Brought  again;  literally,  brought  back, 
returned.  Tfiirty  pieces  of  silver.  See 
N.  on  26  :  15.  To  the  chief  priests,  &c. 
After  Pilate  had  delivered  up  Jesus  to 
be  put  to  death,  it  would  seem  that  the 
Sanhedrim  adjourned  to  the  temple,  as 
Doddridge  well  remarks,  to  keep  up  an 
appearance  of  piety,  before  they  follow- 
ed the  multitude  to  Calvary  to  witness 
the  execution. 

4.  I  have  sinned.  Judas  now  began 
to  feel  convictions  of  sin,  which,  not 
leading  to  genuine  repentance,  wrought 
such  despair  in  him,  that  he  put  an  end 
to  his  life.  Innocent  blood,  i.  e.  the 
blood  of  an  innocent  man,  put  here  by 
a  common  figure  of  speech,  for  the  per- 
son himself  (see  23  :  35).  The  article 
the  is  wanting  in  the  original,  and  should 
not  have  been  inserted  in  the  Enghsh 


382 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


blood.  And  they  said,  What  is 
that  to  us  ?  see  thou  to  that. 

5  Aud  he  cast  down  the  pieces 
of  silver  in  the  temple,  ''and  de- 

<f2Sa.  IT:  23;  Ac.  1  :  18. 

translation.  This  testimony  of  Judas, 
following,  as  it  does,  close  upon  Pilate's 
repeated  declaration,  "  I  find  no  fault  in 
him,"  places  the  innocence  of  Jesus,  if 
regarded  only  in  the  light  of  the  trial, 
beyond  a  doubt.  Judas  had  been  on 
the  most  intimate  terms  with  him  for 
three  years,  and  had  he  uttered  treason- 
able words  against  the  Romans,  or  done 
any  thing  against  the  Jewish  polity  or 
religion  worthy  of  death,  he  could  not 
but  have  known  it.  What  is  that  to  us? 
The  brevity  of  the  original  (literally, 
what  to  us  ?)  imparts  great  point  to  the 
contemptuous  sneer,  with  which  they  re- 
plied to  the  heart-rending  confession  of 
Judas.  See  thou  to  that ;  literally,  thou 
wilt  see.  It  is  your  business.  We  have 
nothing  to  do  with  it.  Judas  received 
no  sympathy  or  word  of  comfort  from 
the  chief  priests.  How  many  like  him 
find  to  their  sorrow,  that  it  was  the 
treason,  and  not  the  traitor,  which  was 
loved. 

5.  And  he  cast  down ;  hterally,  and 
having  thrown  the  money  into  the  holy 
place,  where  the  priests  only  might 
enter.  Judas  stood  without  this 
apartment,  and  therefore  threio  the 
money  in  at  the  priests'  feet.  Their 
cold  and  unfeeling  reply  showed  that 
he  had  nothing  to  expect  from  them, 
and  hoping  by  a  restitution  of  his  ini- 
quitous wages,  to  gain  peace  of  mind, 
or  at  least  some  alleviation  of  his  men- 
tal distress,  he  threw  down  his  money 
and  departed  from  the  temple.  And 
went  and  hanged  himself.  We  are  not 
told  how  long  a  time  intervened,  be- 
tween his  departure  from  the  temple 
and  his  suicide.  The  one  event  doubt- 
less followed  close  upon  the  other.  No  re- 
lief was  obtained  from  giving  up  his  ill- 
gotten  gains.  His  mental  distress  in- 
creased. His  soul  was  filled  with  de- 
spair. Unlike  Peter,  who  went  out  to 
weep,  and  pray,  and  implore  forgive- 
ness, he  went  forth  to  put  an  end  to  his 


parted,  and  went  and  hanged  him- 
self. 

6  And  the   chief  priests  took 
the  silver  pieces,  and  said,  It  is 


existence,  and  to  rush  unbidden  into 
the  presence  of  his  offended  Maker. 
Thus  he  added  crime  to  crime,  and  died 
and  went  to  his  own  place,  while  Peter, 
confirmed  in  the  love  of  his  Lord,  and 
rendered  more  courageous  by  his  tem- 
porary weakness,  fulfilled  his  mission 
on  earth  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  God. 
In  respect  to  the  manner  of  Judas' 
death,  there  seems  no  difficulty  in  recon- 
ciling it  with  the  account  given  in  Acts 
1  :  18,  where  it  is  said,  that  "  fiilhng 
headlong  he  burst  asunder."  In  hang- 
ing himself,  the  cord  by  which  he  was 
suspended  probably  broke,  and  he  fell 
with  such  violence,  as  to  cause  his 
bowels  to  burst  out.  Thus  in  Matthew 
we  have  recorded  the  kind  of  death, 
which  he  went  forth  to  inflict  upon  him- 
self;  and  in  Acts,  that  by  which  he 
really  died.  We  may  well  suppose  too 
that  the  rope  did  not  break,  before  his 
weight  had  caused  it  to  be  drawn  so 
tight,  as  to  cause  strangulation,  if  his 
neck  was  not  broken  thereby.  Thus 
his  death  was  rendered  more  awful,  by 
the  twofold  mode  in  which  it  was  effect- 
ed. Howe  (Orient.  Scenes,  p.  270)  says, 
"as  we  walked  along  the  margin  of  the 
precipitous  ledges,  which  overhang  this 
valley  of  Tophet,  we  <;learly  saw  how  to 
reconcile  the  accounts  respecting  the 
tragic  end  of  Judas  Iscariot,  which  we 
find  in  the  gospels,  with  Acts  1:18.  If 
the  cord  by  which  the  despairing  man 
suspended  himself  in  the  perpetration 
of  this  felo  de  se,  was  attached  to  the 
brittle  limb  of  an  olive  tree,  near  the 
margin  of  these  precipitous  ledges, 
when  vitality  ceased  [or  before],  the 
ponderous  weight  of  the  body  might 
break  the  limb,  and  falling  headlong  he 
might  burst  asunder  in  the  midst,  and 
all  his  bowels  gush  out." 

6.  A7id  the  chief  priests,  &c.  It  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  they  did  this, 
at  the  very  time  in  which  Judas  return- 
ed the  money.     They  had  more  impor- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


3Sc 


Bot  lawful  for  to  put  them  into 
the  treasury,  because  it  is  the 
price  of  blood. 

7  And  they  took  counsel,  and 
bought  with  them  the  potter's 
field,  to  bury  strangers  in. 

e  Ac.  1 ;  19. 


tant  business  to  occupy  their  time  and 
thoughts.  They  waited  at  least  until 
after  our  Lord  was  crucified,  before 
they  purchased  "  the  field  of  blood." 
It  is  not  lawful,  &c.  Compare  Deut. 
23  :  18.  They  were  right  in  supposing 
that  money  thus  obtained,  would  be  an 
abomination  unto  God.  But  they  ought 
to  have  gone  further,  and  inquired 
whether  their  whole  conduct  in  this 
affair,  was  not  still  more  reprehensible 
in  the  sight  of  a  just  and  holy  God.  In 
this  transaction,  as  in  others  of  a  simi- 
lar kind,  they  "  strained  out  a  gnat  and 
swallowed  a  camel,"  thus  showing  their 
gross  hypocrisy.  TJie  treasury ;  liter- 
ally, the  sacred  treasure,  the  thing  con- 
tained being  put,  by  a  common  figure 
of  speech,  for  that  which  contained  it. 
The  chests  where  these  treasures  were 
kept,  was  in  the  court  of  the  women. 
It  is  the  price  of  blood,  i.  e.  that  with 
which  a  man's  death  was  procured. 
Blood  is  often  used  in  the  sense  of  life. 
It  has  however  in  this  place  the  sense 
of  bloodshed,  loss  of  life. 

7.  Took  counsel,  i.  e.  consulted  as  to 
the  best  way  of  using  the  money.  And 
bought  with  them  (the  pieces  of  silver) 
the  potter's  field.  In  Acts  1  :  18,  it  is 
said  that  "  Judas  purchased  a  field  with 
the  reward  of  iniquity."  A  man  is 
often  said  to  do  that  of  which  he  is  the 
cause  or  occasion,  or  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  which  he  furnishes  the  means. 
No  essential  disagreement  exists,  there- 
fore, between  the  two  statements.  This 
field  lay  south  of  Jerusalem,  across  the 
valley  of  Hinnom.  It  had  been  dug  up 
to  supply  clay  for  the  potters,  and  thus 
having  become  unfit  for  tillage,  was 
sold  for  a  small  price.  To  bury  stran- 
gers in.  From  this  circumstance,  com- 
mon burying-places  in  cities  are  now 
frequently  called  the  patterns  field.     By 


8  Wherefore  that  field  was 
called,  '  The  field  of  blood,  unto 
this  day. 

9  Then  was  fulfilled  that  which 
was  spoken  by  Jeremy  the  pro- 
phet, saying,  ■'  And  they  took  the 

/Zee.  11 :  12, 13. 

strangers,  is  here  meant  Jews,  who  came 
up  to  Jerusalem  from  other  lands,  either 
on  business,  or  to  attend  the  yearly 
feasts,  and  also  Gentile  foreigners,  since 
a  place  of  burial  would  of  necessity, 
have  to  be  furnished  them,  as  well  as 
stranger  Jews. 

8.  That  field,  i.  e.  the  one  in  which 
Judas  had  committed  suicide.  The  field 
of  blood  ;  Hebrew,  Aceldama.  See  Acts 
1  :  19.  Unto  this  day,  i.  e.  the  time 
when  Matthew  wrote  his  gospel. 

9.  Then  was  fulfilled,  &c.  This  citation 
is  said  to  be  from  Jeremiah,  but  is  in  real- 
ity from  Zechariah  11  :  13.  This  may  be 
accounted  for  in  two  ways.  One  is  that, 
which  takes  as  the  true  reading,  those 
MSS.  which  with  the  Syrian  version, 
the  earliest  of  all,  merely  have  the 
words  by  the  prophet,  the  word  Jere- 
miah, being  inserted  by  some  subse- 
quent copyist.  The  other  method  of 
solution  supposes  Jeremiah  to  have 
been  put,  through  mistake  of  the  tran- 
scribers, for  Zechariah.  Such  a  mistake 
might  have  easily  crept  into  the  text. 
As  it  regards  the  quotation  itself,  the 
prophet  had  demanded  of  the  Jewish 
rulers,  his  wages  for  feeding  the  flock. 
He  received  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 
This  paltry  sum,  sarcastically  declared 
to  be  a  goodly  price,  at  which  the  pro- 
phet (i.  e.  his  services)  had  been  prized 
of  them,  he  is  directed  to  cast  to  the 
potter,  who  was  at  work  near  the  house 
of  the  Lord.  This  low  estimation  of 
the  labors  of  Jehovah's  servant,  and  his 
rejection  of  the  wages,  which  was  just 
the  very  sura  paid  by  the  priests  to 
Judas,  became  a  remarkable  prediction 
of  the  valuation  put  upon  Christ  by  the 
chief  priests,  and  the  rejection  by  Judas 
of  the  wages  of  his  iniquity.  The  two 
events  were  in  these  particulars  so 
similar,  that  the  last  might  be  said  to 


384 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price 
of  him  that  was  valued,  whom 
they  of  the  children  of  Israel  did 
value ; 

10  And  gave  them  for  the  pot- 


be  the  fulfilment  of  the  former.  And 
they  took.  In  the  original  prophecy, 
And  I  took.  This  in  neither  case  refers 
to  the  taking  of  the  money,  as  first  paid 
to  the  prophet  and  to  Judas,  but  to  the 
taking  it  for  final  disposal,  in  the  one  case 
by  the  prophet  to  give  to  the  potter, 
and  in  the  other,  by  the  chief  priests  to 
purchase  the  potter's  field.  The  price 
of  him  tchom  they  valued.  Judas  said, 
"  what  will  ye  give  me  ?  and  they  cove- 
nanted with  him  for  thirty  pieces  of  sil- 
ver." This  was  their  valuation  of  him. 
Not  but  that  they  would  have  given 
ten  times  this  sum,  rather  than  not  to 
have  got  possession  of  Jesus.  But  this 
was  the  amount  offered,  and  paid  to 
the  traitor  for  his  services.  The  words, 
"  the  price  of  him"  &c.  are  either  inter- 
jected in  the  way  of  explanation  by  the 
Evangelists,  or  they  are  an  expansion 
of  the  idea  in  the  preceding  verse  of 
the  original  prophecy,  "  so  they  weighed 
for  my  price."  Whom  they  of  the  chil- 
dren, &c.  In  the  original,  the  word 
they  is  omitted.  The  literal  translation 
is,  vihom  [certain  persons,  i.  e.  rulers] 
from  the  children,  &c.  This  is  explana- 
tory of  the  preceding  clause,  contain- 
ing the  same  idea  in  an  expanded 
form. 

10.  And  gave  them,  &c.  The  pro- 
phet gave  the  sum,  at  which  his  servi- 
ces were  valued,  to  the  potter.  The 
chief  priests  appropriated  the  wages  of 
Judas,  to  the  purchase  of  the  potter's 
field.  This  is  another  striking  coinci- 
dence, and  confirms  us  in  the  belief, 
tiiat  the  evangelist  did  not  use  this 
prophecy  by  way  of  accommodation, 
but  that  the  original  transaction  was 
designed  to  find  its  complete  fulfilment 
in  the  history  of  our  Lord's  rejection 
by  the  Jews.  As  the  Lord  appointed  me. 
This  conforms  to  the  words,  with  which 
the  verse  in  the  prophecy  commences, 
"  and  the  Lord  said  unto  me."     It  was 


ter's  field,  as  the  Lord  appointed 
me. 

11  ^  And  Jesus  stood  before  the 
governor :  '  and  the  governor 
asked  him,  saying,  Art  thou  the 

{?  Ma.  15:  2;  Lu.  23  :  3  ;  Jno.  18  :  33. 

at  Jehovah's  direction,  that  the  prophet 
gave  his  wages  to  the  potter. 

11.  And  Jesus  stood,  &c.  John  (18  : 
28)  says  that  the  Jews  did  not  them- 
selves enter  the  judgment  hall,  lest  they 
should  be  defiled.  The  reason  is  added, 
"  that  they  might  eat  the  passover," 
i.  e.  celebrate  the  paschal  feast,  which 
began  with  the  eating  of  the  paschal  lamb 
on  the  evening  previous.  For  further 
remarks  on  this  extended  use  of  the 
word  passover,  see  N.  on  John  18  :  28. 
Pilate  therefore  went  out  to  them,  and 
demanded  a  statement  of  the  crime, 
wherewith  they  accused  Jesus.  Hoping 
that  the  general  charge  of  his  being  a 
malefactor  would  suffice  to  secure  his 
condemnation,  they  make  at  first  no 
specific  accusation,  intimating  only  that 
he  was  a  notorious  offiender  (John  18  : 
30).  But  when  Pilate  was  about  to  re- 
mand Jesus  to  them  to  be  judged  by 
their  law,  they  began  to  accuse  him  of 
sedition,  and  forbidding  to  pay  tribute 
to  Caesar,  and  of  claiming  to  be  a  king 
(Luke  23  :  2).  This  last  accusation  is 
presupposed  in  the  question,  which  the 
governor,  after  he  had  reentered  the 
praetorium  or  judgment  hall,  proposed 
to  Jesus,  Art  thou  the  king  of  the  Jews  ? 
at  which  point  Matthew  commences  the 
narration.  It  appears  from  John  (18  : 
34),  that  before  Jesus  answered  Pilate's 
question,  he  asked  him  whether  he  pro- 
posed this  question  from  personal  know- 
ledge of  his  setting  himself  up  to  be  a 
king,  or  whether  he  was  moved  to  exa- 
mine him  in  relation  to  it,  through  the 
clamorous  charges  of  the  Jews.  Pilate 
very  scornfully  replies,  that  he  is  not  a 
Jew  to  trouble  himself  with  their  pe- 
culiarities, but  that  the  supreme  council 
of  the  nation  had  brought  Jesus  to  him 
for  trial.  He  then  again  asks  Jesus 
what  he  had  done  (John  18:  35).  Jo?us 
in  reply  avers  his  innocence  of  any  de- 
sign to  subvert  the  authority  of  Caesar, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVir. 


385 


King  of  the  Jews  ?     And  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  *  Thou  sayest. 

12  And  when  he  was  accused 
of  the  chief  priests  and  elders, 
'he  answered  nothing. 

13  Then  saith  Pilate  unto  him, 

h  John  IS  :  37  ;  1  Ti.  6 :  13. 
i  Ch.  26 :  63 ;  Jno.  19  :  9. 


saying  that  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this 
world,  else  would  his  servants  fight  in 
his  defence  (John  18  :  36).  Upon  this, 
Pilate  again  inquiring  whether  he  was 
a  king,  received  from  him  the  em- 
phatic affirmation  thou  sayest  (see  N. 
on  26  :  64),  after  which  follows  our 
Lord's  declaration,  as  to  the  nature  of 
his  mission,  and  Pilate's  inquiry,  "  what 
is  truth?"  as  narrated  in  John  18  :  37, 
38.  This  portion  of  the  trial  is  report- 
ed with  much  more  fulness  by  John, 
than  by  the  other  evangelists,  showing 
that  he  was  an  eye-witness,  and  close 
observer  of  the  whole  proceedings. 

12.  And  v)hen  he  was  accused,  &c. 
It  appears  that  Pilate,  after  proposing 
to  Jesus  the  inquiry,  "what  is  truth?" 
brought  him  forth  again  to  the  Jews, 
declaring  that  he  found  no  foult  with 
him  (John  18  :  38),  whereupon  the  Jews 
clamorously  accused  him,  as  is  here 
related  by  Matthew.  The  reader  should 
endeavor  to  obtain  a  full  and  connected 
view  of  the  trial  of  Jesus,  by  gathering 
up  from  the  different  evangelists  all 
the  incidents  relating  thereto,  and 
forming  them  into  one  connected, 
harmonious  whole,  so  that  they  may  be 
all  taken  up  in  their  proper  order.  He 
answered  nothing.  These  subtle  and 
malignant  enemies,  conscious  of  his  in- 
nocence, and  yet  so  bent  on  his  death, 
were  deserving  of  no  reply.  Nor,  as 
far  "as  Pilate  himself  was  concerned, 
did  our  Lord  deem  it  necessary  to  say 
any  thing  further,  since  he  had  just  in- 
formed him  of  the  nature  of  his  king- 
dom and  mission  (John  18:  36-38). 

13.  Then  saith  Pilate,  &c.  He 
wished  to  get  some  further  information, 
on  which  he  could  either  convict  or 
acquit  Jesus.  His  curiosity  also  may 
have  been  so  awakened  by  the  pre- 
vious words  of  our  Lord,  that  he  hoped 

Vol.  L— 17 


^  Hearest  thou  not  how  many 
things  they  witness  against  thee  ? 

14  And  he  answered  him  to  ne- 
ver a  word;  insomuch  that  the 
governor  marvelled  greatly. 

15  '  Now  at  that  feast,  the  go- 

*Ch.  26:C2;  Jno.  19: 10. 
Z  Ma.  15 :  6 ;  Lu.  23  :  17 ;  John  IS  :  .39. 

to  hear  something  further  upon  the 
theme,  on  which  he  had  touched  (John 
18  :  37).  But  from  this  time  on  through 
the  whole  trial,  except  in  one  instance 
related  by  John  (19 :  12),  he  main- 
tained a  silence,  broken  by  no  question, 
pain,  or  indignity.  Compare  Isa.  53:  7. 
They  witness  against  thee.  Pilate  used 
language  not  strictly  true,  inasmuch 
as  no  proof  was  advanced  of  the  truth 
of  their  charges.  He  seems  to  have 
used  the  word  testify,  instead  of  accuse, 
in  order  thereby  to  incite  Jesus  to 
make  some  reply. 

14.  He  answered  him,  &c.  literally, 
he  made  no  reply  in  reference  to  not 
one  tvord  (i.  e.  charge  or  accusation), 
the  two  negatives  not  neutralizing  each 
other,  as  in  English,  but  after  Greek 
usage  constituting  an  emphatic  nega- 
tion. Marvelled  greatly.  This  silence 
was  so  unusual  in  a  criminal  charged 
with  an  offence,  which  in  a  few  hours 
might  consign  him  to  the  cross,  that 
Pilate  could  not  account  for  it.  Our 
Savior's  meek  and  solemn  deportment, 
so  different  from  that  of  a  bold,  ambi- 
tious man  who  was  leading  a  seditious 
mob,  or  a  hardened  criminal  who  had 
consorted  with  thieves  and  robbers, 
must  also  have  arrested  the  governor's 
attention,  and  caused  him  to  wonder 
why  the  Jewish  rulers  were  so  exasper- 
ated against  him. 

15-26.  Pilate  seeks  to  release 
Jesus,  but  the  Jews  demand  Barat- 
BAS.  Jerusalein.  Sixth  day  of  the 
Week.  Mark  15  :  6-15;  Luke  23:  13- 
25;  John  18:  39,40. 

15.  Pilate  now  attempts  to  release 
Jesus,  but  previous  to  this  some  inci- 
dents are  related  by  Luke  (23:  4-12), 
which  are  essential  to  the  thread  of  the 
narrative.  After  the  governor  had 
endeavored  in  vain  to  get  some  reply 


386 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


vernor  was  wont  to  release  unto 
the  people  a  prisoner,  whom  they 
would. 

16  And   they   had   then  a  not- 

from  Jesus  to  the  accusation  of  the 
rulers,  he  once  more  declared  publicly 
to  the  chief  priests  and  the  people, 
that  he  found  no  fault  with  him  (Luke 
23:  4).  Upon  this  they  became  still 
more  fierce,  and  charged  him  with  se- 
ditious teaching,  through  the  whole 
country  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem. 
Pilate  then  inquired  if  he  were  a  Gali- 
lean, and,  on  learning  this  to  be  the 
fact,  he  sent  him  to  Herod,  as  properly 
belonging  to  his  jurisdiction.  This 
prince  was  then  at  Jerusalem,  and 
Pilate  hoped,  by  referring  the  matter  to 
him,  to  get  rid  of  what  threatened  to 
be  a  troublesome  affair.  But  Herod, 
although  at  first  greatly  pleased  at 
seeing  Jesus,  hoping  to  see  some  stu- 
pendous display  of  his  miraculous 
power,  yet,  when  he  could  obtain  no 
reply  whatever  to  his  questions,  and 
heard  the  vehement  accusations  of  the 
priests  and  scribes,  who  had  followed 
Jesus  to  accuse  him,  treated  him  with 
great  indignity,  arraying  him  in  mock 
robes  of  royalty,  in  derision  of  his 
claiming  to  be  a  king,  and  thus  sending 
him  again  to  Pilate.  It  was  then  that 
the  Roman  governor,  having  called 
together  the  chief  priests  and  the  rulers 
and  the  people,  who  had  accused  Jesus, 
solemnly  declared  him  innocent  of  the 
charges  brought  against  him,  and  pro- 
posed to  chastise  him  (hoping  by  this 
inferior  punishment  to  appease  the  rage 
of  his  enemies),  and  then  to  set  him  at 
liberty,  in  accordance  with  the  custom, 
that  at  the  feast  one  criminal  at  least 
was  to  be  released  (Luke  23  :  13-16). 
It  is  at  this  point  that  Matthew  again 
takes  up  the  narration. 

At  that  feast,  i.e.  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over.  Was  loont  to  release.  It  is  uncer- 
tain by  whom,  or  how  long  this  custom 
had  been  established.  Whether  the  boon 
was  first  granted  by  the  Syrian  kings, 
or  Roman  governors,  it  was,  doubtless, 
intended  to  make  the  yoke  of  servitude 
less  galling  and  oppressive.     Such  acts 


able    prisoner,    called    Barabbas. 

17  Therefore,  when  they  were 

gathered    together,    Pilate     said 

uuto  them,  Whom  will  ye  that  I 


of  clemency  in  modern  times,  fre- 
quently grace  the  accession  of  a  prince 
to  the  throne,  or  some  great  and  joyous 
state  occasion.  Pilate  was  so  desirous 
to  release  Jesus,  of  whose  innocence 
he  was  thoroughly  convinced,  and  in 
respect  to  whom,  we  have  hardly  a 
doubt,  he  felt  a  strange  and  un  defin- 
able awe,  that  he  sought  to  avail  him- 
self of  this  opportunity  to  bring  it 
about.  Uiito  ike  people,  i.  e.  at  their 
desire,  or  for  their  pleasure.  Whom 
they  viould.  It  mattered  not  how  great 
or  manifold  his  crimes,  if  the  people 
desired  it,  the  criminal  was  released. 

16.  And  they  (i.  e.  the  Roman  autho- 
rities) had  then  a  notable  prisoner.  He 
was  notorious  for  his  crimes,  being  a 
robber  (John  18  :  40),  and  a  murderer 
(Mark  15:  7  ;  Luke  23:  19),  and  was 
then  in  custody  with  others,  who,  toge- 
ther with  him,  had  been  guilty  of  in- 
surrection in  the  city,  and  of  whom  he 
had  most  likely  been  leader.  Barabbas, 
i.  e.  son  of  the  father,  a  name  not  un- 
usual among  the  Jews. 

17.  When  they  had  been  gathered  to- 
gether, in  obedience  to  the  summons  of 
Pilate,  after  Jesus  had  been  sent  back 
by  Herod  (Luke  23:  13).  WHiom  will 
ye,  &c.  This  was  after  Pilate's  official 
declaration  of  our  Lord's  innocence 
(Luke  23  :  14-16),  and  the  people,  from 
the  hint  given  by  him  of  his  readiness 
to  release  Jesus,  had  begun  to  cla- 
morously demand  the  release  of  one 
of  the  prisoners.  Pilate  then  seizes 
upon  their  request,  as  a  means  of 
freeing  Jesus.  Barabbas,  or  Jesus 
which  is  called  Christ.  In  his  desire 
to  release  Jesus,  he  names  as  his  com- 
petitor for  this  favor,  one  of  the  vilest 
offenders,  who  then  lay  under  sen- 
tence of  death.  He  hoped  that  they 
would  not  hesitate  in  deciding  in  favor 
of  Jesus,  when  the  only  alternative  was 
the  release  of  so  vile  a  criminal  as 
Barabbas.  Instead  of  Christ,  we  have 
in  Mark  and  Luke,  the  words  King  of 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


387 


release  unto  you  ?  Barabbas,  or 
Jesus  which  is  called  Christ  ? 

IS  (For  he  knew  that  for  envy 
they  had  delivered  him.) 

19  ^  When  he  was  set  down 
on  the  judgment  seat,   his   wife 


the  Jews.  Both  titles  were  doubtless 
used,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show 
his  utter  contempt  for  the  pretensions 
of  Jesus. 

18.  For  he  kneiv,  &c.  This  was  the 
reason  why  he  exerted  himself  to  effect 
the  release  of  Jesus.  For  envy  of  his 
great  popularity  with  the  conmion 
people,  before  whom  they  perceived 
that  their  reputation  as  religious  teacli- 
ers  was  fast  waning.  There  is  no  dif- 
ficulty in  supposing  that  Pilate  was 
made  acquainted  with  this  during  the 
trial,  if  he  had  not  heard  of  it  before. 
The  Roman  authorities  kept  themselves 
well  informed  of  what  was  going  on  in 
the  land. 

19.  When  he  was  set  doivn  ;  literally, 
while  he  was  sitting.  This  message  was 
probably  received,  when  he  had  resumed 
his  place  on  the  judgment  seat,  on  the 
sending  back  of  Jesus  by  Herod.  This 
doubtless  added  greatly  to  Pilate's 
desire  to  release  Jesus.  Indeed  there 
are  many  indications  from  Pilate's  con- 
duct, of  his  being  impressed  with  the 
idea,  that  there  was  something  very 
remarkable  in  the  character  of  the  pri- 
soner before  him.  He  would  not  have 
so  struggled  to  release  one  of  common 
bearing.  Judgment  seat,  as  its  name  in 
the  original  imports,  was  an  elevated 
place,  to  which  there  was  an  ascent  by 
steps.  It  was  used  for  various  purposes 
(Acts  12  :  21  ;  Neh.  8  :  4),  but  more 
frequently,  as  the  tribunal  of  a  judge  or 
magistrate.  Have  thou  nothing,  &c. 
literally,  (let  there  be)  nothing  to  you 
and  that  just  man.  See  N.  on  8  :  29. 
Our  English  version  gives  a  very  exact 
sense  of  this  idiomatic  expression,  but 
not  with  the  terseness  and  point  of  the 
unapproachable  Greek.  The  general  sen- 
timent is  evidently  :  '  Have  no  hand  in 
his  condemnation.  Endeavor  to  save 
him.      Free  yourself  from  all   partici- 


sent  unto  him,  saying,  Have  thou 
nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man  ; 
for  I  have  suffered  many  things 
this  day  in  a  dream  because  of 
him. 

20  "  But  the  chief  priests  and 

m  Ma.  15 :  11 ;  Lu.  23 :  18 ;  Jn.  18  :  40 ;  Ac.  3 :  14. 


pation  in  the  murderous  designs  of  his 
enemies.'  This  Pilate  endeavored  to  do 
in  the  manner  related  in  v.  24.  The 
word  just,  must  be  here  taken  in  the 
sense  of  innocent.  So  also  in  v.  24. 
The  Seventy  employ  the  Greek  word 
in  the  same  sense  in  Job  9  :  23  ;  Prov. 
6  :  17.  Pilate's  wife  was  convinced, by 
her  remarkable  dream  and  what  she 
had  before  heard  of  his  wonderful  mi- 
raculous powers,  of  the  innocence  of 
Jesus,  and  therefore  feared  for  herself 
and  husband  the  vengeance  of  heaven,  if 
he  was  condemned.  Have  suferedviany 
things,  i.  e.  have  been  greatly  distressed. 
This  day.  It  was  now  morning,  but  the 
Jewish  day  began  the  evening  previous. 
Morning  dreams  with  the  ancients  were 
particularly  significant  and  ominous. 
As  it  regards  this  dream  of  Pilate's  wife, 
the  early  commentators  with  the  Fathers 
regarded  it  as  supernatural,  but  the  ma- 
jority of  modern  expositors  suppose  it 
to  have  been  an  ordinary  dream.  But 
it  is  very  remarkable,  to  say  the  least, 
that  she  should  have  had  so  distressing 
a  dream  about  one,  whom  she  had  pro- 
bably never  seen,  and  concerning  whose 
apprehension  and  trial  she  could  have 
had  no  knowledge  until  she  awoke.  No 
wonder  that  when  she  found,  on  in- 
quiry, that  the  person  who  was  so  pro- 
minent in  her  distressing  dream,  was 
standing  at  the  tribunal  of  her  husband, 
and  ready  to  be  sentenced  to  the  cross, 
she  became  alarmed,  and  hastily  des- 
patched a  messenger  to  her  husband, 
warning  him  against  all  participation  in 
the  death  of  Jesus.  On  account  of  him. 
Her  distress  in  the  dream  proceeded 
from  him,  as  the  cause  or  occasion. 

20.  The  multitude.  This  refers  to  the 
rabble  who  took  part  in  apprehending 
Jesus,  and  whose  numbers  had  greatly 
increased  during  his  trial.  It  is  quite 
piobable   that    they   would    have   de- 


388 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


elders  persuaded  the  multitude 
that  they  should  ask  Barabbas, 
aud  destroy  Jesus. 

21  The  governor  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  Whether  of  the 
twain    will     ye    that    I    release 


manded  the  release  of  Jesus,  in  prefer- 
ence to  such  a  desperado  as  Barabbas, 
had  they  not  been  awed  and  persuaded 
by  the  influence  of  the  chief  priests  to 
the  contrary  course.  Their  conduct  in 
thus  demanding  the  release  of  Barabbas, 
instead  of  one  whose  advent  into  the 
city  a  little  while  before,  they  hailed 
with  hosannas,  is  regarded  by  most 
commentators,  as  a  remarkable  example 
of  fickleness  and  inconstancy.  But  it  is 
very  improbable,  that  this  multitude  was 
composed  of  those,  who  attended  his  tri- 
umphal entrance  into  the  city.  It  is 
far  more  likely  that  Pilate's  judgment 
seat,  at  this  time,  was  surrounded  with 
low  and  worthless  persons,  ready  to  do 
the  priests'  bidding,  and  gratified  with 
the  prospective  excitement  which  the 
proposed  crucifixion  of  Christ  would 
furnish,  than  that  the  company  was 
composed  of  those  sturdy,  pious  Is- 
raelites, who,  after  the  triumphal  en- 
trance of  Jesus,  guarded  him  so  vigilantly 
and  faithfully  in  the  temple,  that  the 
chief  priests  did  not  dare  to  openly  lay 
hands  upon  him. 

21.  Whether  of  the  tivain  (an  old 
EngHsh  word  for  two).  Pilate  now  di- 
rectly proposes  the  question,  which  of 
the  two  they  wished  to  be  released.  They 
(i.  e.  the  multitude)  said,  Barabbas. 
Luke  (23  :  18)  says  that  they  all  shouted 
together  :  "  Awaif  with  this  fellow  (for 
such  is  the  force  of  the  original.  See  N. 
on  26  :  61),  and  release  unto  tisBat-ahbas." 
Now  began  those  frenzied,  demoniacal 
shouts,  which  in  the  end  prevailed  with 
Pilate,  and  caused  him  to  consent  to  a 
deed,  which  has  consigned  his  name  to 
infamy,  and  to  which  probably  he  had  a 
greater  natural  repugnance  than  to  any 
other  of  his  whole  life. 

22.  What  shall  I  do,  &c.  Pilate  still 
hoped  to  divert  them  from  their  pur- 
pose. His  question  implies  his  will- 
ingness   to   release  both  Barabbas  and 


unto  you  ?     They  said,  Barabbas. 

22  Pilate  saith  unto  them, What 
shall  I  do  then  with  Jesus  which 
is  called  Christ  ?  They  all  say 
unto  him,  Let  him  be  crucified. 

23  And  the  governor  said,  Why, 


Jesus,  if  they  wished  it.     He  is  willing 
to  do  almost  any  thing  to  extricate  him- 
self from   this   troublesome    business. 
With  Jesus,  which  is  called,  &c.    See  N. 
on  v.  17.     27iey  all  sa_y,  &c.     The   rab- 
ble  are  now  thoroughly  aroused.     No- 
thing but  the  blood  of  Jesus  will  satisfy 
them.     They  no  longer  need  to  be  ex- 
cited  againt  him  by  the  chief  priests. 
Here  again  we  must  enter  our  protest 
against  the   idea,  that  these  were   the 
same   persons,  who  accompanied    him 
from   Jericho  (20  :  29),    or   who   went 
forth  to  meet  him  on  his  entrance  into 
the  city  (John  12:  18).     There  were  no 
doubt  instances  of  defection  among  the 
professed   followers  of  Jesus ;  but  that 
the  multitude  who  now  cried,  "  crucify 
him,    crucify    him,"   was    composed  of 
entirely  different  persons    from   those 
who  shouted   hosannas  in  his  presence, 
a   few  days  before,  and  who  gathered 
around  him   in  such  detei'mined  num- 
bers, that   the   chief  priests  dared  not 
arrest   him,  is  evident  from  the  whole 
narration.     A    mob   is  a  body  prover- 
bially fickle.     But  there  were  persons 
enough  in  the  great  and  populous  city 
of  Jerusalem,  crowded  at  this  time,  as 
it  was,  not  only  with  persons  who  had 
come     up    with    good    intent   to   the 
feast,  but  with  money-changers,  specu- 
lators, and   the  like,    to    form   a  mob 
against  Jesus,  without  our  being  under 
the    necessity  of  grouping  with   them, 
men  who  day  after  day  had   gathered 
around  him,  and  with  stern  resolution, 
kept  at  a  distance  the  priests  and  rulers, 
who  otherwise  would   have  laid   open 
and    violent   hands   upon  him   in   the 
temple. 

23.  Will/,  what  evil  hath  he  dove  ? 
literally,  (why  so),  for  what  evil  hath  he 
done  ?  Pilate  still  continued  to  urge 
upon  them  tlie  release  of  Jesus,  on  the 
ground  of  his  innocence  of  the  charges 
made  against  him.     According  to  Luke 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


389 


what  evil  hath  he  done  ?  But 
they  cried  out  the  more,  saying, 
Let  him  be  crucified. 

24  IF  When  Pilate  saw  that  he 
could  prevail  nothing,  but  ihat 
rather  a  tumult  was  made,  he 
"  took    water,    and    washed    his 

wDe.  21:6. 


(23  :  22),  he  did  this  three  times.  What 
overwhelming  proof  is  thus  furnished 
from  every  point  in  which  Christ's  trial 
is  viewed,  of  his  entire  innocence  of 
the  charges.  But  they  cried  out  the 
more.  His  reluctance  to  grant  their 
request  only  served  to  exasperate  and 
excite  them  to  demand  more  fiercely 
his  crucifixion.  Luke  says,  "  they 
were  instant  with  loud  voices,  requiring 
that  he  might  be  crucified."  They 
knew  that  if  Jesus  was  now  acquitted, 
they  could  never  hope  for  such  another 
opportunity  to  crush  him,  and  they 
therefore  with  the  utmost  vehemence 
demanded  sentence  to  be  pronounced 
against  him. 

24.  Hiat  he  could  prevail  nothittij, 
i.  e.  that  he  could  do  nothing  towards 
effecting  his  release.  But  that  rather, 
&c.  The  more  he  endeavored  to  save 
Jesus,  the  more  violent  and  tumultuous 
was  the  multitude  who  surrounded  his 
tribunal.  If  he  persisted  in  these 
efforts,  he  feared  that  a  public  tumult 
would  ensue,  which  might  be  disastrous 
to  his  own  and  the  Roman  interests. 
Jle  took  wafer,  i.  e.  he  directed  water 
to  be  brought.  And  washed  his  hands, 
&c.  A  symbolical  and  solemn  attesta- 
tion, that  he  was  free  from  the  guilt  of 
Jesus'  death.  He  seems  to  have 
adopted  a  Jewish  custom  (see  Deut. 
21 :  6,  Y  ;  Ps.  26  :  6),  to  signify  his  in- 
nocence of  blood-guiltiness,  in  order  to 
impress  it  more  forcibly  upon  the  Jews. 
I  am  innocent.  This  was  not  true.  It 
was  his  duty,  as  judge  and  governor,  to 
have  delivered  Jesus,  whom  he  knew 
to  be  innocent,  from  the  hands  of  these 
wicked  men.  But  through  weakness 
and  timidity  he  yielded  to  their  wishes, 
and  had  all  the  water  on  the  globe  been 


hands  before  the  multitude,  say- 
ing, I  am  innocent  of  the*  blood 
of  this  just  person  :  see  ye  to  it. 

25  Then  answered  all  the  peo- 
ple, and  said,  "His  blood  he  on  us, 
and  on  our  children. 

26  %  Then  released  he  Barab- 

oDe.  19:  10;  Jos.  2:19;  1  Ki.  2:32;  2  Sa.  1 : 
16  ;  Ac.  5  :  28. 

poured  upon  him,  it  could  not  have 
washed  away  the  stam  of  innocent 
blood,  with  which  he  was  henceforth 
defiled.  Of  this  just  person.  The  same 
expression  with  which  his  wife  had 
characterized  Jesus  (v.  19).  See  ye  to 
it.  Upon  you  must  rest  the  conse- 
quences of  this  transaction.  I  wash  my 
hands  of  all  participation  in  it. 

25.  77ien  answered,  &c.  The  response 
was  general.  From  the  whole  multi- 
tude burst  forth  one  of  the  most  terrible 
imprecations,  that  ever  was  uttered. 
His  blood  (i.  e.  his  death  or  the  conse- 
quence of  his  death)  be  on  us  and  on 
our  children.  How  truly  and  fearfully 
has  this  been  fulfilled.  Many  of  those 
present  lived  to  see  Jerusalem  de- 
stroyed, and  the  nation  scattered  to  the 
four  winds  of  heaven,  while  to  this  day, 
their  descendants,  whom  they  includec^ 
in  their  curse,  and  whose  rejection  ot 
Jesus  as  their  Messiah  is  as  bitter  and 
obstinate,  as  that  of  their  fothcrs  who 
crucified  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory, 
have  no  country  which  they  call  their 
own,  but  are  wanderers  and  outcasts 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  looking  in 
vain  for  the  promised  deliverer,  to  re- 
instate them  in  the  possession  of  their 
ancient  heritage.  No  people  have  ever 
suffered  so  many  and  dreadful  persecu- 
tions, and  yet  they  have  been  wonder- 
fully preserved  as  a  distinct  race,  the 
monuments  of  God's  wrath,  and  at  the 
same  time,  of  his  protection  for  tlie 
carrying  out  of  his  merciful  ))lans, 
when  the  Jews  shall  be  brought  in 
with  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  (Rom. 
11  :  2.5). 

26-30.  Pilate  Delivers  tip  Jesus 
TO  Death.  He  is  Scourged  and 
Mocked.     Jerusalem.     Sixth  day  of  the 


390 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  33. 


bas  unto  them  :  and  when  ^he  had 
scourged  Jesus,  he  delivered  him 
to  be  crucified. 

27  *  Then  the  soldiers  of  the 
governor  took  Jesus  into  the  com- 

p  Is.  53 :  5;  Ma.  15: 15 ;  Lu.  23  :  16. 24,  25  ;  Jo. 
19 : 1, 16.     Q  Ma.  15 :  16 ;  John  19:2. 

Week.  Mark  15:15-19;  John  19  : 1-3. 

26.  Then  released  he,  &c.  Thus  a 
vile  robber  and  murderer  was  suffered 
to  go  unpunished,  while  Jesus,  against 
whom  the  shadow  of  a  crime  could  not 
be  found,  was  deHvered  to  his  enemies 
to  be  crucifiecl.  This  was  Pilate's 
justice,  and  this  his  innocence  of  the 
blood  of  Jesus.  When  he  had  scourged 
Jesus.  Preliminary  to  the  crucifixion, 
the  victim  was  scourged,  either  with 
rods,  or  with  a  whip  called  terribile 
fagellma,  the  terrible  scourge,  made  of 
leathern  thongs,  and  armed  with  small 
bones,  so  that  he  oftentimes  expired 
under  it.  With  this  whip  it  is  probable 
that  Jesus  was  scourged.  It  was  gene- 
rally used  in  the  punishment  of  slaves, 
and  would  add  therefore  to  the  igno- 
miny, as  well  as  torture,  of  Jesus.  He 
delivered  him,  &c.  Pilate  seems  to  have 
been  present  when  Jesus  was  scourged, 
but  now  he  consigns  him  to  the  sol- 
diers to  lead  him  forth  to  execution. 
This  appears  from  the  next  verse,  and 
from  Mark  15  :  16.  Before  he  is  fully 
delivered  up,  however,  Pilate  makes 
one  more  effort  (see  John  19  :  4-16)  to 
liberate  him. 

27.  TYte/i  the  soldiers,  &c.  The  Ro- 
man procurators  or  governors  of  Judea 
were  allowed  six  cohorts,  five  of  which 
were  stationed  at  Ciesarea,  and  one  in 
the  tower  of  Antonia  at  Jerusalem.  A 
coliort  (here  called  bcaid)  was  the  tenth 
part  of  a  legion.  A  full  legion,  in  the 
time  of  Christ,  consisted  of  6,0(iO  men, 
which  would  give  to  each  cohort  the 
number  of  600.  But  sometimes  a 
cohort  would,  for  certain  reasons,  con- 
tain 1000  men  or  more.  Common  hall. 
This  hall  or  prretorium,  formerly  Herod's 
palace,  was  a  magnificent  edifice  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  upper  city,  west- 
ward of  the  temple,  so  as  to  overlook 
it.     Connected  with   this  palace  were 


nion  hall,  and  gathered  unto  him 
the  whole  band  of  soldiers. 

28  And  they  stripped  him,  and 
'  put  on  him  a  scarlet  robe. 

29  ^    '  And    when    they   had 

r  Lu.  23 :  11.      s  Ps.  69 :  19 ;  Is.  53  :  3. 

the  towers  Hippicus,  Phasael,  and  Mari- 
amne.  Here  the  Roman  procurators, 
whose  head-quarters  were  at  Ciesarea, 
took  up  their  residence,  when  they 
visited  Jerusalem.  Into  some  court 
of  this  palace  the  Roman  soldiers  led 
Jesus.  A7id  gathered,  &c.  This  was 
done  in  order  to  guard  against  any 
attempted  rescue  of  the  prisoner. 

28.  Stripped  him  of  the  gorgeous 
robe,  in  which  Herod  had  arrayed  him, 
and  also  of  his  own  outer  garment.  Scar- 
let robe.  This  was  the  Roman  cloak, 
which  was  hung  loosely  over  the  body, 
and  confined  by  a  clasp  on  the  left 
shoulder,  so  as  to  leave  the  right  hand 
unconfined.  The  cloak,  worn  by  the  Ro- 
man emperors  and  high  officers,  was  of 
fine  texture  and  purple  dye.  A  scarlet 
or  purple  (see  John  19  :  2)  cloak,  was 
put  upon  Jesus,  as  the  mock  emblem 
of  royalty.  It  was  probably  a  cast-off 
garment  of  Pilate,  or  some  other  officer 
of  high  rank.  The  color,  as  given  by 
Matthew,  is  reconciled  with  that  of 
Mark  and  John,  by  the  interchange  in 
our  own  language  of  the  colors,  purple- 
red  and  crimson.  In  Horace  these 
colors  are  used  interchangeably. 

29.  Had  platted,  i.  e.  had  braided  or 
twisted  together.  A  crowti.  Another 
mode  of  mocking  his  pretensions  to 
royalty.  We  discern  in  all  this  the 
instigating  hand  of  the  chief  priests 
and  rulers,  who  never  lost  sight  of  him, 
until  he  expired  on  the  cross.  Of 
thorns.  Some  think  that  this  does  not 
refer  to  the  thorny  plant,  as  given  in 
our  English  translation,  but  to  a  smooth 
plant,  called  the  beards  foot.  But  the 
word,  in  every  other  instance  of  its  oc- 
currence in  the  New  Testament,  has 
the  sense  of  thorns,  and  when  we  con- 
sider the  extreme  cruelty  and  insults 
heaped  upon  Jesus,  we  can  hardly 
doubt,  that  this  crown  was  made  of 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


J91 


platted  a  crown  of  thorn.s,  they 
put  it  upon  his  head,  and  a  reed 
in  his  right  hand  :  and  they  bowed 
the  knee  before  him,  and  mocked 
him,  saying,  Hail,  King  of  the 
Jews  ! 


the  tliorn-bush,  or  some  prickly  shrub, 
so  as  to  be  the  means  of  pain  as  well 
as  contempt.  They  put  it  upon  his 
head,  in  the  form  of  a  wreath  or  crown. 
And  a  reed  for  a  sceptre,  which  kings 
usually  held  in  the  right  hand,  when 
they  gave  audience  to  their  subjects. 
Light  canes  or  walking-sticks  were  fre- 
quently made  of  the  flexile  reed,  and 
one  of  these  was  taken  from  some  by- 
stander for  this  occasion.  Bowed  the 
knee  to  deride  his  kingly  pretensions. 
And  mocked  him.  This  refers  to  the 
scoffing  gestures,  as  well  as  opprobrious 
words,  with  which  they  insulted  him,  as 
they  came  forward  to  bend  their  knee 
to  him.  Hail.  A  salutation  with  which 
kings  and  emperors  were  addressed. 
It  was  therefore  employed  here  as  a 
word  of  mock  royalty.  King  of  the 
Jews.  An  epithet  of  contempt  to  Jesus, 
but  a  virtual  insult  to  the  whole  Jewish 
nation.  Its  real  import  was,  that  like 
punishment  would  be  inflicted  upon  any 
one,  who  should  aspire  to  be  the  king 
of  the  Jews,  contrary  to  the  will  of  the 
Roman  emperor. 

3().  Theij  spit  upon  him.  A  repeti- 
tion of  the  indignity,  which  he  had  re- 
ceived after  his  examination  before  the 
high  priest  (26  :  67).  And  took  the  reed 
out  of  his  right  hand.  Smote  him  on 
the  head,  where  was  bound  the  crown 
of  thorns.  He  suffered,  therefore,  not 
oidy  from  the  stunning  effects  of  these 
blows,  but  from  the  thorns  which  were 
thereby  driven  into  his  head.  John 
says  that  they  smote  him  with  their 
hiinds.  The  reed  was  therefore  caught 
from  his  hand,  to  smite  the  thorny 
crown  into  his  head,  which  could  not 
have  been  done  with  the  naked  hand. 
One  cannot  read  these  indignities  heap- 
ed upon  him,  without  wondering  at  his 
forbearance  and  love.     How  easy  for 


30  And  'they  spit  npon  hiin, 
and  took  the  reed,  and  smote  him 
on  the  head. 

31  And  after  that  they  had 
mocked  him,  they  took  the  robe 
off  from  him,   and  put  his    own 

<  Is.  50  :  G ;  Ch.  26  :  6T. 


him  to  liave  struck  them  dead  in  an  in- 
stant, and  to  have  assumed  the  terrors 
and  awful  majesty  of  his  divine  nature. 
But  his  mission  would  not  then  have 
been  accomplished.  The  race  whom  he 
came  to  save  would  have  been  lost, 
and  he  therefore  "  endured  the  cross, 
despising  the  shame,"  and  drank  with- 
out a  murmur,  the  cup  of  suffering  pre- 
pared for  him  by  his  God  and  Father. 

31-34.  Jesus  led  away  to  be  Cru- 
cified. Jerusalem.  Sixth  day  of  the 
Week.  Mark  15  :  20-23  ;  Luke  23  : 
26-33  ;  John  19 :   16,  lY. 

31.  It  appears  from  John  19  :  4-16, 
which  Dr.  Robinson  and  the  best  har- 
monists place  here,  that  Pilate  made 
one  more  effort,  at  this  stage  of  the 
proceedings,  to  save  Jesus.  Supposing 
that  the  malice  of  the  Jews  would  be 
satisfied  with  the  terril)le  scourging, 
which  he  liad  undergone,  and  that  their 
pity  would  be  excited  by  his  marks  of 
suffering,  he  declared  again  that  he 
found  no  fault  in  him,  after  which 
bringing  him  forth  he  exclaimed,  "  Be- 
hold the  man !  "  See  how  his  body  is 
mangled  with  scourging,  and  bruised 
by  the  blows  of  the  soldiery.  Is  not  this 
sufficient?  May  he  not  now  be  released? 
But  at  sight  of  him  the  chief  priests 
and  officers  cry  out,  in  one  continuous 
shout,  "crucify  him,  crucify  him." 
Upon  their  giving  as  the  reason  why  he 
ought  to  die,  that  he  had  made  himself 
the  Son  of  God,  Pilate  was  in  such  fear, 
that  he  took  Jesus  again  with  him  into 
the  judgment-hall,  and  asked  him 
whence  he  was.  Jesus  made  no  reply, 
whereupon  Pilate,  somewhat  aroused, 
asked  him  why  he  made  no  answer  to 
one,  who  had  power  to  release  him  or 
put  him  to  death.  Jesus  replied  that 
Pilate  had  no  power,  except  that  which 
was  given  him  from   above,  and  this 


392 


MATTHEW. 


[A.D.  33. 


raiment  on  him,  "  and  led  him 
away  to  crucify  him. 

32  ^  -^  And  us  they  came  out, 
^  they  found  a    man  of    Cyrene, 

ii  Is.  53:7.       atNu.  15:35- 1  Ki.  21:  13; 
Ac.  7:53;  He.  13: 12. 

made  the  sin  of  those  who  delivered 
him  up  the  more  heinous.  The  governor 
then  made  further  efforts  to  release  him, 
but  upon  the  Jews  eliarging  him  with 
being  no  friend  to  Ctesar,  if  he  did,  he 
finally  brought  him  forth,  and  deUvered 
him  up  to  be  crucified. 

And  after  they  had  7nocJced  him,  as  re- 
lated in  the  preceding  verse.  They  took 
the  robe  off.  This  refers  to  the  purple 
robe  put  in  mockery  upon  him  (v.  28). 
His  own  raiment.  Although  Jesus  came 
from  Herod  in  the  gorgeous  robe,  in 
■which  he  had  been  through  mockery 
arrayed,  yet  his  own  garments  were 
sent  back,  so  that  he  was  now  arrayed 
in  them  for  the  crucifixion.  There  is  a 
consistency  in  all  these  incidents,  which 
infidelity  in  vain  seeks  to  impeach.  Led 
him  away  as  a  criminal  for  execution. 

32.  As  they  came  out  of  the  city. 
The  Jews  inflicted  capital  punishment 
without  the  city.  See  1  Kings  21  :  13; 
Acts  7:  58;  Heb.  13:  11-13.  In  the 
wildi'rness  the  criminal  was  led  forth 
without  the  camp  (Xumb.  15  :  36).  The 
Greeks  and  Komans  had  a  similar  cus- 
tom. They  found  a  man,  &c.  Jesus 
bore  his  own  cross  (John  19:  lY),  and 
probably  becoming  weak  and  foint, 
through  previous  mental  and  physical 
suffering,  they  compelled  this  man  from 
Cyrene,  whom  they  happened  to  meet, 
to  liear  his  cross.  Luke  says  that  they 
laid  the  cross  upon  Simon,  "that  he 
might  bear  it  after  Jesus."  This  has 
led  some  to  think  that  Simon  sustained 
one  end  of  the  cross,  while  Jesus,  who 
preceded,  bore  the  other.  Simon  by 
name.  Mark  says  that  he  was  the 
ftither  of  Alexander  and  Rufus,  persons 
at  that  time,  doubtless,  well  known. 
It  is  thought  that  Rufus  was  the  one, 
to  whom  a  salutation  was  addressed  in 
Rom.  16  :  13.  Alexander  is  not  to  be 
confounded  with  the  coppersmith  of 
that  name,  referred  to  in  1  Tim.  1 :  20  ; 


Simon  by  name  :  him  they  com- 
pelled to  bear  his  cross. 

33  "  And  when  they  were  come 
unto     a     place    called    Golgotha, 

y  Ma.  15  :  21 ;  Lu.  23  :  26.      z  Ma.  15  :  22 ; 
Lu.  23:33;  Jn.  19:17. 


2  Tim.  4:  14.  Cowjoe/W,  unjustly.  To 
bear  his  cross.  The  cross  must  have  been 
quite  heavy,  since  the  beams  of  which 
it  was  constructed,  were  of  sufficient 
size  and  strength  to  sustain  the  weight 
of  a  man.  It  was  composed  of  two 
pieces  of  wood,  placed  the  one  across 
the  other,  a  short  distance  from  the 
end,  in  the  form  of  a  f .  Upon  this,  as 
it  lay  upon  the  ground,  and  sometimes 
after  its  erection,  the  victim  was  ex- 
tended, his  hands  being  nailed  to  the 
cross  piece,  and  his  feet  to  the  upright 
beam.  The  cross  was  then  raised,  one 
end  being  planted  firmly  in  the  ground. 
In  order  that  the  weight  might  not  draw 
too  heavily  upon  the  hands,  a  piece  of 
wood  was  attached  near  the  centre, 
u]ion  which,  as  a  kind  of  seat,  the  per- 
son to  be  crucified  sat,  and  this  gave 
rise  to  the  expression,  to  ride  upon  the 
cross.  The  feet  of  the  criminal,  when 
the  cross  was  erected,  were  about  a 
yard  from  the  earth.  Crosses  were  of 
different  forms,  some  being  shaped 
like  the  letter  X.  The  victim  of  this 
dreadful  punishment,  which  can  be 
traced  back  as  far  as  the  time  of  Semi- 
ramis,  sometimes  hung  for  two  or 
three  days,  before  his  agonies  were 
ended  by  death.  The  corpses  were 
often  left  a  prey  to  ravenous  birds. 

33.  Gok/otha.  A  Hebrew  word  from 
the  Chaldee,  Gol-yoltha,  signifying  a 
skrdl-place ;  Latin,  Calvaria,  whence 
this  knoll  or  eminence  is  called  in  Luke 
Calvary.  It  was  probably  the  place, 
where  malefactors  were-  executed,  and 
received  its  name  from  the  skulls  and 
bones  which  were  strewed  there.  The 
words  in  Luke,  called  a  skull  (the 
literal  rendering),  have  led  some  of  the 
most  critical  commentators  to  conjec- 
ture, that  the  name  sktdl,  had  reference 
to  the  shape  of  this  elevation.  But 
this  is  not  consistent  with  Matthew  and 
Mark,   while   the   commonly    received 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


893 


that  is  to  say,  a  place  of  a  skull, 
34  "  They  gave  hiin  vinegar 
to  drink,  mingled  with  gall  :  and 
when  he  had  tasted  ilioreof,  he 
would  not  drink. 


a  Ps.  69  :  21  :  see  v.  48. 


explanation  accords  with  all  three  of 
the  evangelists.  As  it  regards  the 
much  disputed  point  of  its  location,  it 
is  pretty  clear,  that  it  was  just  outside 
of  the  city,  on  the  north-west  side. 
As  the  bodies  of  sacrificial  victims  were 
burned  without  the  camp,  our  Lord,  as 
the  great  archetype,  suffered  also  with- 
out the  gate  (Heb.  13:  11,  12).  An 
eminence  was  usually  selected  as  the 
place  of  public  punishment,  in  order 
that  the  culprit  might  be  seen  by  those 
who  gathered  together  to  witness  the 
execution.  The  epithet  mount,  given 
to  Calvary  in  subsequent  times,  is  in- 
appropriate, as  it  was  nothing  more 
than  a  slight  eminence. 

3-1.  lliey  gave  hiin  vinegar,  kc.  Some 
think  that  this  was  a  vile  drink,  given 
him  in  derision  by  the  soldiers,  and  not 
to  be  confounded  with  the  "wine 
mingled  with  myrrh,"  spoken  of  by 
Mark  (15:  23),  and  offered  to  him, 
doubtless,  as  a  friendly  and  sustaining 
beverage.  But  the  best  commenta- 
tors are,  however,  of  the  0])inion,  that 
it  was  the  same  drink  under  different 
names.  A  cheap  acid  wine,  mingled 
with  bitter  myrrh,  was  given  to  per- 
sons about  to  be  executed,  in  order  to 
stupefy  them,  and  render  them  more 
insensible  to  pain.  Our  Savior  tasted, 
but  did  not  drink  of  it,  and  thus  the 
evangelists  harmonize  in  the  statement 
of  one,  that  "he  tasted  thereof  but 
would  not  drink,"  and  of  the  others, 
that  "  he  received  it  not."  He  chose 
to  die  in  the  active  possession  of  his 
faculties,  rather  than  in  that  state  of 
mental  stupefaction  which  such  a  drink 
would  have  produced.  The  words 
mingled  with  gall,  harmonize  with 
Mark's  mingled  with  myrrh,  for  the 
gall  here  referred  to  was  not  the  se- 
cretion from  the  liver,  but  bitter  herbs 
such  as  wormwood,  poppy,  myrrh,  and 
Vol.  I.— 17* 


35  ''  And  they  crucified  him, 
and  parted  his  garments,  casting 
lots :  that  it  might  be  fulfilled 
which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet ; 
'They  parted  my  garments  among 

h  Ma.  15  :  24;  Lu.  2.3  :  .34  ;    Jn.  19  :  24. 

c  Ps.  22  :  18. 

the  like.  Matthew  may  have  used  the 
word  gall,  instead  of  myrrh,  to  con- 
form to  the  exact  words  of  the  pro- 
phecy in  Ps.  69  :  21. 

35-38.  The  Crucifixion.  Jerxi&alem. 
Sixth  day  of  the  Week.  Mark  15  :  24- 
28  ;  Luke  23  :  24-33  ;  John  19  :  18-24. 
35.  Tltey  crucified  him,  &c.  They 
nailed  him  to  the  cross,  and  erected  it 
in  its  upright  position.  Crucifixion  was 
not  only  the  most  ignominious,  but  the 
most  cruel  of  punishments.  Cicero  says 
that  "  it  ought  to  be  removed  from  the 
sight,  hearing,  and  thought  of  man." 
Dr.  Richter,  a  German  physician,  in  a 
Dissertation  on  the  Savior's  crucifixion, 
says  that  the  suffering  arose  from  the 
unnatural  position  of  the  body,  the  arms 
being  extended  back  and  almost  im- 
moveable, the  least  motion  causing  an 
extremely  painful  sensation  in  the  hands 
and  feet,  which  have  been  pierced  with 
nails,  and  which  abounding  in  nerves 
and  tendons,  create  the  most  exquisite 
anguish.  The  exposure  of  so  many 
wounds  to  the  air  brings  on  inflamma- 
tion, which  every  moment  increases  the 
poignancy  of  the  sufferings.  Into  those 
parts  of  the  body  which  are  distended, 
more  blood  flows  through  the  arteries 
than  can  be  carried  back  through  the 
veins.  The  blood  vessels  of  the  head 
become  swollen,  causing  pain  and  red- 
ness of  the  face.  The  stomach  receiv- 
ing and  retaining  more  than  its  ordi- 
nary quantity  of  blood,  is  peculiarly  ex- 
posed to  mortification.  The  blood  of 
the  lungs  is  unable  to  find  free  circula- 
tion. The  consequence  of  this  disar- 
rangement of  the  blood  vessels,  is  an 
internal  excitement,  exertion,  and  anx- 
iety more  intolerable  than  the  anguish 
of  death  itself.  All  the  large  vessels 
about  the  heart,  and  all  the  veins  and 
arteries  in  that  part  of  the  system,  on 
account  of  the  accumulation  and  pres- 


894 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


them,   and   upon  my 
they  cast  lots. 

36    ''And    sitting 
watched  him  there ; 

d  Ver.  54. 


vesture   did 
down     they 


sure  of  blood,  are  the  source  of  inex- 
pressible misery.  This  anguish  gra- 
du  illy  increases,  but  the  victim  is  able 
to  live  under  it,  commonly  till  the  third 
and  sometimes  till  the  seventh  day. 
And  parted  his  garments.  The  crim- 
inal was  usually  crucified  naked,  and  his 
clothes  were  given  to  the  soldiers,  to 
whom  were  assigned  the  particular  du- 
ties of  the  execution.  The  raiment  of  our 
Lord  was  divided  into  four  parts  (John 
19  :  23),  in  order  that  each  soldier 
might  have  a  share.  They  decided  by 
lot,  which  part  each  man  should  take. 
But  as  to  his  coat  (see  N.  on  .5 :  40),  in- 
asmuch as  it  had  no  seam,  by  which  it 
could  be  divided  without  injury,  they 
cast  special  lots,  to  determine  to  which 
of  the  four  it  should  belong.  Casting 
lots.  The  lots  inscribed  with  each  man's 
name  or  sign,  were  thrown  into  a  helmet 
or  hollow  vessel,  and  that  was  the  win- 
ning lot  which  first  came  out.  That  it 
might  he  faljilled,  &c.  See  N.  on  1  :  22. 
By  the  prophet.  The  quotation  is  from 
Ps.  22  :  18,  in  which  are  several  other 
very  striking  predictions  of  our  Savior's 
sufferings  and  death.  In  this  Messianic 
Psalm,  the  writer  employs  the  first  per- 
son, because  he  directly  personates 
Christ.  This  is  evident  from  v.  16,  in 
which  he  speaks  of  his  hands  and  feet 
being  pierced,  which  was  in  no  sense 
true  of  David,  who  composed  the  psalm. 
Wrapt  in  high  prophetic  ecstasy,  his 
mind  is  carried  forward  to  the  time  of 
the  passion  of  the  Messiah,  into  which 
he  enters  with  such  depth  of  sympathy, 
that  he  writes  as  though  personally  suf- 
fering the  anguish  of  his  dying  Lord. 
No  difference  is  to  be  sought  in  the 
words  translated  gan?ients  and  vesture, 
the  last  being  according  to  the  laws  of 
Hebrew  poetry,  only  a  varied  repetition 
of  the  former,  and  both  referring  to  his 
garments,  outer  and  inner. 

36.  And  sitting  down.  As  the  soldiers 
were  obliged  to  remain  some  length  of 


37  And  "  set  up  over  his  head 
his  accusation  written,  THIS  IS 
JESUS  THE  KING  OF  THE 
JEWS. 

e  Ma.  15 :  26 ;  Lu.  23  :  3S ;  Jn.  19 :  19. 

time  by  the  cross,  they  sat  down  in  or- 
der to  avoid  the  fatigue  of  standing. 
Watched  him  to  prevent  any  attempt  of 
his  friends  to  take  him  down  from  the 
cross. 

37.  Although  this  verse  follows  the 
account  of  the  parting  of  the  garments 
and  casting  lots,  yet  it  is  to  be  regarded, 
as  a  part  of  the  general  narrative.  The 
words  a7id  .set,  do  not  refer  necessarily 
to  the  soldiers.  Pilate  seems  to  have 
written  the  superscription,  and  sent  it  to 
be  affixed  to  the  cross  (see  John  19:19) 
by  some  of  his  guards  or  attendants. 
It  was  customary  to  fasten  upon  the 
upi'ight  beam,  a  little  above  the  head, 
a  plate,  on  which  was  inscribed  the 
crime  laid  to  the  criminal's  charge. 
This  is  Jesus,  &c.  A  most  remarkable 
mistake  or  oversight,  unless  Pilate,  who 
caused  the  inscription  to  be  put  up,  in 
order  to  taunt  the  Jews  purposely 
wrote  it  thus.  Instead  of  writing 
"  This  is  Jesus,  who  pretended  to  be 
king  of  the  Jews,"  as  the  chief  priests 
(John  19  :  21)  wished  it  to  be  altered  so 
as  to  read,  he  wrote  the  real  and  sub- 
lime truth,  that  Jesus  who  hung 
there  in  agony  on  the  cross,  was  the 
King  of  the  Jews,  the  true  Messiah,  the 
long-expected  One,  whose  reign  over 
them  would  have  no  bound  or  end. 
The  shade  of  difference  in  the  words 
of  the  inscription  is  very  small,  and 
results  mainly  from  the  various  lan- 
guages in  which  itwas  written  (see  Luke 
and  John),  in  the  interpretation  of 
which  there  would  naturally  be  slighji 
verbal  variations.  But  where  there  is 
so  perfect  an  agreement  in  sense,  such 
a  verbal  difference  furnishes  the  highest 
evidence  of  the  independence  and  truth- 
fulness of  the  sacred  writers.  In  re- 
gard to  the  three  languages  in  which 
the  accusation  was  written,  the  Roman 
was  selected  as  the  language  of  the 
masters  of  the  world ;  the  Greek,  be- 
cause it  was  the  language  of  the  Hellen- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 


395 


38  -^Then  were  there  two 
thieves  crucified  with  him  ;  one 
oil  the  right  hand,  and  another  on 
the  left. 

39  *1[  And  ^they  that  passed 
by  reviled  him,  wagging  their 
heads, 

/Is.  53 :  13 ;  Ma.  15 :  27 ;  Lu.  23 :  32, 33 ;  Jn.  19  = 
18.  g  Ps.  22 : 7,  &  109 :  25 ;  Ma.l5 :  29 ;  Lu.23 :  35- 

istic  Jews,  who  came  up  to  worship  at 
Jerusalem ;  the  Hebrew,  as  being  the 
vernacular  tongue  of  the  place. 

38.  Then  vmre  tliere  two  thieves.  In  all 
the  other  Evangelists,  the  thieves  are 
mentioned  previously  to  the  division 
of  our  Lord's  garments  among  the  sol- 
diers. The  proper  place  for  this  inci- 
dent is  between  vs.  34  and  35.  These 
thieves  or  robbers  probably  had  just 
been  condemned  by  Pilate,  who  in  his 
visits  to  Jerusalem  from  Cassarea,  tried 
such  criminals  as  might  be  brought  be- 
iore  him.  Barabbas  was  one  of  these 
robbers,  but  had  been  released  at  the 
instance  of  the  people.  The  roads  all 
around  Jerusalem  were  infested  with 
bandits,  rendering  travehing  very  inse- 
cure, unless  people  united  in  caravans 
or  companies  for  mutual  protection. 
This  resulted  not  only  from  the  general 
corruption  in  the  morals  of  the  nation, 
but  also  from  the  grinding  oppression  of 
the  Romans,  which  drove  men  to  despe- 
ration and  crime,  who  would  otherwise 
have  gained  their  livelihood  by  the  avails 
of  honest  industry.  One  en  the  rir/ht 
hand,  &c.  The  central  position  as  the 
more  ignominious  one,  was  given  to 
Jesus.  So  much  was  he  the  object  of 
general  contempt,  that  the  thieves  even 
united  with  the  multitude  in  reviling 
him.  Thus,  as  Mai'k  observes,  was  ful- 
filled the  prediction  of  Isaiah  (53  :  12), 
"  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  trans- 
gressors." It  was  when  Jesus  was 
raised  on  the  cross  between  these  two 
malefactors,  that  he  uttered,  according 
to  Luke,  that  sublime  and  aflTecting 
prayer,  "  Father,  forgive  them,"  &c. 

39-44.  Jesus  mocked  upon  the 
Cross.  Jerusalem.  Sixth  day  of  the 
Week.  Mark  15  :  29-32 ;  Luke  23  : 
35-37,  39-43. 


40  And  saying,  ''  Thou  that  de- 
stroyest  the  temple,  and  buildest 
it  iu  three  days,  save  thj-self.  'If 
thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  come 
down  from  the  cross. 

41  Likewise    also    the     chief 


ACh.  26:  Cl;  Jn.  2: 19.    ^011.26:  63. 


39,  40.  And  tlicy  that  passed  by,  on 
their  way  to  and  from  the  city,  these 
passers-by  united  with  the  mob  in  re- 
viling Jesus.  Wagriing  their  heads. 
Here  was  a  fulfillment  of  Ps.  22  :  Y. 
JTiou  that  destroyest,  &c.  A  repetition 
of  the  false  charge  made  in  his  exami- 
nation before  the  high  priest  (26  :  61). 
This  was  the  only  thing  in  his  whole 
ministry,  which  they  could  even  pervert 
against  him.  His  purity  of  life,  and 
strict  observance  of  all  moral  and  reli- 
gious duties,  were  such,  that  they 
sought  in  vain  for  any  fault  of  which  to 
accuse  him.  Hence  this  perpetual 
change,  which  they  rang  upon  the 
charge  of  destroying  the  temple,  and 
in  three  days  rebuilding  it,  which  by 
wresting  hiswoids  and  on  false  testi- 
mony, they  were  enabled  to  make 
against  him.  Save  thyself.  They  dc- 
ridingly  tell  him,  that  if  he  could  per- 
form the  amazing  feat  of  rebuilding 
the  temple  in  three  days,  he  could  as- 
suredly save  himself  from  the  cross. 
If  thou  he  the  Son  of  God.  Here  was 
another  ground  of  reproach.  He  had 
avowed  himself  the  Messiah,  which  they 
converted  into  the  crime  of  blasphemy 
(26  :  G4,  65).  Come  down,  &c.  This 
he  could  do  only  by  miraculous  power, 
to  the  display  of  which  they  now  chal- 
lenge him. 

41.  Likewise  also  the  chief  priests. 
They  not  only  instigated  the  rabble  to 
mock  him  in  his  helpless  agony,  but 
joined  in  the  abuse.  This  debasing 
of  themselves  to  a  level  with  the  com- 
mon people,  in  witnessing  the  execution 
and  mocking  at  his  sufferings,  shows' 
how  intense  was  their  hatred  to  him. 
Mocking  him.  Mark  says  that  "  they 
spake  among  themselves  with  the 
scribes."     They  spake   in    tones    loud 


396 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  ns. 


priests  mocking  liim^  witli  the 
scribes  and  elders,  said, 

42  He  saved  others  ;  himself 
he  cannot  save.  If  he  be  the 
King  of  Israel,  let  him  now  come 
down  from  the  cross,  and  we  will 
believe  him. 

Jc  Ps.  22  :  8. 

enough  to  be  heard  by  him,  and  thus 
armed  their  scoil's  with  the  most  pointed 
sling.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  else- 
where such  refinement  of  malice  and 
cruelty. 

42.  He  saved  others,  i.  e.  he  pretended 
to  save  others.  They  did  not  admit 
that  he  really  did  this.  Some  give  the 
words  an  interrogative  form,  as  convey- 
ing move  cutting  sarcasm.  But  the  ori- 
ginal will  hardly  admit  of  this,  and  it 
does  not  comport  so  well  with  the  an- 
tithesis, himself  he  cannot  save.  The 
point  of  the  irony  lies  in  this :  His  ef- 
forts to  save  himself  are  of  no  avail, 
which  shows  that  his  miracles  were  an 
imposition  practised  upon  the  credulity  of 
the  people.  His  miraculous  powers  have 
deserted  him,  just  at  the  time  when  he 
mo.st  needed  them.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  now  that  he  is  a  vile  impostor. 
If  he  he  the  Kivg  of  Israel,  &c.  The 
same  vein  of  sarcasm  is  pursued,  but  in 
somewhat  varied  form.  If  he  who 
claimed  to  be  the  Messiah,  would  de- 
scend from  the  cross  by  his  own  unaided 
power,  they  profess  their  willingness  to 
be  his  disciples.  "What  malignity  and 
blindness  was  manifested  by  them  in 
this  hour  of  their  triumph.  According 
to  Luke,  the  soldiers  took  up  this  last 
remark,  and  echoed  it  insultingly  in  his 
ears. 

43.  He  trusted  in  God.  The  use  of 
the  third  person  here  and  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse,  shows  that  these  remarks 
were  made  to  one  another  in  his  hear- 
ing. With  wagging  heads  and  fingers 
pointed  at  him  in  derision,  they  ex- 
c'aim  :  He  pretends  to  have  trusted  in 
God.  He  has  even  boasted  of  being  his 
Son.  Let  (his)  God  deliver  liim  nou'  if 
he  will  have  him  (i.  e.  if  he  takes  plea- 
sure in  him).      In   their  eagerness   to 


43  'ITc  trusted  in  God;  let 
him  deliver  him  now,  if  he  will 
have  him  :  for  he  said,  I  am  the 
Son  of  God. 

44  '  The  thieves  also,  which 
were  crucified  with  him,  cast  the 
same  in  his  teeth. 

I  Ma.  15 :  82 ;  Lu.  23 :  39. 


heap  insults  and  reproaches  upon  him, 
they  forgot  that  they  were  employing 
the  very  language,  which  in  Ps.  22  :  8, 
the  murderers  of  the  Messiah  are  repre- 
sented as  using.  Thus  wicked  men 
often  fulfill  the  purposes  of  God,  and 
verify  the  divine  predictions,  while 
giving  vent  to  their  spite  and  endeavor- 
ing to  obstruct  his  plans.  I'or  he  said, 
&c.  See  26  :  64.  They  may  have  heard 
also  from  Judas,  that  Jesus  professed  to 
his  disciples  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  See 
16  :  16-20. 

44.  The  thieves  also,  &c.  As  one  of* 
these  malefactors  became  penitent,  and 
obtained  forgiveness  of  his  sins  (Luke  23: 
39-43),  while  he  hung  on  the  cross,  it  is 
supposed  by  some  expositors,  that  Mat- 
thew and  Mark  use  the  plural  for  the 
singular,  and  that  the  penitent  thief  did 
not  at  all  unite  with  his  companion  in 
casting  contempt  upon  Jesus.  The  in- 
stances adduced,  however,  to  corrobo- 
rate this  use  of  the  plural  for  the  sin- 
gular, are  generally  such,  as  when  one 
speaks  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  what  is 
thus  said  is  attributed  to  all,  as  in  Mark 
7  :  11,  compared  with  Matt.  15  :  15  ; 
Mark  5  :  31,  compared  with  Luke  8  : 
45  ;  and  Luke  9  :  13,  compared  with 
John  6  :  8,  9,  It  seems  better,  there- 
fore, to  suppose  that  at  first,  he  joined 
his  more  hardened  associate  in  deriding 
Jesus,  but  that  afterwards,  being  struck 
by  his  meek  and  heavenly  deportment, 
and  calling  to  mind  his  own  wicked  life, 
through  the  quickening  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  became  penitent  and  be- 
lieving. The  other  malefactor,  how- 
ever, went  so  far  beyond  him  in  scoffing 
at  Jesus,  that  Luke  speaks  of  him  as 
alone  having  done  this ;  and  of  the 
other  as  reproving  him,  which  he 
doubtless    did,     as     soou    as    he    was 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


397 


45  "  Now  from  the  sixth  hour  j  46  And  about  the  ninth  hour 
there  was  darkness  over  all  the  ,  "  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
land  unto  the  ninth  hour.  saying,  Eli,   Eli,  lama   sabachtha- 

m  Am.  8:9;  Ma.  15 :  33 ;  Lu.  23 :  44.  n  He.  5 :  7. 


brought  by  divine  grace  to  see  his  own 
lost  condition.  This  attributing  to  one 
what  was  done  by  two  is  quite  common. 
See  8  :  28,  compared  with  Luke  8  :  27  ; 
and  20 :  30,  compared  with  Marie  10  : 
4G  ;  LuliC  18  :  35.  Cast  the  same  ;  Ht- 
erally,  reproached  him  in  the  same  man- 
ner. It  was  about  the  time  when  the 
penitent  thief  obtained  forgiveness,  that 
our  Lord  committed  his  mother  to  the 
care  of  tlie  beloved  disciple,  as  related 
in  John  19  :  25-27. 

45-50.  The  Supernatural  Dark- 
ness. Jesus  expires  on  the  Cross. 
Jerusalem.  Sixth  dav  of  the  Week. 
Mark  15  :  33-37  ;  Luke  23  :  44-46. 

45.  Now  from  the  sixth  hour,  i.  e. 
from  12  o'clock,  M.  as  we  reckon  time. 
Our  Lord  had  now  been  three  hours  on 
the  cross.  See  Mark  15  :  25.  There 
was  darkness,  &c.  This  could  not  have 
been  a  solar  eclipse,  inasnmch  as  it  was 
in  the  time  of  the  full  moon.  Nor  did 
it  arise,  as  some  think,  from  the  murky 
atmosphere,  which  precedes  an  earth- 
quake. There  was  indeed  this  convul- 
sion of  nature  also  (see  v.  51),  but  the 
haze,  which  is  sometimes  the  precursor 
of  an  earthquake,  cannot  be  all  that  is 
here  meant.  The  darkness  was,  no 
doubt,  preternatural.  It  may  have  re- 
sulted from  dark  vapory  clouds,  for  God 
can  press  into  his  service  any  or  all  the 
agencies  of  nature.  But  darkness  of 
so  long  duration  at  mid-day,  with  the 
exception  of  that  brought  upon  Egypt 
(Ex.  10  :  21-23),  we  have  no  reason  to 
believe  ever  took  place  at  any  other 
time.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  it 
was  not  total,  although  such  as  to  ob- 
scure the  sun  (Luke  23  :  45).  As  it  re- 
spects its  extent,  the  eai-ly  commentators 
supposed  that  it  covered  the  whole 
earth.  It  is  better  with  modern  ex- 
positors to  refer  it  only  to  Jerusalem 
and  its  vicinity,  or  at  farthest  to  the 
land  of  Judea.  Until  the  ninth  hour, 
I.  e.  until  3  o'clock,  P.M. 

46.  About   the  ninth   hour,   &c.     As 


Jesus  had  hung  six  hours  on  the  cross, 
his  strength  was  now  yielding  to  his 
physical  and  mental  sufferings.  The 
cry  which  he  uttered,  shows  that  he  was 
laboring  imder  great  mental  darkness 
and  anguish,  and  this,  with  the  agonies 
of  the  cross,  brought  on  speedy  disso- 
lution. With  a  lond  voice.  It  was  a 
cry  of  the  deepest  agony.  The  sufferer 
could  no  longer  repress  his  anguish.  He 
had  borne  in  silence  the  cruel  scourg- 
ing, the  lacerating  crown  of  thorns,  the 
overpowering  weight  of  the  cross,  as 
weak  and  bleeding  he  bore  it  along 
towards  Calvary.  No  cry  escaped  him 
when  the  spikes  were  driven  through  his 
hands  and  feet,  and  he  was  raised 
upon  the  accursed  tree.  For  six  long 
hours  he  was  suspended,  his  body  racked 
with  intense  pain,  yet  he  uttered  no  com- 
plaint. But  now  in  the  depth  of  dis- 
tress, he  cries.  Mi,  Eli,  lama  sabach- 
thani,  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me  ?  It  cannot  be  doubted, 
when  all  these  things  are  taken  into 
consideration,  that  it  was  his  mental, 
rather  than  his  physical  anguish,  which 
extorted  from  him  this  cry.  It  was, 
doubtless,  a  recurrence  with  even 
greater  force,  of  the  agony  which  he 
endured  in  the  garden.  He  was  now 
overwhelmed  with  distress.  He  had  en- 
tered upon  his  great  and  last  conflict 
with  the  powers  of  darkness.  The  cup 
of  God's  wrath  against  sin,  he  was  now 
draining  to  the  very  dregs.  He  was 
treading  the  wine  press  alone,  and  none 
to  help  or  uphold  (Isa.  63  :  3,  5).  In 
his  great  distress  he  utters  these  touch- 
ing words,  not  in  a  spirit  of  comiilaint 
or  impatience,  but  because  so  broken 
down  in  body  and  spirit,  that  he  seemed 
to  be  deserted  even  of  his  Heavenly 
Father.  But  God  had  not  forsaken  him, 
for  he  was  doing  the  very  work,  which 
it  pleased  his  Father  to  lay  upon  him. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten,  however,  that 
Jesus  had  a  human  nature,  as  susceptible 
of  suifering  as  ours ;  that   it   was  now 


398 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


ni  ?  that  is  to  say,  °  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? 
47  Some  of  them  that  stood 
there,  when  they  heard  that,  said, 
This  man  calleth  for  Elias. 


o  Ps.  n :  1. 


sulking  beneath  an  intolerable  load  of 
anguish,  while  his  body  in  the  last 
agonies  of  death,  rendered  him  less  able 
to  endure  the  mysterious  and  awful 
burden,  imposed  upon  him  as  the  Savior 
of  mankind.  The  words  he  uttered 
were  taken  from  Ps.  2'2  :  1,  of  which 
£li,  Eli,  lama  are  Hebrew,  and  saback- 
thani  is  the  Aramiean  or  S_vro-Chaldaic, 
which  was  the  language  then  in  com- 
mon use.  In  Mark  it  is  written,  JEloi, 
Eloi,  which  is  the  Aramsean  form 
for  Eli.  That  is  to  say,  i.  e.  which 
being  interpreted.  These  are  the  words 
of  the  Evangelist,  who  wrote  his  gospel 
in  Greek,  but  retained  the  words  as 
sjioken  by  Jesus,  in  order  to  show  why 
the  Jews  represented  him  as  calling 
upon  Elias.  Those  who  contend  that 
Matthew's  gospel  was  first  written  in 
Hebrew  or  the  Aramaic,  make  the 
■words  that  is  to  ««?/,  those  of  the  trans- 
lator. Nast  forsaken.  This  is  a  word 
of  highly  intensive  signification.  It  lit- 
erally means  to  leave  behind  in  a  state  of 
trial  or  distress,  to  forsake  or  abandon  vt- 
terly.  To  the  mind  of  Jesus,  there 
seemed  to  be  a  total  abandonment  of 
him  by  his  Father,  and  hence  his 
cry  of  anguish,  at  being  thus  left  alone 
to  struggle  with  the  malice  of  hell  and 
of  wicked  men. 

47.  Some  of  them,  &c.  As  the  Ro- 
man soldiers  knew  nothing  of  Elias, 
this  must  refer  to  the  Jews,  who  stood 
by,  and  either  misunderstood  Jesus,  or 
intentionally  perverted  his  words.  The 
latter  supposition  is  the  more  probable. 
It  presented  a  new  mode  of  deriding 
his  Messianic  claims,  to  represent  him 
as  culling  upon  his  forerunner,  as 
though  Elias  or  any  of  the  prophets 
could  help  him  in  this  extremity.  This 
mati.     See  N.  on  26:  61. 

48.  One  of  them  ran,  &c.  This  was 
done   in    consequence    of  the   words, 


48  And  straightway  one  of 
them  ran,  and  took  a  sponge,  'and 
filled  it  with  vinegar,  and  put  it 
on  a  reed,  and  gave  him  to  drink. 

49  The  rest  said.  Let  be,  let 

p  Ps.  69  :  21  ;  Ma.  15  :  .36  ;  Lu.  23  :  36  ; 
Jn.  19  :  29. 

"I  thirst,"  recorded  by  John  19:  28. 
Extreme  thirst  attended  the  agonies  of 
the  cross,  especially  the  dying  struggle. 
A  sponge.  This  being  porous  absorbed 
the  liquid,  and  on  being  conveyed  to 
the  mouth  of  Jesus,  he  was  enabled  to 
slightly  quench  his  thirst.  There  was  no 
other  way  in  which  drink  could  well  be 
conveyed  to  him,  in  his  present  condi- 
tion. Vinegar.  This  was  a  kind  of  cheap, 
acid  wine,  mingled  with  water,  a  com- 
mon drink  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  and 
of  the  poorer  classes.  Dr.  Jahn  says, 
that  it  was  an  artificial  drink,  made 
from  pure  wine,  and  a  species  of  strong 
drink  called  sikera,  which  was  used  by 
the  conmion  people  at  their  ordinary 
repasts.  John  says  that  there  was  a 
vessel  of  this  liquor  set  near  by,  prob- 
ably for  the  use  of  the  soldiers,  who 
watched  the  crucifixion.  This  inci- 
dent is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
offering  of  vinegar  related  by  Luke 
(23:  37),  which  was  a  previous  act,  and 
done  in  mockery.  Put  it  on  a  reed. 
This  was  a  stalk  or  stem  of  hyssop  (see 
John  19:  29).  Our  Savior  hung  so 
low,  that  a  branch  or  stalk  of  this  shrub 
would  be  of  sufficient  length  to  bring 
the  sponge  to  his  mouth,  in  case  that  the 
person  who  offered  it,  elevated  it  with 
the  full  reach  of  his  arm. 

49.  The  rest  said,  Let  be.  The  expres- 
sion is  not  let  him  alone,  as  is  usually 
supposed,  but  it  is  like  our  hortatory 
come  or  wait  now.  That  it  was  not  in- 
tended as  a  rebuke  to  the  one  who  was 
presenting  the  vinegar,  is  evident  from 
Mark,  where  that  person  himself  is  said 
to  have  uttered  the  word  in  common 
with  the  rest.  Let  us  see,  &c.  Jesus 
was  evidently  drawing  near  his  end. 
His  head,  unsupported  by  the  kind 
and  gentle  hand  of  sympathizing 
friends,  was  reclining  in  weakness. 
But  this  only  added  to  the  exultatioa 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


399 


us  see  whether  Elias  will  come  to 
save  him. 

£0    ^     ''  Jesus,    when    he    had 

q  Ma.  15 :  3T  ;  Lu.  23  :  46. 

of  his  enemies.  They  derisively  exhort 
one  another  to  wait,  and  see  whe- 
ther Elias  will  appear  to  take  him 
down  from  the  cross.  They  seem  not 
at  all  to  have  been  affected  at  the 
preternatural  darkness,  or  if  they  had 
felt  a  momentary  alarm,  when  the 
Sim  was  first  veiled  from  their  sight, 
their  implacable  desire  for  revenge,  and 
joy  at  the  prospect  of  being  rid  of  the 
man,  who  had  so  fully  and  fearlessly 
exposed  their  hypocrisy  to  the  people, 
got  the  better  of  their  fears,  and  ren- 
dered them  insensible  to  the  strange 
and  fearful  darkness,  which  for  three 
hours  had  now  hung  over  them. 

50.  Wlien  he  had  cried  again,  &c. 
This  was  his  expiring  ci'y.  With  a 
calm  confidence  in  his  God,  he  said,  "  It 
is  finished  (John  19:  30),  and  having 
commended  his  spirit  into  the  hands  of 
his  Father  (Luke  28  :  46),  he  yielded  up 
the  ghost  (i.  e.  he  expired).  His  work 
was  now  done,  his  agony  was  over. 
No  more  was  he  to  be  put  to  shame 
and  torture  by  wicked  men.  He  was 
now  to  enter  upon  the  joy  set  before 
him  (Hcb.  12 :  2),  and  to  reassume 
those  glories  of  which  he  had  disrobed 
himself  (Philip.  2  :  7,  8),  when  he  took 
our  nature  to  suffer  and  die  for  the  sin 
of  the  world. 

51-56.  The  Vail  of  the  Temple  is 
RENT,  AND  Graves  OPENED.  Jerusalem. 
Sixth  dav  of  the  Week.  Mark  15: 
38-41 ;  Luke  28  :  45,  47-49. 

51.  Tlie  vail  of  the  temple.  The  vail 
of  the  inner  sanctuary,  or  that  which 
separated  the  holy  of  holies  from  the 
outer  sanctuary.  Within  this  vail  it 
was  lawful  for  the  high  priest  only  to 
enter,  and  that  once  a  year,  to  make 
expiation  for  the  sins  of  the  people 
(Heb.  V) :  7).  But  Christ  being  the 
high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by 
his  own  blood  having  entered  in  once 
to  the  holy  place,  into  a  greater  and 
more  perfect  tabernacle  not  made  with 
hands,    and   having   obtained   thereby 


cried    again    with    a    loud   voice, 
yielded  up  the  ghost. 

51  Aud,  behold,  'the  vail  of  the 

r  Ex.  26  :  31 ;  2  Ch.  3  :  14  ;  Ma.  15  :  38  ; 
Lu.  23  :  45. 


eternal  redemption  for  us,  this  vail  was 
rent  in  order  to  show,  that  the  typical 
service  of  the  high  priest  was  now  at 
an  end,  and  that  the  way  into  the 
holiest  of  all,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
was  open  to  all  See  Heb.  9  :  11,  12  : 
10:  19,  20.  There  were  two  vails  of 
the  temple,  one  of  great  dimensions  at 
the  entrance,  which  opened  into  the 
sanctuary,  being  55  cubitus  in  height, 
and  16  in  breadth.  This,  according  to 
Josephus,  "  was  a  Babylonian  curtain, 
embroidered  with  blue  and  fine  linen, 
and  scarlet,  and  purple,  and  of  a  con- 
texture truly  wonderful."  The  vail 
which  separated  the  most  holy  place 
from  this  outer  sanctuary,  was  also 
heavy,  thick,  and  richly  embroidered. 
From  the  top  to  the  bottom.  This  cur- 
tain was  probably  of  the  same  height  as 
the  outer  one  (i.  c.  55  cubits).  Through 
its  whole  length  it  was  rent  asunder. 
No  human  hands  could  have  done  this, 
and  not  have  been  detected,  since  it 
took  place  at  a  time,  when  one  of  the 
chief  priests  (perhaps  Caiaphas  him- 
self) was  burning  incense  before  it. 
Nor  could  it  have  been  rent  by  an 
earthquake,  as  some  who  would  explain 
away  every  thing  supernatural,  endeavor 
to  maintain.  This  curtain  hung  in 
such  loose  folds,  and  was  so  thick  and 
fine  with  its  close  embroidery,  that  no 
earthquake  could  have  torn  it  asunder, 
even  though  violent  enough  to  have 
shaken  to  the  ground  every  building  in 
Jerusalem.  This  rending  of  the  vail 
is  also  spoken  of,  as  a  distinct  thing 
from  the  earthquake.  And  the  earth 
did  quake.  Earthquakes  were  common 
in  Palestine,  and  yet  it  cannot  but  be 
regarded  as  preternatural,  that  one 
should  happen  just  at  the  time  of  our 
Lord's  death,  attended  with  the  rending 
of  the  great  vail  of  the  temple,  the 
cleaving  asunder  of  rocks,  and  the 
opening  of  graves.  Such  a  combina- 
tion of  strange  convulsions  of  nature,  is 
in  itself  so  unusual,  that  were  not  the 


400 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


temple  was  rent  in  twain  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the 
earth  did  quake,  and  the  rocks 
rent; 

52  And  the  graves  were  opened, 
and  many  bodies  of  the  saints 
which  slept,  arose, 

53  And  came  out  of  the  graves 

individual  circumstances  preternatural, 
the  whole  scene  would  strike  every 
ciindid  mind,  as  a  divine  attestation  of 
displeasure,  at  the  tragical  event  which 
had  just  closed.  It  would  require  a 
much  greater  stretch  of  credulity,  to 
believe  that  these  things  happened  in 
the  ordinary  course  of  events,  than  to 
refer  them  to  the  direct  agency  of  God. 
The  rocks  rent ;  literally,  were  rent. 
Immense  fissures  are  still  shown,  as 
the  effect  of  this  great  earthquake. 

52,53.  The graiies  were  opened.  These 
graves  or  sepulchres  were  the  natural 
or  artificial  excavations  in  rocks.  The 
entrance  was  closed  either  by  a  stone 
door,  or  a  flat  stone  placed  against  the 
mouth  of  it.  Ps.  5  :  9  ;  John  11  :  38  ; 
Matt.  28:2;  Mark  16:  3,4.  These 
stone  doors  and  slabs  were  so  removed 
from  their  position,  that  the  entrance 
to  the  sepulchres  lay  open.  And  many 
bodies,  &c.  It  appears  from  this  pas- 
sage, that  these  saints  had  not  been 
long  dead,  for  on  their  reappearance  in 
the  city,  they  were  known  to  many. 
Tliey  were,  doubtless,  saints  of  eminent 
piety,  like  Simeon,  and  Anna,  and 
Zachariah,  and  of  such  public  note,  as 
to  be  known  to  many  by  whom  they 
were  seen.  Which  slept.  Death  is 
often  represented  in  the  Scriptures,  as 
a  peaceful,  gentle  sleep.  Especially  is 
this  metaphor  appropriate  to  those  who 
sleep  in  Jesus.  Arose  and  came  out,  &c. 
These  words  are  to  be  taken  with  the 
clause,  after  his  resurrection,  as  is  clear 
from  the  grammatical  construction,  and 
also  from  1  Cor.  15  :  20,  where  Christ 
is  declared  to  be  "the  first  fruits  of 
them  that  slept."  The  graves  were 
opened  at  the  time  of  the  earthquake, 
but  no  divine  quickening  influence  was 
exerted   upon   the   bodies,   until  after 


after  his  resurrection,  and  went 
into  the  holy  city,  and  appeared 
unto  many. 

54  '  Now  when  the  centurion, 
and  they  that  were  with  him, 
watching  Jesus,  saw  the  earth- 
quake, and  those  things  that  were 

s  Ver.  36 ;  Ma.  15 :  39  ;  Lu.  23  :  47. 


Christ's  resurrection.  They  were  raised 
to  show  that  the  power  of  the  grave 
was  destroyed  by  Christ,  and  that  his 
resurrection  was  the  earnest  or  pledge 
of  that  of  all  his  people.  These  saints 
are  supposed  to  have  ascended  to 
heaven,  when  Christ  was  received 
up  (Acts  1 :  9).  And  came  out  ;  liter- 
ally, and  having  come  out.  Thus  the 
words  arose  and  went  are  directly  con- 
nected, and  the  time  of  the  former 
must  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  latter, 
which  was  after  his  resurrection.  There 
is  no  ground  whatever  to  suppose  with 
some  commentators,  that  these  saints 
were  restored  to  life  at  the  time  of  the 
earthquake,  but  remained  in  their 
tombs  until  after  Christ's  resurrection. 
27ie  hohf  city,  i.  e.  Jerusalem,  the 
epithet  hohj  being  given  it,  because  it 
was  the  religious  as  well  as  political 
capital  of  the  nation.  The  tombs  and 
sepulchres  were  outside  of  the  city,  and 
therefore  these  risen  saints  are  said  to 
have  come  into  it.  It  is  strange  that 
any  should  be  in  doubt,  as  to  whether 
these  bodies  were  received  up  into 
heaven,  or  returned  again  to  the  grave, 
there  to  sleep  until  the  general  resur- 
rection. Had  the  latter  been  true,  the 
Jewish  priests  could  have  disputed, 
with  some  show  of  reason,  the  reality 
of  their  appearance,  finding  their 
bodies,  as  they  would  have  done,  yet 
in  the  grave.  This  leads  us  to  believe 
(for  revelation  is  silent  on  this  point), 
that  they  were  taken  up  with  our  Lord 
into  glory. 

54.  The  centurion  who  presided  over 
the  execution.  They  that  were  v'ith  him, 
i.  e.  the  soldiers  who  kept  guard  on  the 
occasion.  Saw  the  earthquake  and  those 
things,  &c.  By  the  latter  clause  is 
meant  the  attendant  circumstances,  as 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


401 


done,  they  feared  greatly,  saying. 
Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God. 

55  And  many  women  were  there 
beholding  afar  off,  '  which  fol- 
lowed Jesus  from  Galilee,  minis- 
tering unto  him  : 

56  "  Among   which  was  Mary 

<  Lu.  8  :  2,  3.    u  Ma.  15 :  40. 


the  preternatural  darkness,  the  rending 
of  the  rocks,  and  the  concurrence  of 
these  great  convulsions  of  nature,  with 
tlie  expiring  cry  of  Jesus  (Mark  1.5  : 
30).  iliey  feared  greatly.  The  expres- 
sion in  the  original  is  very  emphatic. 
They  were  filled  with  terror,  at  such 
awful  appearances  attending  the 
doath  of  one,  whose  claim  to  be  the  Son 
of  God,  they  had  learned  from  the 
taunts  of  the  priests  and  people.  In 
connection  with  this,  see  Luke  23  :  48, 
49.  Truly  this  was,  &c.  They  were 
now  convinced  that  Jesus  was  no  im- 
postor. Mark  and  Luke  represent  the 
centurion  alone  as  speaking.  But  the 
soldiers  may  have  caught  up  the  words 
of  the  centurion  and  repeated  them,  so 
that  Matthew's  account  does  not  con- 
flict with  that  of  the  other  Evangelists. 
It  is  not  probable  that  the  centurion 
had  very  clear  or  definite  views  of  the 
phrase,  Son  of  God.  He  used  the 
Avords,  because  the  priests  had  said  that 
Jesus  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
(see  vs.  40,  43).  But  being  a  heathen 
he  doubtless  regarded  Jesus  as  some  in- 
ferior deity  de.-^cended  to  earth  (see 
Acts  14  :  11),  or  allied  in  some  way  to 
the  gods,  or  at  least  in  great  fiivor  with 
them.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  was 
led  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and 
to  the  spiritual  import  of  that  confes- 
sion, wliich  the  awful  circumstances  of 
the  crucifixion  drew  from  him.  That 
such  was  the  case  seems  probable  from 
Luke  23  :  47. 

55.  And  many  women.,  &c.  The  near 
relations  and  friends  of  Jesus.  See 
John  19  :  25-27.  Bcholdmcj  afar  of. 
They  had  now  retired  at  a  distance 
from  the  scene  of  suflcring  and  death. 
Perhaps  they  had  been  ordered  away 
by  the  soldiers,  who  guarded  the  cross ; 


Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother 
of  James  and  Joses,  and  the 
mother  of  Zebedee's  children. 

57  "  When  the  even  was  come, 
there  came  a  rich  man  of  Arima- 
thea,  named  Joseph,  who  also  him- 
self was  Jesus'  disciple  : 

0)  Ma.  15:42;  Lu.  23 :  50 ;  Jn.  19  :  38. 

or  finding  themselves  debarred  from 
rendering  him  any  act  of  sympathy, 
had  retired  of  their  own  accord  to  some 
place,  where  they  could  see  him,  and 
at  the  same  time  give  free  utterance  to 
their  grief.  Which  followed,  &c.  They 
had  previously  in  Galilee  ministered  to 
his  wants  with  their  substance  (Mark 
15  :  41  ;  Luke  8  :  3),  and  had  followed 
him  to  Jerusalem,  to  perform  the  same 
kind  services.  The  courage  and  devo- 
tion of  these  women  are  here  recorded, 
while  of  the  disciples  who  forsook  him 
and  fled  (26  :  56),  no  one  save  John  is 
mentioned  as  attending  the  crucifixion 
or  being  near  the  scene.  "  Never  did 
female  constancy  shine  more  brightly, 
and  never  was  a  happier  example  set 
for  all  who  should  afterwards  believe  in 
him."     Barnes. 

56.  Mary  Magdalene  (i.  e.  from 
Magdala.  See  15  :  39),  so  called  to 
distinguish  her  from  the  other  Marys. 
She  was  remarkable  for  her  attachment 
to  Jesus,  who  had  dispossessed  her  of 
seven  devils  (Luke  8  :  2).  Mary  the 
mother,  &c.  She  was  the  sister  of  Jesus' 
mother  (see  N.  on  10  :  3).  Jamea  the 
Less.  Mark  15  :  40.  The  mother  of 
Zebedee's  children.  See  20  :  20.  Mark 
says  that  besides  these,  there  were 
many  other  women  present,  who  came 
up  with  him  unto  Jerusalem. 

57-61.  The  Body  of  Jesus  taken 
FROM  THE  Cross  and  Buried.  Jerusa- 
lem. Sixth  day  of  the  Week.  Mark  15  : 
42-47  ;  Luke  23  :  50-56  ;  John  19  : 
38-42. 

57.  When  the  even  was  come.  This 
was  the  first  evening.  See  N.  on  14  : 
15.  It  was  about  3  o'clock,  P.  M.  when 
our  Savior  expired.  As  it  was  a  day 
of  preparation  for  the  Sabbath,  which, 
faUing  at  this  time  upon  the  second  day 


402 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


58  He  weut  to  Pilate  and 
begged  the  body  of  Jesus.  Then 
Pilate  commanded  the  body  to 
be  delivered. 


of  the  paschal  festival,  became  a  high 
or  great  day  (John  19  :  31),  the  Jews 
were  anxious  that  the  crucifixion  might 
be  brought  to  a  speedy  close,  and  be- 
sought Pilate  that,  according  to  custom, 
the  death  of  the  malefactors  might  be 
hastened  by  tlie  breaking  of  their  limbs. 
When  the  soldiers  came  to  Jesus  and 
found  him  dead  already,  one  of  them 
wantonly  and  inhumanly  pierced  his 
side  with  a  spear,  from  whicli  wound 
flowed  blood  and  water,  showing  that 
his  heart  had  been  reached,  and  that 
this  wound  would  have  been  mortal, 
had  he  merely  fainted  on  the  cross,  in- 
stead of  being  really  dead.  Tliere  came 
a  rich  man.  His  wealth  is  spoken  of, 
inasmuch  as  a  prophecy  (Isa.  53  :  9) 
was  thereby  fulfilled.  Had  it  not  been 
for  this  interposition  of  Joseph,  his 
body  would  have  been  cast  into  a  hole, 
dug  in  some  vile  place,  with  the  male- 
fiictors,  crucified  with  him,  and  thus  his 
grave  would  have  been  with  the  wicked 
ones.  But  while  it  was  thus  appointed 
by  his  enemies,  divine  providence  so 
arranged  it,  that  he  was  "with  the  rich 
(i.  e.  in  the  rich  man's  sepulchre)  in  his 
death,"  and  thus  both  parts  of  the  pro- 
phecy were  fulfilled.  Of  Arimathea. 
This  is  thought  by  some  to  be  the 
Ramah  of  Samuel,  although  its  site  can- 
not be  satisfactorily  determined.  It 
was  doubtless  some  city  of  Benjamin 
(Luke  23  :  .51),  near  to  Jerusalem. 
Named  Joseph.  According  to  Mark  and 
Luke,  he  was  a  counseller  or  member 
of  the  Sanhedrim.  He  was  a  disciple 
of  Jesus,  though  secretly  through  fear 
of  the  Jews  (John  19  :  38),  and  is  com- 
mended by  Mark  and  Luke  in  high 
terms.  His  natural  timidity  seems  to 
have  been  overcoine  by  the  prodigies 
attending  Jesus'  death,  and  he  there- 
fore went  in  boldly  (Mark  15  :  43)  unto 
Pilate,  and  begged  the  body  of  Jesus. 
He  had  need  of  haste,  for  at  6  o'clock 
the  Jewish  sabbath  began,  and  it  would 


59  And  when  Joseph  had  taken 
the  body,  he  wrapped  it  in  a  clean 
linen  cloth, 

60  And  -"  laid  it  in  his  own  new 

y  Is.  53 :  9. 

then  have  been  unlawful  to  bury  the 
corpse.  As  Jesus  had  been  executed 
as  a  public  malefactor,  no  one,  unless 
he  had  special  permission  from  the 
governor,  could  lawfully  take  his  body 
down  from  the  cross  for  burial. 

58.  Hien  Pilate,  &c.  Mark  says  that 
the  governor  wondered  greatly  at  his 
being  already  dead,  and  made  special 
inquiry  as  to  the  truth  of  it.  Having 
ascertained  the  fact,  he  readily  gave 
the  body  to  Joseph,  as  he  had  re- 
quested. 

59.  And  taken  the  body  of  Jesus  down 
from  the  cross.  They  did  not  lower  the 
cross  itself  to  do  this,  but  drew  out  the 
spikes  from  the  hands  and  feet,  and 
took  the  body  down,  leaving  the  cross 
in  its  upright  position.  It  appears 
from  John  19  :  39,  that  Nicodenms 
joined  in  these  kindly  offices  of  Joseph 
to  the  dead,  and  brought  for  anointing 
the  body  a  mixture  of  aloes  of  about 
an  hundred  pounds'  weight.  It  is  re- 
markable that  these  men,  who  had 
both  previously  shrunk  from  having  it 
publicly  known,  that  they  were  attached 
to  the  cause  of  Jesus  (see  John  3:2; 
19:38),  should  have  manifested  such 
boldness,  at  a  time  when  all  the  disci- 
ples except  John  had  fied  in  terror 
from  the  scene  of  suffering  and  death. 
A  clean  linen  cloth.  This  sindon  (so 
called  in  the  Greek  from  Siiid  or  Indus, 
where  it  was  first  fabricated)  was  of 
fine  linen  or  muslin,  and  used  among 
other  things  for  wrapping  up  the  bodies 
which  were  embalmed.  Upon  this  fine 
linen  sheet  they  laid  the  body  of  Jesus, 
and  then  wound  it  in  as  many  folds,  as 
they  deemed  necessary,  the  first  fold 
being  so  covered  with  the  myrrh  and 
aloes,  as  to  bring  the  spices  in  contact 
with  every  part  of  the  body. 

60.  /m  his  own  new  tomb.  How  pro- 
vidential were  all  these  circumstances. 
Had  the  body  been  deposited  in 
some  tomb  previously  used  as  a  recep- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


403 


tomb,  which  he  had  hewn  out  in 
the  rock  ;  and  rolled  a  great  stone 
to  the  door  of  the  sepulchre,  and 
departed. 


of  the  dead,  the  Jews  might  have 
parried  the  great  argument  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  drawn  from  Christ's 
resurrection,  by  attributing  the  resus- 
citation of  his  body  to  some  prophet's 
bones,  as  in  2  Kings  13  :  21  ;  or  they 
might  have  said,  that  some  other  body 
than  that  of  Jesus  had  arisen.  But  it  was 
a  tomb  hewn  out  of  the  Uving  rock,  in 
which  never  man  before  was  laid  (Luke 
23  :  53 ;  John  19  :  41),  and  every  cavil 
of  this  sort  was  therefore  set  aside.  In 
respect  to  the  construction  of  tombs 
and  sepulchres,  see  N.  on  8  :  28.  We 
are  told  by  John,  who  on  this  point  is 
somewhat  more  circumstantial  than 
the  other  Evangelists,  that  this  tomb 
was  in  a  garden  near  to  the  place 
where  Jesus  was  crucified.  This  ren- 
dered it  a  convenient  place  for  deposit- 
ing temporarily,  at  least,  the  body  of 
Jesus.  In  the  rock.  The  presence  of  the 
article  in  the  original  shows  the  rocki- 
ness  of  the  place,  on  which  we  have  the 
testimony  of  Josephus,  as  well  as  of  Jiio- 
dern  travellers.  This  tomb  was  not  dug 
downwards,  but  cut  horizontally  into 
the  rock,  as  is  evident  from  the  words, 
rolled  a  great  stone  to  the  door,  &c.  This 
Litter  act  was  done  to  guard  the  en- 
trance against  beasts,  or  such  persons 
as  might  be  disposed  to  profane  the 
sepulchre.  This  incidental  and,  in  a 
human  point  of  view,  accidental  circum- 
stance, became  an  important  one  in 
Christ's  resurrection,  for  as  the  tomb 
had  been  hewn  from  a  solid  rock,  and 
its  mouth  closed  by  a  huge  stone  under 
charge  of  a  Roman  guard,  it  was  im- 
possible for  the  body  to  have  been 
removed,  without  the  knowledge  of 
the  soldiers.  This  stone  was  probably 
flat,  or  nearly  so,  the  word  rolled  being 
used  in  the  sense  of  working  a  large 
stone  along,  by  lifting  up  one  end  and 
letting  it  fall  over,  so  that  each  time  it 
is  passed  onward  its  own  length.  That 
this  tomb  was  not  intended  as  the  final 
resting-place  of  the  body  of  Jesus,  is 


61  And  there  was  Marj  Mag- 
dalene, and  the  other  Mary,  sit- 
ting over  against  the  sepulchre. 

62  T[  Now  the  next  day,  that 

evident  from  Mark  15  :  42,  where  is 
given  as  a  reason  for  laying  it  in  Jo- 
seph's tomb,  the  near  approach  of  the 
Jewish  sabbath,  and  because  this  se- 
pulchre was  near  at  hand. 

61.  Mary  Magdalene.  See  N.  on  v. 
56.  The  other  Mary,  i.  e.  the  mother 
of  James  and  Joses.  Sitting  over 
against  (i.  e.  opposite  to).  Their  posi- 
tion enabled  them  to  see  both  what 
was  done  to  the  body,  and  where  it  was 
laid.  It  appears  from  Luke  (23  :  56) 
that  after  his  burial,  they  returned  to 
the  city,  and  spent  the  short  time  which 
remained  previous  to  the  sabbath,  in 
preparing  spices  and  ointments,  in 
order,  as  soon  as  the  sabbath  was  past, 
to  embalm  his  body  more  carefully  than 
Joseph  and  Nicodemus  had  time  to  do. 

62-66.  The  Watch  at  the  Sepul- 
chre. Jerusalem.  Seventh  day  of  the 
Week,  or  Jewish  Sabbath. 

62.  Now  the  next  day.  The  Jewish 
sabbath  began  at  sunset,  and  therefore 
the  expression  next  day,  in  their  divi- 
sion of  time,  was  applicable  to  the 
hours  which  began  at  the  setting  sun. 
It  is  thus  that  the  evening  of  the  day 
of  his  crucifixion,  at  which  time  they 
came  to  Pilate  with  this  request  to 
make  sure  the  sepulchre,  is  called  the 
next  day.  Such  designations  of  time 
can  only  be  understood,  by  a  reference 
to  the  Hebrew  division  of  the  day.  It 
is  singular  that  Alford  should  regard 
this  as  taking  place,  not  on  the  evening 
following  the  crucifixion,  but  on  the 
one  after  the  termination  of  the  sabbath, 
which,  in  reference  to  the  avowed  pur- 
pose for  which  the  guard  was  demanded, 
would  be  absurd.  ITie  day  of  prepara- 
tion. The  hours  immediately  preced- 
ing the  sabbath  being  employed  in 
making  preparation  for  its  observance, 
by  preparing  food,  fuel,  and  other  ne- 
cessary things,  it  was  called  the  eve  of 
preparation,  or  preparation-eve.  It 
commenced  about  the  ninth  hour  (i.  e. 
3  o'clock,  p.  M.),   as  is    evident   from 


404 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


followed  the  day  of  the  prepara- 
tion, the  chief  priests  and  Phari- 
sees came  together  unto  Pilate, 

63  Saying,  Sir,  we  remember 
that  that  deceiver  said,  while  he 
was  yet  alive,  '  After  three  days 
I  will  rise  again. 

64  Command  therefore  that  the 

»Ch.  16:  21,  &17:  23,  &  20:19,  &26:  61; 
Ma.  8:31,  &10  :  34;  Lu.  9:  22,  &  18  :  33,  &  2-1: 
6,  7;  Jn.  2:19. 

Joseph.  Ant.  XYI.  6  §  2,  where  the 
Emperor  Augustus  directed,  that  they 
should  not  be  held  to  give  pledges  on 
the  sabbath,  nor  during  the  preparation 
for  the  same  after  the  ninth  hour.  The 
epithet  preparatio7i,  as  was  natural, 
came  to  be  applied  to  the  whole  day 
before  the  Jewish  sabbath,  and  thus  it 
is  used  in  the  present  instance.  T7ie 
chief  prie.its,  &c.  They  had  effected 
the  death  of  Jesus,  but  their  minds 
were  not  yet  free  from  anxiety.  They 
had  reason  to  fear  that  this  was  not  the 
end  of  the  affair.  All  they  could  now 
do,  however,  was  to  make  the  sepul- 
chre as  sure  as  possible,  but  this  could 
hardly  have  relieved  their  disquietude, 
when  they  call  to  mind  his  solemn  and 
oft-repeated  declaration,  that  he  should 
suffer  death,  and  rise  again  on  the  third 
day.  Some  think  their  object  was  to 
prevent  the  body  of  Jesus  from  being 
embalmed,  and  fearing  that  they  could 
obtain  no  decree  to  prevent  this  from 
Pilate,  they  had  recourse  to  this  artifice, 
well  knowing  that  the  body  could  not 
be  reached  by  his  friends,  without  their 
breaking  the  seal,  which  they  would 
not  dare  to  do.  But  this  is  too  low  a 
motive,  when  a  greater  and  more  ur- 
gent one  offers  itself,  in  the  fears  of 
his  resurrection.  Came  together  uiHo 
Pilate  ;  literally,  went  to  and  axsemhled 
at  (the  house  of)  Pilate.  They  were 
gathered  together  in  a  body.  This 
shows  tlie  depth  of  concern  which  agi- 
tated their  mind. 

63.  We  rememher,  &c.  They  had 
probably  heard  this  from  others,  as  it 
is  quite  evident  that  his  predicted  re- 
surrection was  publicly  known.  The 
meaning   of    our    Lord's    saying,    "in 


sepulchre  be  made  sure  until 
the  third  day,  lest  his  disciples 
come  by  night,  and  steal  him 
away,  and  say  unto  the  people. 
He  is  risen  from  the  dead  :  so 
the  last  error  shall  be  worse  than 
the  first. 

65  Pilate  said  unto  them,  Ye 


three  days  I  will  rise  again,"  as  Alford 
remarks,  was  hid  from  the  disciples, 
but  the  fact  of  its  having  been  said 
could  be  no  secret.  Tliat  deceiver ;  lite- 
rally, vagabond,  vnpostor.  The  word 
was  one  of  great  reproach.  They  had 
before  charged  him  with  deceiving  the 
people  (John  Y  :  12).  Notwithstanding 
the  repeated  declaration  of  Pilate  that 
no  fault  was  to  be  found  in  Jesus,  they 
repeat  their  vile  slander,  impudently 
ignoring  Pilate's  attestation  to  his  inno- 
cence. After  (more  literally  vdthin) 
three  dags,  &c.  This  was  a  remarkable 
acknowledgment  on  their  part,  that 
Jesus  had  predicted  his  own  resurrec- 
tion after  three  days.  This  they  could 
not  afterwards  deny,  howsoever  much 
they  might  have  been  inclined  to  do. 

64.  Be  made  sure  with  guards,  seals, 
&c.  Until  the  third  dag.  This  is  a 
commentary  on  the  expression,  "  within 
three  days,"  showing  that  the  third  day 
is  meant,  and  not  three  full  days  of  24 
hours  each.  Pest,  i.  e.  lest  perhaps. 
The  word  in  this  connection,  refers  to 
what  is  probable  or  likely  to  happen. 
Steal  him  airag,  i.  e.  remove  his  body 
by  stealth  from  the  tomb.  The  word 
in  the  original  refers  to  any  act  done 
stealthfully,  but  almost  always  in  a  bad 
sense.  He  is  risen  from  the  dead,  ac- 
cording to  his  declaration.  So  the  last 
error,  &c.  They  insinuate  by  this  pro- 
verbial expression,  that  sedition  and 
rebellion  against  the  Romans  would  be 
more  likely  to  ensue  from  such  a  rumor, 
than  though  Jesus  had  been  suffered  to 
practise  his  deceiving  arts  unpunished. 
In  this  way  they  practise  upon  the  fears 
of  the  Roman  governor,  and  obtain 
their  request. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


405 


have   a    watch  :    go    your    way, 
make  it  as  sure  as  ye   can. 

66  So  they  went,  and  made  the 
sepulchre  sure,  "sealing  the  stone, 
and  setting  a  watch. 

a  Da.  6  :  17. 

6.5.  Ye  have  a  watch.  Some  render 
this  as  an  imperative.  The  sense  is  the 
same,  ye  have  a  guard  (at  your  service), 
being  equivalent  to  have  ye  or  take  ye  a 
guard.  The  absence  of  the  article  in 
the  original,  forbids  our  referring  this 
to  the  guard  who  kept  watch  at  the 
crucifixion.  Alford  thinks  that  it  may 
have  been  some  detachment,  placed 
under  the  disposal  of  the  Sanhedrim 
during  the  feast,  and  this  seems  to  find 
support  in  the  fact,  that  they  made 
their  report  to  the  chief  priests,  and 
not  to  Pilate.  But  it  is  least  objec- 
tionable, to  consider  the  guard  as  fur- 
nished for  the  occasion,  the  words,  ye 
have  a  guard,  showing  the  readiness  of 
Pilate  to  grant  their  request.  Make  it 
(i.  e.  the  sepulchre)  as  sure  as  ye  can; 
literally,  as  ye  know  how.  The  affability 
of  Pilate  toward  these  wicked  men, 
whom  he  knew  to  have  conspired  to 
effect  the  death  of  an  innocent  person, 
shows  that  whatever  compunction  he 
may  have  felt  in  pronouncing  sentence 
of  death  upon  Jesus,  had  all  passed 
away,  or  was  for  the  time  displaced  by 
the  desire  to  conciliate  these  leading 
men  of  the  nation,  whom  he  had  reason 
to  fear  he  had  exasperated,  in  giving  up 
Jesus  with  such  evident  reluctance  to 
death. 

65.  Sealing  the  stone.  This  denotes 
the  way  in  which  they  made  the  sep- 
ulchre sure.  A  cord  was  probably 
brought  around  the  stone,  the  two  ends 
of  which  were  joined  with  the  sealing 
material,  to  which  was  affixed  a  seal, 
doubtless  that  of  Pilate.  The  stone 
could  not  be  removed,  therefore,  with- 
out cutting  the  cord  or  breaking 
the  seal.  This  was  the  usual  way,  in 
which  letters  and  books  were  sealed  in 
ancient  times.  Setting  a  watch ;  liter- 
ally, with  a  watch,  i.  e.  they  sealed  the 
stone,  at  the  same  time  that  they  set 
the  guard. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

N  the  "  end  of  the  sabbath,  as 
it  began  to  dawn  toward  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  came  Mary 

a  Ma.  16 : 1 ;  Lu.  24 :  1 ;   Jn.  20 : 1. 


I 


CHAP.  XXVIII. 

l-'Z.  Incidents  attending  Christ's 
Resurrection.  Jerusalem.  First  day 
of  the  Week,  or  the  Christian  Sabbath. 
Mark  16:1-7;  Luke  24-1-8;  John 
20:  1,  2. 

1.  In  the  end  of  the  sabbath;  literally, 
sabbaths,  plural  for  singular.  The  Jew- 
ish sabbath  had  closed  on  the  evening 
of  the  preceding  day,  and  hence  these 
words  of  Matthew  are  equivalent  to 
the  parallel  passage  in  Mark,  "  and 
when  the  sabbath  was  past."  As  it 
began  to  dawn,  i.  e.  at  the  early  dawn 
or  morning  twilight,  when  the  eye  can 
begin  to  discern  surrounding  objects. 
Towards  the  first  day  of  the  iveek  (liter- 
ally, first  day  of  the  sabbaths,  where 
this  word  is  put  for  the  interval  be- 
tween the  sabbaths,  viz.  the  iveek),  i.  e. 
introducing  the  morning  of  the  first 
day.  This  day  has  since  been  observed 
as  the  Christian  sabbath,  in  commem- 
oration of  the  event  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection. The  Jewish  sabbath  was  the 
day  preceding,  that  is  on  our  Saturday. 
Mary  Magdalene.  See  N.  on  27  :  61. 
To  see  the  sejndchre.  It  appears  from 
the  other  evangelists,  that  in  company 
with  other  women,  they  came  to 
anoint  the  body  with  the  spices  and 
ointments,  which  they  had  prepared 
previous  to  the  sabbath  (Luke  23  :  56), 
and  also  in  part,  after  the  sabbath  was 
ended  (Mark  16:  1).  The  removal  of 
the  great  stone  from  the  entrance  to 
the  sepulchre,  was  an  object  of  great 
solicitude,  and  they  inquired  among 
themselves,  who  should  do  this  for 
them.  It  is  evident  that  they  were 
ignorant  that  a  guard  had  been  set,  and 
the  stone  sealed,  which  had  been  done 
on  the  day  of  the  crucifixion,  after 
they  had  returned  to  the  city  to  pre- 
pare ointments  for  embalming  his 
body.  Meanwhile,  as  they  drew  nigh 
the  sepulchre,  they  perceived   that  the 


406 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33, 


Magdalene  '  and  the  other  Mary 
to  see  the  sepulchre. 

2  And  behold,  there  was  a  great 
earth(|uake  ;  for  'the  angel  of  the 
Lord  descended  from  heaven, 
and  came  and  rolled  back  the 
stone  from  the  door,  and  sat  upon 
it. 

6Ch.27:56.     cSeeMa.  16:  5;  Lu.24:4; 
Jn.  20 :  12. 


stone  was  already  rolled  away.  This 
introduces  the  account  given  by  Mat- 
thew of  the  circumstances  of  its  re- 
moval. 

2.  There  was  a  great  earthquake. 
Unless  this  verse  is  read  before  v.  1,  it 
should  be,  there  had  been  a  great  earth- 
quake, as  it  took  place  before  the  visit 
of  the  women,  and  at  the  time  of  our 
Lord's  resurrection.  For  the  angel  of 
the  Lord,  &c.  It  was  not  the  earth- 
quake, which  effected  the  removal  of 
the  stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepul- 
chre. That  was  done  by  the  direct 
agency  of  the  angel.  The  earthquake 
added  to  the  solemnity  and  grandeur 
of  the  transaction,  and  served  to  arouse 
the  attention  of  the  guard,  so  that  they 
all  saw  the  glorious  appearance  of  the 
angel. 

3.  His  countenance.  A  better  trans- 
lation would  be,  his  appearance  or 
general  aspect.  This  was  like  lightning, 
i.  e.  bright  and  dazzling  as  the  lightning. 
His  raitne7it,  &c.  This  heavenly  mes- 
senger was  clad  in  robes  of  purity  and 
splendor.  Compare  the  appearance  of 
our  Lord's  raiment  at  the  transfigura- 
tion. Grotius  remarks,  that  whiteness 
has  ever  been  a  symbol  of  purity  and 
sanctity.  See  Dan.  7:9;  Rev.  3:4; 
6:  11;7  :  9,  13. 

4.  For  fear  of  him.  The  guard  not 
only  felt  the  shock  of  the  earthquake, 
but  saw  distinctly  the  angel,  although 
at  his  preternatural  splendor,  they 
fainted  and  became  as  dead  men,  i.  e. 
they  fell  to  the  ground  as  helpless  as 
though  they  were  really  dead.  It  was 
probably  while  they  lay  in  this  condi- 
tion, that  our  Lord  came  forth  from 
the  tomb.     They  were  not,  therefore,  | 


3  ''  His  countenance  was  like 
lightning,  and  his  raiment  white 
as  snow  : 

4  And  for  fear  of  him  the 
keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as 
dead  men. 

5  And  the  angel  answered  and 
said  unto   the  women,  Fear   not 

d  Da.  10  :  6. 

eyewitnesses  of  his  resurrection,  that 
honor  being  reserved  for  his  beloved 
disciples,  but  only  of  the  awful  events 
which  preceded  it. 

6.  And  the  angel,  &c.  This  is  to  be 
connected  in  thought  with  v.  1.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  these  women  at  the 
sepulchre,  they  were  amazed  to  find  the 
stone  removed,  and  they  entered  in  to 
see  the  body  of  their  crucified  Lord. 
It  was  then,  according  to  Mark  (16  :  5), 
that  they  saw  a  young  man  sitting  on 
the  right  side,  clad  in  a  long  white  gar- 
ment, at  whose  appearance  they  were 
affrighted.  Matthew  passes  over  this 
incident,  and  leaves  his  reader  to  pre- 
suppose the  appearance  of  the  angel, 
by  stating  what  he  said  to  the  women. 
It  appears  from  John  (20:  1,  2),  that 
when  the  women  found  the  tomb  empty, 
Mary  Magdalene,  supposing  that  the 
body  had  been  stolen,  left  her  com- 
panions there,  and  ran  into  the  city  to 
tell  Peter  and  John  of  what  had  hap- 
pened. This  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
in  order  to  understand,  how  it  was  that 
Mary  was  alone,  when  our  Lord  ap- 
peared unto  her  as  recorded  by  John 
(20  :  1 1).  She  had  returned  with  Peter 
and  John,  but  being  unable  to  keep 
pace  with  them,  did  not  reach  the 
sepulchre  until  they  had  left  it  (John 
20:  10).  She  was  therefore  alone, 
when  she  saw,  first  the  vision  of  angels, 
and  afterwards  Jesus  himself  (John  20  : 
11-18).  It  does  not  militate  against 
this  view,  that  in  Luke  (24:  10)  Mary 
Magdalene  is  mentioned  with  the  other 
women,  who  told  the  news  of  Christ's 
resurrection  to  the  apostles.  She  did 
tell  of  this  event,  but  not  at  the  same 
time  with  them.     They  all  were  mes- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


407 


ye  :  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus, 
which  was  crucified. 

6    He    is   not  here  :  for  he  is 


sengers  sent,  though  at  different  times, 
from  the  sepulchre,  and  in  Luke,  are 
grouped  together  for  the  sake  of  unity 
and  brevity. 

In  respect  to  the  appearance  of  the 
angel  to  these  women,  skeptics  have 
endeavored  to  find  a  discrepancy  be- 
t\veen  the  evangelists,  as  Luke  speaks 
ot  two  angels,  and  represents  them  as 
standing,  while  Matthew  and  Mark 
speak  of  only  one,  who,  according  to 
the  latter  evangelist,  was  sitting.  But 
to  those  who  will  turn  to  Notes  on  8 : 
20,  and  20:  30,  and  understand  the 
principle,  on  which  the  alleged  discrep- 
ancy between  Matthew  and  the  other 
evangeUsts  is  there  harmonized,  there 
will  be  presented  no  difficulty  in  the 
passage  belore  us.  Matthew  and  Mark 
speak  of  the  one  who  acted  as  spokes- 
man, not  denying,  however,  that  there 
were  two ;  but  Luke,  not  making  that 
distinction  between  the  one  who  spoke, 
and  the  one  who  kept  silence,  represents 
two  as  being  present,  and  speaking. 
As  to  their  position,  the  word  in  Luke 
translated  stood,  has  reference  to  a  sud- 
den appearance,  or  being  siiddenly  pre- 
sent, and  not  at  all  to  the  posture  or 
position  of  the  one,  who  makes  his 
appearance.  See  Luke  2  :  9,  Acts.  1 2  : 
7.  There  is,  therefore,  no  real  discrep- 
ancy in  these  statements. 

Fear  not  ye.  Mark  (14:  5)  says  that 
the  women  were  affrighted  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  angel.  See  also  Luke 
24:  5.  For  I  know,  &c.  They  had 
come  on  an  errand  of  love,  and  not 
as  the  wicked  priests  and  scribes 
would  have  visited  the  sepulchre,  to 
insult  the  remains  of  him  whom  they 
had  murdered.  They  had  no  reason, 
therefore,  to  fear  the  attendant  angels 
of  our  Lord.  The  pronoun  ye  in  this 
verse,  as  opposed  to  the  enemies  of 
Jesus,  is  therefore  emphatic. 

6.  He  is  not  here  in  the  sepulchre. 
He  is  risen,  as  he  said.  Notwithstand- 
ing our  Lord's  positive  assertion,  that 


risen,  •■  as  he  said.  Come,  see  the 
place  where  the  Lord  hiy. 

7  And  go  quickly,  and  tell  his 

e  Ch.  12  :  40,  &  16  :  21,  &  n  :  28,  &  20 :  19. 

he  should  rise  on  the  third  day  after  he 
had  been  put  to  death  by  his  enemies, 
its  true  import  seems  strangely  to  have 
been  misunderstood,  if  not  wholly  lost 
sight  of,  by  his  disciples  and  followers. 
That  they  had  no  expectation  of  such 
an  event,  is  evinced  in  their  prepara- 
tions to  embalm  his  body,  and  their 
surprise  at  the  intelligence  that  he  had 
arisen.  See  also  John  20 :  9.  Coine 
see  the  place,  &c.  The  angel  conde- 
scended to  confirm  their  belief  in  this 
strange  announcement,  by  showing 
them  the  empty  cell  or  niche,  in  which 
had  been  placed  the  corpse.  The  dis- 
ciples also,  to  whom  they  were  directed 
to  communicate  the  fact  of  his  resur- 
rection, would  more  readily  believe 
them,  if  they  declared  it  on  the  evidence 
of  their  own  senses.  T7ie  Lord.  Prof. 
Stuart  says  that  Matthew  and  Mark 
do  not  apply  the  title  Lord,  in  its  abso- 
lute sense  as  supreme  Huler  or  Lord, 
except  after  the  resurrection,  but  Luke, 
John,  and  Paul  apply  it  to  him  every 
where,  and  often. 

v.  Go  quickly.  They  were  not  to  keep 
the  joyous  event  to  themselves,  or  con- 
sume any  time  in  pondering  upon  its 
amazing  reality.  They  were  directed 
to  go  with  all  haste,  and  inform  the 
disciples  of  what  they  had  seen  and 
heard.  Tell  his  disciples  [and  Peter. 
See  Mark  IG  :  7,  and  also  N.  on  27  : 
75].  We  are  not  told  how  the  disciples 
spent  the  Jewish  sabbath.  As  soon 
as  they  were  relieved  from  the  fear  of 
personal  danger  which  had  caused  their 
dispersion  (26  :  56)  it  is  quite  likely, 
however,  that  they  came  together,  not 
to  rejoice,  but  to  weep  over  the  appa- 
rent extinction  of  their  hopes  (see  Mark 
16  :  10),  by  the  crucifixion  of  their  Mas- 
ter. Peter  probably  soon  joined  them, 
but  our  ignorance  of  the  time  when  he 
experienced  the  pardoning  love  of  his 
Lord  whom  he  had  denied,  does  not 
enable  us  to  surmise  even,  whether  he 
came  to  his  fellow  disciples  with  words 


408 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


disciples,  that  he  is  risen  from  the 
de;id  ;  and  behold,  ■'he  goeth 
before  you  into  Galilee ;  there 
shall  ye  see  him :  lo,  I  have  told 
you. 

/Ch.26:32;  Ma.  16  :  7. 

of  sorrow  or  of  hope.  John  was  doubt- 
less with  them,  his  love  for  his  departed 
Lord  stronger  than  ever,  by  his  confiding 
trust  of  his  mother  to  his  care.  The 
women  whose  names  are  here  mention- 
ed, and  others  who  had  followed  Jesus 
from  Galilee,  were  not  absent  from  this 
circle  of  disciples  and  friends  of  hira 
whom  they  loved.  If  then,  as  is  most 
likely,  they  had  assembled  in  some  re- 
tired house  to  mingle  their  sympathies, 
we  may  regard  it  as  almost  certain,  that 
their  time  was  spent  in  acts  of  devotion 
and  tears  of  grief,  that  they  had  no 
longer  the  presence  of  their  beloved 
Lord.  He  goeth  before  you.  This  does 
not  mean,  as  in  21  ;  9,  to  go  in  front  or 
lead  the  way^  but  to  go  first,  or  precede 
in  time.  When  they  reached  the  ap- 
pointed place  in  Galilee,  they  were  to 
find  Jesus  already  there.  On  the  allu- 
sion, which  some  find  here  to  a  shep- 
herd's leading  his  flock,  see  N.  on  '26  : 
82.  Tliere  shall  ye  see  him.  The  angel 
spake  according  to  his  instructions,  but 
Jesus  in  his  compassionate  love  conde- 
scended to  show  himself,  on  that  very 
day,  to  these  women  (v.  9),  to  Mary 
Magdalene  (Mark  16:  9;  John  20:  14); 
to  Peter  (1  Cor.  15:5);  to  the  two  dis- 
ciples on  their  way  to  Emmaus  (Luke 
24  :  13-35  ;  Mark  16  :  12)  ;  and  to  the 
Eleven  (Mark  16  :  14).  But  in  Galilee, 
he  showed  himself  to  above  500  breth- 
ren at  once  (28  :  16,  lY ;  1  Cor.  15  : 
6),  and  this  was  the  promise  of  his  ap- 
pearance, referred  to  by  the  angel,  io, 
/  have  told  you.  A  confirmatory  asser- 
tion of  the  truth  of  this  wonderful 
message,  which  they  were  to  carry  to 
the  disciples. 

8-10.  Jescs  meets  the  Women  on 
THEIR  RETURN  TO  THE  CiTY.  Jerusalem. 
First  day  of  the  Week.     Mark  16:8. 

8.  From  (i.  e.  out  of)  the  sepulchre. 
This  accords  with  the  account  of  Mark 


8  And  they  departed  quickly 
from  the  sepulchre  with  fear  and 
great  joy ;  and  did  run  to  bring 
his  disciples  word. 

9  If  And  as  they  went  to  tell 


and  Luke,  both  of  whom  speak  of  their 
having  entered  into  the  sepulchre. 
With  fear  at  the  glorious  vision  of  the 
angels,  and  the  manifest  presence  and 
power  of  God.  Mark  (16 :  8)  says,  "  they 
trembled  and  were  amazed :  neither  said 
they  any  thing  to  any  man  ;  for  they 
were  afraid."  Great  joy  at  the  news  of 
their  Lord's  resurrection,  which  they 
were  to  carry  to  the  disciples. 

9.  As  they  went.  While  they  were 
running  with  breathless  haste.  Jesiui 
met  them  probably  before  they  reached 
the  city.  A  question  here  arises,  whe- 
ther this  was  the  first  or  second  appear- 
ance of  our  Savior,  after  his  resurrec- 
tion. Many  think  it  was  the  latter,  and 
that  his  first  appearance  was  to  Mary 
Magdalene,  as  related  by  Mark  16:9, 
and  John  20  :  14.  But  a  recurrence  to 
her  visit  to  the  sepulchre,  will  show  that 
it  was  not  so.  As  has  been  remarked 
(N.  on  V.  5),  she  left  the  other  women 
at  the  sepulchre,  and  went  to  inform 
Peter  and  John  of  the  supposed  viola- 
tion of  the  tomb  of  Jesus.  It  is  evident 
from  her  words  to  them  (John  20  :  2), 
that  she  had  not  then  seen  Jesus.  In 
consequence  of  her  report,  Peter  and 
John  went  with  such  haste  to  the  se- 
pulchre (John  20  :  3,  4),  that  Mary 
Magdalene,  who  started  with  them,  was 
unable  to  keep  pace  with  them,  and 
therefore  did  not  reach  the  sepulchre 
until  some  time  after.  But  before 
Peter  and  John  reached  the  place,  the 
other  women  had  left,  at  the  direction 
of  the  angel,  to  inform  the  disciples  of 
what  they  had  seen  and  heard.  Now 
as  these  women  could  not  have  remained 
long  at  the  sepulchre,  and  as  Mary  Mag- 
dalene who  came  with  them,  had  to  travel 
the  whole  distance  back  to  the  city  to  ni- 
formPeter  and  John  of  what  had  happen- 
ed, some  time  must  have  elapsed  alter 
they  left,  before  Peter  and  John  reach- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


409 


his  disciples,  behold,  ^  Jesus  met 
them,  saying.  All  hail.  And  they 
came  and  held  him  by  the  feet, 
and  worshipped  him. 

10  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them, 

g  See  Ma.  16:9;  Jn.  20  :  14. 

ed  the  sepulchre,  and  a  still  longer  time 
before  Mary  Magdalene  herself  came 
up,  which  was  not  until  the  two  disciples 
had  left  the  tomb,  on  their  return  to 
the  city.  All  this  shows  that  the  wo- 
men must  even  have  reached  the  city 
before  Mary  came  to  the  sepulchre  the 
second  time.  But  it  was  on  their  way 
to  the  city,  that  they  were  met  by 
Jesus,  which  shows  conclusively  that  he 
had  not  yet  been  seen  by  Mary  Magda- 
lene. This  argument  is  still  stronger, 
when  we  take  into  consideration,  that 
Mary  appears  to  have  stood  some  little 
time  at  the  sepulchre  weeping  (John 
20  :  11),  before  she  looked  in  and  saw 
the  vision  of  angels,  and  was  afterwards 
accosted  by  Jesus  himself. 

But  how  is  this  to  be  reconciled  with 
Mark,  who  says  (16  :  9)  that  our  Lord 
appeared _/irs<  to  Mary  Magdalene?  It 
may  be  replied  to  this,  that  Mark  speaks 
only  of  the  three  appearances  of  our 
Lord,  which  he  himself  relates,  the  first 
of  which  was  that  made  to  Mary  Mag- 
dalene. As  Dr.  Robinson  well  remarks, 
first  is  not  here  used  absoluteb/  but  re- 
latively. So  the  last  of  the  three  ap- 
pearances noted  by  Mark  (16  :  14)  was 
made  unto  the  Eleven,  as  they  sat  at 
meat,  where  last  instead  of  afterward 
would  be  the  correct  translation.  But 
this  was  not  absolutely  the  last  appear- 
ance of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  while  on 
earth.  This  shows  that  first  in  Mark 
16  :  9  is  not  to  be  taken,  as  denoting 
strictly  the  first  appearance  of  our  Lord 
after  his  resurrection,  but  the  first  of 
his  appearances  as  related  by  Mark.  It 
is  however  the  taking _;frs<  in  its  abso- 
lute sense  in  Mark,  that  has  led  to  the 
general  but  erroneous  impression,  that 
our  Lord's  first  appearance  was  to 
Marv  of  Magdala. 

All  hail.  See  N.  on  26  :  49.  And 
the;i  came.  They  approached  him,  al- 
though doubtless  with  fear  and  tiesita- 
VoL.  I.— 18 


Be  not  afraid  :  go  tell  'my  breth- 
ren that  they  go  into  Galilee,  and 
there  shall  they  see  me. 

11  ^  Now  when  they  were  go- 
ing,   behold,   some   of    the  watch 

A  See  Jn.  20 :  17 ;  Ko.  8:29;  He.  2:11. 

tion,  as  appears  from  the  encouraging 
words  of  Jesus,  in  the  next  verse. 
Jleld  him  by  the  feet,  in  the  manner  of 
suppliants,  who  prostrated  themselves 
and  embraced  the  feet  or  knees  of 
those  whose  protection  they  sought. 
Worshipped  him.  There  must  have 
been  an  awe  and  reverence  in  this  act 
of  prostration,  which  they  had  never 
previously  felt,  when  doing  homage  to 
him  as  their  Master  and  religious  teach- 
er. Still  we  can  hardly  suppose  them 
yet  so  enlightened,  as  to  understand  his 
claims  to  divine  adoration. 

10.  Be  not  afraid.  Their  fear  was 
natural  at  sight  of  a  person,  whom  they 
knew  to  have  been  dead,  and  the  more 
easily  excited  from  the  previous  vision  of 
angels,  at  which  they  were  said  by  Mark, 
to  have  been  greatly  affrighted.  But 
Jesus  now  reassures  them,  and  dismiss- 
es them  with  a  message  to  the  disciples, 
that  they  should  meet  him  in  Galilee,  as 
he  had  before  told  them  (26  :  32). 

In  order  to  keep  the  chain  of  events 
in  unbroken  connection,  the  reader 
should  turn  to  Luke  24  :  9-11,  where 
we  are  told  of  the  return  of  these  women 
to  the  city.  The  visit  of  Peter  and 
John  to  the  sepulchre,  on  the  report  of 
Mary  Magdalene,  that  the  body  of  Jesus 
had  been  removed,  mav  then  be  read 
in  John  20  :  3-10  ;  Luke  24  :  12.  The 
second  visit  of  Mary  Magdalene  to  the 
tomb  (Mark  16  :  9-11  ;  John  20  :  Il- 
ls) comes  next  in  order,  after  which 
the  narration,  as  carried  on  by  Matthew, 
may  be  resumed. 

11-15.  Report  of  the  Watch.  Je- 
rusalem.     First  day  of  the  Week. 

11.  ]V7ieri  they  were  poinrf,  i.  e.  while 
the  women  were  on  their  way  to  the 
city.  This  throws  additional  light  on 
the  argument  under  v.  9,  that  Jesus 
appeared  first  of  all  to  these  women. 
One  of  the  first  steps,  which  the  guard 
would  take  after  their  recovery  from 


410 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


came  into  the  city,  and  shewed 
unto  the  chief  priests  all  the 
things  that  were  done. 

12  And  when  they  were  assem- 
bled   with   the   elders,   and  had 

their  swoon  of  terror,  would  be  to  report 
the  strange  events  to  the  chief  priests, 
yet  the  women  were  returning  to  the  city, 
when  the  report  was  being  made.  How 
could  Mary  of  Magdala  have  traversed 
the  distance,  between  the  city  and 
tomb  three  times,  wept  at  the  sepulchre 
(.John  20  :  11),  and  then  had  the  inter- 
view with  Jesus,  in  time  for  him  to  meet 
the  other  women  before  they  reached 
the  city,  although,  as  we  are  told  they 
ran  with  fear  and  joy  to  bring  word  to 
the  disciples,  and  had  left  the  tomb 
some  time  previous  even  to  the  visit  of 
Peter  and  John  ?  Smne  of  the  watch. 
The  guard  had  fled  in  consternation 
from  the  place,  but  some  of  them,  per- 
haps the  officers,  had  so  far  recollected 
themselves,  as  to  repair  to  the  chief 
priests,  and  inform  them  of  the  events 
which  had  taken  place.  Showed  unto 
the  chief  priests,  i.  e.  Annas  and  Caia- 
phas,  under  whose  immediate  authority 
they  had  acted  (see  27  :  65),  and  to 
whom  therefore  they  were  to  make 
their  report.  All  the  things  that  were 
done,  or  that  had  taken  place.  There 
is  a  natural  proneness  to  exaggeration, 
especially  among  the  low  and  ignorant, 
when  recounting  any  wonderful  appear- 
ance. But  there  was  no  necessity  for 
it  in  the  present  instance.  The  earth- 
quake, the  dazzling  angelic  appearance, 
the  rolling  away  of  the  great  stone,  .all 
constituted  such  a  sight,  as  the  eye  of 
no  Roman  soldier  had  ever  before  rest- 
ed upon. 

12.  And  when  they  were  assembled,  &c. 
The  report  filled  them  with  amazement. 
Its  truth  they  had  no  reason  to  doubt. 
They  well  knew  that  no  Roman  soldier 
would  frame  a  falsehood,  when,  by  thus 
doing  he  would  put  his  life  in  jeopardy. 
The  man  whose  death  they  had  planned 
and  compassed,  and  whose  body  they 
had  guarded  with  such  jealous  care, 
was  reported  to  them  as  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  tliat  too  in  such  circumstan- 


taken  counsel,  they  gave  large 
money  unto  the  soldiers, 

13  Saying,  Say  ye,  His  disciples 
came  by  night,  and  stole  him 
away  while  we  slept. 

ces,  as  showed  that  it  was  not  the  re- 
sult of  some  juggling  imposition,  but  of 
the  direct  and  manifest  interposition  of 
God.  There  seemed  to  be  no  way  of 
evading  the  truth  of  this  marvellous 
event.  They  had  no  resource  but  to 
convene  the  Sanhedrim,  and  refer  the 
matter  to  their  united  wisdom  and 
counsel.  The  meeting  of  this  body 
could  hardly  have  been  an  open  and 
general  one.  The  nature  of  their  deli- 
beration, and  the  compact  with  the  sol- 
diers, indicate  that,  at  least,  none  of 
those  suspected  of  being  friends  to 
Jesus  were  present.  Had  taken  coun- 
sel. See  N.  on  12  :  14.  Gave  large 
monei/,  i.  e.  a  large  sum  of  money.  It 
must  have  been  a  very  tempting  bribe, 
to  induce  a  Roman  guard  to  confess  to 
so  capital  a  delinquency,  as  sleeping  on 
their  post.  If,  as  was  promised,  the 
chief  priests  and  rulers  succeeded  in 
persuading  Pilate  to  pardon  them,  they 
would  yet  be  disgraced  for  ever  in  the 
estimation  of  their  comrades. 

13.  His  disciples,  &c.  It  has  often 
been  remarked,  that  this  testimony  was 
absurd  and  worthless.  It  was  absurd, 
for  who  could  believe  that  the  whole 
guard  would  fall  asleep,  when  death 
was  the  sure  penalty  of  such  re- 
missness ;  or  that  the  timid  disciples 
would  dare  to  approach  the  sepul- 
chre, for  the  purpose  of  stealing  the 
body,  while  it  was  guarded  by  a  baud 
of  Roman  soldiers  ?  And  had  they  pos- 
sessed the  courage  and  resolution  to 
have  done  this,  how  sound  must  have 
been  the  sleep  of  the  guard,  that  not 
one  of  them  awoke  at  the  noise,  which 
must  of  necessity  have  been  made,  in 
the  effort  to  remove  so  large  a  stone. 
The  testimony  was  also  worthless.  No 
one  can  testify  to  a  thing  done  while  he 
was  asleep.  But  such  was  the  blind 
confidence  reposed  in  the  priests  and 
rulers  by  the  mass  of  the  people,  that 
this  absurd  refutal  of  Christ's  resurrec- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVm. 


4tl 


14  And  if  this  come  to  the 
governor's  ears,  we  will  persuade 
him,  and  secure  you. 

15  So  they  took  the  money,  and 
did  as  they  were  taught :  and 
this  saying   is  commonly  reported 


tion,  was  current  among  the  Jews,  even 
to  the  time  when  Matthew  wrote  his 
gospel,  which  was  some  thirty  years 
afterwards. 

14.  Jf  this  cmne,  &c.  As  Pilate  would 
in  a  few  days  depart  to  his  head  quarters 
at  Caesarea,  there  was  some  ground  to 
hope,  that  the  report  of  tliis  transaction 
would  not  come  to  his  ears  before  he 
left  tlie  city.  We  will  jjersuade  him,  &c. 
This  implies  every  means  of  influence, 
such  as  entreaties,  gifts,  &c.  Secure  you ; 
literally,  make  you  without  care,  secure 
you  from  punishment. 

15.  Tliis  saying  or  account  of  the 
affair,  that  the  body  of  Jesus  had  been 
taken  clandestinely  from  the  tomb.  Is 
commonly  reported,  i.  e.  is  the  common 
explanation  of  the  matter.  This  was  the 
story  trumped  up  to  parry  off  the  force 
of  the  apostles'  testimony,  that  Jesus 
rose  from  the  dead.  Until  this  day,  i.  e. 
until  the  time  when  Matthew  wrote  his 
gospel. 

The  reader  who  would  follow  the 
order  of  events,  will  now  turn  to  1  Cor. 
15  :  5  (compare  Luke  24  :  34),  where 
Christ  is  said  to  have  been  seen  by  Ce- 
phas (i.  e.  Peter),  and  also  to  that  beau- 
tiful narrative  in  Luke  24:  13-35  (see 
also  Mark  16  :  12,  13),  of  his  appearance 
to  the  two  disciples  on  their  way  to 
Emmaus.  The  next  event  in  order  is 
his  appearance,  on  the  evening  of  that 
same  day,  to  the  Eleven  as  they  sat  at 
meat.  See  Mark  16  :  14-18  ;  Luke  24  : 
36-49  ;  John  20  :  19-23  ;  1  Cor.  15:5. 
As  Thomas  was  absent  on  this  occasion, 
and  doubted  the  fact  of  his  appearance, 
Jesus  condescended  to  show  himself 
again  one  week  from  that  time,  when 
his  doubting  disciple  was  pre.sent.  See 
John  20  :  24-29.  This  closes  his  ap- 
pearances to  the  disciples  at  Jerusalem, 
until  after   their  return    from  Galilee, 


among   the  Jews  until  this   day. 

16  ^  Then  the  eleven  disciples 
went  away  into  Galilee,  into  a 
mountain  '  where  Jesus  had  ap- 
pointed them. 

17  And   when  they  saw  tim, 

i  Ch.  26 :  82  ;  ver.  T. 

whither  they  had  been  directed  (see  24: 
32  ;  28  :  10),  to  repair,  and  where  Mat- 
thew now  conducts  his  readers. 

16-20.  Jesus    meets   the    Apostles 

AND  others  on  A  MOUNTAIN  IN  GaLILEE. 

16.  TJien  the  Eleven,  &c.  These  are 
referred  to  by  way  of  preeminence,  al- 
though there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
pious  women,  who  had  attended  Jesus 
so  faithfully  through  all  his  trials  and 
sufferings,  and  others  also  of  the  breth- 
ren, including  Joseph  of  Arimatlica  and 
Nicodemus,  accompanied  them.  Into  a 
mountain  ;  literally,  the  mountain,  i.  e. 
one  designated  at  the  time  of  the  direc- 
tion to  repair  to  Galilee  (see  the  above 
citations),  or  appointed  afterwards,  if  as 
Steir  thinks,  this  verse  hints  at  some  in- 
terviews having  taken  place  previously 
to  this  in  Galilee.  Tradition  points  to 
Mount  Tabor,  as  the  place  here  referred 
to.  Previous  to  this  most  remarkable 
appearance  of  our  Lord  to  more  than 
500  brethren  at  once  (1  Cor.  15  :  6), 
Jesus  showed  himself  to  seven  of  the 
apostles,  at  the  Sea  of  Tiberias  (John 
21  :  1-24). 

17.  When  they  sazv  him.  The  man- 
ner and  circumstances  of  his  appear- 
ance to  this  large  body  of  disciples, 
are  not  made  known  to  us.  There  was, 
doubtless,  nothing  supernatural  in  it, 
except  in  the  great  ftict  which  underlies 
all  these  appearances,  that  he  was  one 
who  had  arisen  from  the  dead.  We  are 
not  informed,  where  Jesus  spent  his 
time  during  his  stay  on  earth  after  his 
resurrection,  nor  how  he  subsisted.  It 
is  useless,  therefore,  to  indulge  in  con- 
jectures on  this  subject.  It  is  suffi- 
cient for  us  to  know,  that  he  tarried 
long  enough  to  give  the  most  indubi- 
table evidence  of  his  resurrection,  and 
of  his  possessing  a  tangible,  material 
body,  the  very  one  which  had  been  de- 


412 


MATTHEW. 


[A  D.  33. 


they  worshipped  him  :  but  some 
doubted. 

18  •![  And  Jesus  came,  and  spake 
unto  them,  saying,  *  All  power  is 

kDa.  7:13,14;  Ch.ll  :27,  &16:28;  Lu.  1 
82,  &  10  :  22 ;  Jn.  3  :  35,  &  5  :  22,  &  13  :  3,  &  IT 
2  ;  Ac.  2  :  36;  Ko.  14  :  9;  1  Co.  15  :  2T ;  Ep.  1 
10,21;  Pbi.  2:9,  10;  He.  1:2, &  2:8;  1  Pe. 
3:22;  Re.  17:14 

posited  in  the  tomb.  They  worshipped 
him.  See  N.  on  v.  9.  The  more  cor- 
rect translation  would  be,  so7ne  ivor- 
shipped,  but  others  doubted.  They  did 
not  doubt  whether  or  no  they  should 
worship  him.  But  some,  especially  of 
those  to  whom  he  had  not  appeared 
before,  were  of  so  cautious  and  hesitat- 
ing a  character,  that  they  were  unwil- 
ling to  admit  his  resurrection,  until  they 
had  the  most  positive  and  undeniable 
proof.  They  were  like  Thomas,  who 
was  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  tan- 
gible evidence  of  his  Master's  resurrec- 
tion. While  others,  at  first  sight  of  his 
beloved  form,  prostrated  themselves 
with  joy  and  adoration,  they  gazed  wist- 
fully upon  his  approaching  person,  until 
he  was  so  near,  that  all  doubt  was  re- 
moved of  his  real  personal  presence. 
There  can  be  no  question,  however,  that 
at  the  close  of  this  interview,  every  one 
present  was  fully  convinced  that  he  had 
risen  from  the  dead. 

18.  Jesus  came.  He  drew  near,  and 
stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  so  that  all 
could  see  and  hear  him.  As  they  were 
on  the  summit  of  a  mountain  or  emi- 
nence, they  were  enabled  to  see  him  ap- 
proaching at  a  distance,  which  gave  ap- 
portunity  for  the  temporary  doubt  of 
some,  as  to  whether  it  was  really  Jesus, 
referred  to  in  v.  17.  All  poiver,  i.  e. 
supreme,  illimitable  power.  Is  given 
unto  nie  (see  Dan.  7  :  14).  Jesus  as 
Messiah,  God-man,  was  subordinate  to 
the  Father.  The  passage  before  us  is 
based  on  this  subordinate  relation.  His 
power  as  the  Mediatorial  sovereign,  to 
preserve,  defend,  and  save  his  people, 
and  destroy  their  enemies,  was  given  him 
from  God  the  Father.  But  this  is  no 
objection  to  his  divinity.  It  is  rather 
accumulative  proof  of  his  divine  nature. 
God  would  not  bestow  such  boundless 


given 

earth. 

19 


unto  me  in  heaven  and  in 


Go     ye     therefore      and 


"teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 


?Ma.l6: 15.    mis.  52:10;  Lu.  24:47;  Ac.2: 
3S,39;  Ro.  10:18;  Col.  1:23. 


authority  and  sway  upon  a  created 
being.  Nor  could  a  created  intelligence, 
although  ten  thousand  times  more  e.\- 
alted  than  Gabriel,  sustain  the  weight 
of  such  dominion  and  power,  which 
would  require  all  the  attributes  of  su- 
preme divinity.  It  might  admit  also  of 
some  question,  whether  such  power,  as 
is  here  referred  to,  could  be  conferred 
upon  or  exercised  by  a  created  being, 
inasmuch  as  in  eifect  it  raises  him  to  an 
equality  with  God.  In  heaven  and  in 
earth.  These  words  are  to  be  taken 
with  all  power,  in  the  sense  of  through- 
out the  universe.  Thus  the  government 
of  the  heavenly  intelligences,  as  well  as 
of  the  spirits  of  darkness,  has  been  com- 
mitted to  Jesus  Christ.  His  Mediato- 
rial power  embraces  in  its  sway,  every 
created  being  in  the  whole  universe. 

19.  Go  ye  therefore.  By  virtue  of 
this  supreme  delegated  power,  he  now 
commissions  his  disciples  to  go  forth, 
with  a  proclamation  of  pardon  and  sal- 
vation through  his  blood,  to  all  who  will 
believe  on  him.  Teach  ;  literally,  dis- 
ciple., or  train  into  discipleship.  Not 
subdue,  subjugate,  as  the  consequence 
of  his  unlimited  power,  but  as  Alford 
remarks,  "  bring  men  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth — work  on  and  in  their 
hearts,  and  lift  them  up  to  be  partakers 
in  the  divine  nature."  This  was  to  be 
done,  not  by  civil  enactments  or  by 
the  arm  of  secular  power,  but  by 
instructing  men,  and  teaching  the 
duties  and  claims  of  the  gospel.  All 
nations  has  here  its  most  extensive  sig- 
nification. In  Mark  the  command  is 
even  more  explicit:  "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature."  The  whole  habitable  world 
was  to  be  evangelized.  No  nation  was 
to  be  overlooked,  not  an  individual,  to 
be  passed  by.     To  all  the  message  of 


A.  D.  33.]  CHAPTER  XXVIII.  413 

in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of   the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  : 


salvation  was  to  be  delivered.  In  the 
hearing  of  all,  the  gospel  trumpet  was 
to  be  sounded.  This  great  and  benevo- 
lent command  is  binding  on  the  church 
now,  and  always  will  be,  as  long  as  time 
shall  last,  and  a  nation  or  people  remain 
unevangelized.  This  command  was 
given,  not  to  the  apostles  alone,  but  to 
all  these  five  hundred  brethren,  proving 
most  manifestly  that  this  is  a  duty  de- 
volving upon  the  whole  church  on 
earth,  and  the  one  to  which,  as  long  as 
the  necessity  in  the  moral  darkness  of 
men  exists  for  its  exercise,  she  is 
bound  especially  to  gird  herself.  Bap- 
tizing them,  as  an  initiatory  rite,  taking 
the  place  of  circumcision,  and  applied 
according  to  the  Jewish  law  and  prac- 
tice of  circumcision,  to  both  parents 
and  children.  The  ride  or  process  of 
ordinary/  discipleshlp,  as  Alford  re- 
marks, "  is  from  baptism  to  instruction, 
i.  e.  is  admission  in  infancy  to  the  co- 
venant, and  growing  up  into  the  obser- 
vance of  all  things,  which  Jesus  has 
commanded — the  exception  being,  what 
circumstances  rendered  so  frequent  in 
the  early  church,  instruction  before  bap- 
tism in  the  case  of  adults."  The  com- 
mand to  disciple,  embraces  these  two 
great  parts,  baptism  and  subsequent 
teaching  or  instructing,  according  to 
the  order  here  observed  by  our  Lord. 
Yet  among  all  nations  where  the  gos- 
pel has  not  been  preached,  and  in  the 
case  of  all  impenitent  adults,  who  have 
never  received  this  initiatory  rite,  in- 
struction must  in  the  nature  of  the  case 
precede  baptism.  In  the  name.  A 
literal  and  better  translation  would  be, 
into  the  name,  which  denotes  some- 
thing more  than  in  or  by  the  authorit;/ 
of  the  Triune  God.  It  is  not  so  much 
subjective  as  objective,  being  the  sym- 
bol of  an  introduction  into  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  a  putting  on  of  Jesus 
Christ,  a  profession  of  subjection,  in  a 
new  and  special  sense,  to  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  of  being  God's 
peculiar  property,  and  of  entire  devo- 
tion to  his  service.  The  word  name  is 
here  used,  as  it  often  is  in  the  Hebrew 
writings,  as  an  expletive,  the  name  of 


the  Father  being  put  for  the  Father. 
Its  use  in  the  singular  here  emphati- 
cally expresses  the  unity  of  the  God- 
head, as  the  words  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost  denote  the  tri-personality. 

In  this  passage  is  a  distinct  reference 
to  three  persons  of  the  adorable  Trinity. 
The  Father,  who  sent  his  Son  to  die 
for  man  ;  the  Son,  who  freely  gave  his 
life  an  offering  for  sin  ;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  regenerates  and  sanctifies 
the  soul  of  the  believer.  How  could 
the  Son  be  placed  in  such  a  connection 
with  the  Father,  if  he  were  less  than 
divine  ?  Between  the  highest  created 
intelligence,  which  the  mind  of  an  an- 
gel could  conceive,  and  the  Infinite 
Jehovah,  there  intervenes  so  illimitable 
a  chasm,  that  for  the  Son,  if  he  were 
such  a  created  being,  to  place  himself, 
as  he  does  here,  on  equal  terms  with 
the  Father,  would  be  the  rankest  blas- 
phemy. It  would  be  in  direct  contra- 
vention to  God's  ov.n  solemn  declara- 
tion, that  his  glory  he  will  not  give  to 
another  (Isa.  42  :  8;  48  :  11).  The 
names  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  are 
thought  by  some  to  refer  to  the  rela- 
tions, which  have  subsisted  from  all 
eternity  betwen  the  persons  of  the  God- 
head. The  Father,  by  eternal  genera- 
tion, begets  the  Son,  and  from  Father 
and  Son  is  the  continued  effluence  of 
the  Spirit.  But  it  seems  difficult,  at 
least  to  some  minds,  to  avoid  the  ide3 
of  essential  subordination  of  the  Son 
to  the  Father,  which  such  a  view  pre- 
sents. The  generator  takes  precedence 
of  the  thing  generated ;  the  cause  must 
logically  precede  the  effect.  The  Fa- 
ther becomes  necessary  to  the  existence 
of  the  Son,  and  both  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 
To  avoid  these  difficulties,  as  well  as  to 
meet  more  accurately  the  Scripture 
view  of  this  relation  between  the  per- 
sons of  the  Trinity,  it  appears  better  to 
refer  the  terms  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  to  the  offices  which  the  Sacred 
Three  sustain  in  the  work  of  man's  re- 
demption, and  in  which  offices  the  only 
revelation  of  the  Trinity  which  we  have 
is  made.  One  of  the  persons  of  the  God- 
head, in  the  economy  of  redemption,  of- 


4U 


MATTHEW. 


[A.  D.  33. 


20  "  Teaching  tliem  to  observe    all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 

w  Ac.  2 :  42. 


fercd  to  redeem  our  fallen  race  by  taking 
upon  himself  our  finite  nature,  and,  in  his 
complex  person  of  God-man,  stooping  to 
a  condition  of  comparative  inferiority. 
But  to  whom  does  he  sustain  this  new 
relation  of  inferiority  or  subordination  ? 
Not  to  himself,  most  assuredly,  but  to 
one  or  both  of  the  other  persons  of  the 
Trinity.  In  the  light  of  revelation,  we 
know  that  this  subordination  was  to 
one  person  only,  who,  in  consequence 
of  this  official  superiority,  is  called 
Father,  and  the  person  who  stooped  to 
the  condition  of  inferiority  is  correlative- 
ly  styled  Son,  while  the  other  person  of 
the  Trinity,  from  his  office  of  Regene- 
rator and  Sanctifier  by  his  communi- 
cated influence,  is  called  Spirit.  These 
are  the  relations  brought  to  view  in  the 
word  of  God.  "Thou  art  my  Son;  this 
day  have  I  begotten  thee."  Ps.  2:1; 
Pleb.  1:5.  "I  will  be  to  him  a  Father, 
and  he  shall  be  to  me  a  Son."  Hcb.  1  : 
5.  "And  again,  when  he  bringeth  in 
the  first-begotten  into  the  world,"  &c. 
Ileb.  1  :  6.  In  all  these  great  texts, 
the  relation  of  Father  and  Son,  between 
these  two  adoral)le  persons  of  the 
Trinity,  seems  clearly  to  be  represented, 
as  commencing,  when  the  one  was  born 
of  a  woman  previously  overshadowed  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  on  which  account, 
it  is  expressly  declared  in  Luke  1  :  35, 
that  he  was  to  be  called  the  Son  of 
God.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  in 
no  instance  is  the  term  Son  applied  to 
the  second  person  in  the  Trinity,  except 
in  his  office  work  of  Messiah,  Mediator, 
King  in  Zion.  Even  here,  baptism  into 
the  covenant  of  grace,  is  designated, 
baptism  into  the  name  of  the  Father, 
So7i,  and  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  into  the 
duties  and  privileges  of  that  covenant 
of  redemption,  which  was  founded  on 
the  merciful  provisions  of  grace,  de- 
noted by  these  official  names  of  the 
persons  of  the  Trinity.  Beyond  this 
we  cannot  go.  The  mode  of  the  divine 
existence  we  cannot  fathom.  Three  in 
One,  and  One  in  Three,  is  all  we  know 
of  the  mysterious  and  awful  being  of 
God,  and  for  this  knowledge  of  tri-per- 


sonality,  we  are  probably  indebted  to 
the  revealed  offices,  which  they  respec- 
tively sustain  in  man's  redemption. 

20.  Teaching  them  (i.  e.  the  persons 
baptized)  to  observe,  &c.  It  will  be 
seen  in  the  original  Greek,  as  well  as 
in  our  common  English  version,  that 
baptizing  and  teaching  constitute  the 
means,  or  manner,  in  which  all  men 
are  to  he  discipled.  Those  who  believe 
in  Christ  are  to  be  baptized,  (unless  the 
seal  of  the  covenant  has  been  affixed 
previously  bj'  believing  parents,)  thus 
professing  their  faith  in  him,  and  their 
acknowledgment  of  him  as  their  Lord 
and  Head.  Teaching  is  also  a  part  of 
the  duty  of  the  herald  of  salvation.  Not 
only  are  men  to  be  taught  the  way  of  sal- 
vation, and  thus  be  brought  to  Christ, 
but  also  after  conversion,  they  are  to 
be  instructed  in  the  duties  and  obli- 
gations of  the  gospel,  and  prepared 
lor  usefulness  on  earth,  and  the  enjoy- 
ment of  Christ  in  heaven.  Wliatsoever 
I  have  commanded,  &c.  They  had  al- 
ready received  many  lessons  of  instruc- 
tion. These  the  Holy  Ghost  was  to 
bring  to  their  remembrance  (John  14  : 
26).  The  things  of  Christ  were  also  to 
be  shown  unto  them,  by  the  same 
great  Illuminator  (John  10  :  13-15). 
To  Paul  also  was  made  abundance  of 
revelations  (2  Cor.  12  :  •?).  Thus  the 
apostles  were  left  in  no  doubt,  as  to 
the  way  of  salvation  through  Christ, 
and  the  duties  and  obligations  involved 
in  the  Christian  profession.  But  the 
great  fundamental  principles  of  the 
gospel,  which  were  communicated  to 
them  personally  by  Christ,  or  through 
the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  have  been 
handed  down  in  the  New  Testament 
to  us,  so  that  to  the  end  of  time,  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel,  who  go  to  the  word 
of  God  for  instruction,  need  be  at  no 
loss  how  to  train  up  believers  in  the 
way  of  Christ's  commandments.  I  am 
with  you  always  (literally,  thr&mgh  all 
the  days).  This  promise  is  another  evi- 
dence of  Christ's  divinity.  His  om- 
niscience and  omnipresence  are  implied 
in  it.     He  could  not  be  with  his  people 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


415 


nianded  you  :  and,  lo,  I  am  with 


to  watch  over  and  protect  them,  unless 
he  were  every  where  present,  and  knew 
all  things  wliich  were  taking  place  at 
each  instant  of  time.  The  argument 
in  favor  of  his  divinity,  drawn  from 
such  passages,  cannot  be  evaded.  The 
end  of  the  world.  This  refers  to  the 
end  or  consummation  of  all  things, 
when  Christ  shall  appear  to  judge  the 
world.  This  passage  contains  one  of 
the  most  ample  and  gracious  promises 
ever  given  to  the  church.  The  word 
lo  or  behold,  gives  it  emphasis.  The 
pronoun  you,  refers  to  ministers  and 
teachers  in  the  church  down  to  the  end 
of  time.  To  every  one  who  enters 
Christ's  service,  with  the  aim  and  desire 
to  do  good,  these  words  are  fully  appli- 
cable. It  is  not  the  Savior  in  his  di- 
vinity only,  but  in  his  divine  and  human 
nature  united,  as  Mediator,  Intercessor, 
High  Priest,  King,  and  Head  of  the 
Church,  who  promises  to  be  thus  witti 
all  his  people.  This  promise  extends 
through  all  time.  Always,  every 
day,  hour,  and  moment,  with  uninter- 
rupted watchfulness  and  care,  will  his 
presence  be  with  his  followei's,  what- 
ever may  be  their  lot  and  condition. 
In  the  palace  and  cottage,  in  the 
abodes  of  plenty  and  of  want,  in  the 
wilderness  and  amid  the  crowded 
haunts  of  men,  wherever  on  the  wide 
earth  is  found  an  humble  believer, 
there  is  Christ  also  to  bless,  guard,  and 
defend  from  all  danger.  Nor  is  this 
gracious  promise  confined  to  any  age 
of  the  church.  Down  to  the  last  be- 
liever, who  shall  be  brought  into  the 


you   alway,  ei^'en  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.     Ameu. 


kingdom,  all  will  find  its  full  reahzation. 
Not  one  shall  be  passed  by,  not  one 
overlooked.  Glorious  and  blessed  pro- 
mise, worthy  of  closing  the  first  gospel 
written  for  the  church.  May  it  ever 
prove  both  a  ground  of  encouragement, 
amidst  the  toils  and  duties  of  the 
Christian  course,  and  an  incentive  to 
high  aims  and  efforts,  not  only  in  the 
attainment  of  personal  holiness,  but  in 
bringing  others  to  the  knowledge  and 
love  of  that  Savior,  who  died  to  redeem 
them  from  sin,  and  reinstate  them  in 
the  favor  of  God. 

This  ends  the  gospel  of  Matthew. 
The  other  Evangelists  carry  the  history 
of  our  Lord  still  farther.  In  1  Cor. 
15  :  1,  it  is  said  that  "after  this  (i.  e. 
his  appearance  in  Galilee),  he  was  seen 
of  James,  then  of  all  the  apostles." 
In  Acts  1  :  3-8,  we  are  told,  that  "  he 
was  seen  of  them  forty  days,  and  spake 
of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  God."  These  appearances  took 
place  mostly  at  or  in  the  vicinity  of 
Jerusalem,  whither  the  apostles  re- 
turned, after  they  had  enjoyed  his  pre- 
sence in  Galilee.  In  Mark"l6  :  19,  20  ; 
Luke  24  :  50-53 ;  Acts  1  :  9-12,  we  are 
told  of  his  ascension  from  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  near  Bethany,  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  angels,  of  the  return  of  the 
apostles  to  Jerusalem,  and  of  their  abi- 
ding continually  in  the  temple,  praising 
and  blessing  God.  Thus  the  gospel  nar- 
rative is  rendered  complete,  even  to  the 
very  time  of  the  ascension  of  Jesus  our 
Redeemer  to  heaven. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  GOSPEL  OF  MARK. 


There  has  been  some  doubt,  -whether  the  Evangelist  Marh  and 
John  Mark  mentioned  in  Acts,  are  one  and  the  same  person.  It  is 
most  likely  that  they  were.  As  we  are  wholly  dependent  upon  tra- 
dition for  the  name  of  the  author,  there  must  ever  remain  some 
doubt  as  to  his  precise  identity.  The  general  belief,  however,  is 
that  he  was  the  sou  of  Mary,  a  pious  woman  of  Jerusalem  (Acts  12  : 
12),  and  sister  to  Barnabas  (Col.  4  :  10).  Having  been  converted  to 
Christianity  by  Peter  (1  Pet.  5  :  lo),  he  accompanied  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas to  Antioch  on  their  first  missionary  tour  (Acts.  12  :  25).  At 
Pamphylia  (Acts  15  :  38),  he  left  them  and  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and  there  abode  most  likely  with  the  apostles.  On  this  account  he 
lost  in  a  measure  the  confidence  of  Paul,  but  was  afterwards  fully 
reconciled  to  him  (2  Tim.  4  :  11).  After  the  separation  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  which  resulted  on  his  account,  he  sailed  with  the  latter  to 
Cyprus  (Acts  15  :  39).  Some  time  after  this  he  joined  Paul  (Col. 
•4  :  10),  and  afterwards  Peter  (1  Pet.  o  :  13),  whom  he  accompanied, 
according  to  tradition,  to  Rome.  After  this,  according  to  the  Fa- 
tliers,  he  preached  in  Egypt,  and  founded  a  church  in  Alexandria, 
where  he  is  supposed  to  have  suffered  martyrdom,  about  the  eighth 
year  of  Nero's  reign.  He  wrote  his  gospel  under  the  inspection  of 
Peter,  although  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  him  a  mere  amanuensis 
of  the  apostle.  It  was  written  in  Greek,  and  published  in  A.D.  64 
or  65,  a  little  before  the  martyrdom  of  Paul  and  Peter.  According 
to  Irenasus,  however,  it  was  published  after  the  death  of  these  two 
apostles. 

The  style  of  Mark  is  peculiarly  rich  and  graphic.  He  brings  in- 
cidents before  his  reader,  in  the  most  vivid  and  lifelike  manner. 
Although  from  his  brevity,  and  close  adherence  to  the  events  in  our 
Lord's  ministry  related  by  Matthew,  he  lias  added  but  few  incidents 
to  what  we  possess  in  the  previous  gospel,  yet  he  has  retouched  the 
subjects  of  narration  with  such  a  master  hand,  that  we  read  them 
with  all  the  interest  of  a  first  perusal.  Alford  says  that  ''  Mark  re- 
lates but  few  discourses^  but  his  object  being  to  set  forth  Jesus  as 
the  Son  of  God  (1  :  1),  he  principally  dwells  on  the  events  of  his 
official  life." 

The  resemblances  and  points  of  difFerence  between  Mark  and  the 
two  other  synoptic  gospels,  will  be  more  fully  referred  to  in  the  Notes 
which  follow. 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   MARK. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE  beginning  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ, "  the  Son  of  God  ; 

2  As  it  is  written  in  the  proph- 
ets, *  ^Behold,  I  send  my  messen- 
ger before  thy  face,  which  shall 
prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 

3  '  The  voice  of  one  crying  in 
the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight. 

4  "'  John  did  baptize  in  the 
wilderness,  and  preach  the  baptism 
of  repentance,  for  the  remission 
of  sins. 

5  '  And  there  went  out  unto 
him  all   the  land  of  Judea,   and 

a  Mat.  14  :  .33 ;  Lu.  1  :  3.5 ;  Jn.  1  :  34.  6  Mai. 
3:1;  Mt.  11 :  10  ;  Lu.  7 :  2T.  c  Is.  40  :  3 ;  Mat. 
3:3;  Lu.  3  :  4  ;  Jn.  1  :  15  :  23.  cTMt.Srl; 
Lu.  3:3;  Jn.  3:23.  eMt.3:5.  /Mt.3:4. 
g  Le.  11 :  22. 


CHAPTER    I. 
1-8.  SeeNs.  on  Matt.  3:  1-12;  Luke 
3:  1-18. 

1.  The  beginning  of  the  gospel,  &c. 
This  is  the  caption  or  title  of  the  book. 
The  preaching  of  John  was  the  com- 
mencement of  tlie  gospel,  as  appears 
clearly  from  Luke  16:  16.  Mark  com- 
mences with  this,  his  object  being  to 
give  only  the  official  life  of  Jesus.  The 
word  gospel,  or  glad  tidings,  is  to  be 
taken  here  in  the  sense  of  preaching 
the  gospel.  Of  Jesus  Christ  (See  N.  on 
Matt.  1 :  1),  i.  e.  as  its  author  and  sub- 
ject (Alford).  The  Son  of  God.  This 
is  spoken  of  Jesus,  as  the  Messiah, 
God-man.     See  N.  on  Matt.  28  :  19. 

2.  As  it  is  vtritten.  Some  take  vs. 
2,  3,  independently,  but  it  is  better  to 
connect  them  in  sense  with  v.  4.  John 
did  baptize,  as  it  is  loritten,  &c.  The 
citation  is  from  two  prophets,  Isaiah 
and  Malachi.  In  the  prophets,  i.  e. 
in  the  prophetic  books  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Behold  I  send,  &c.  This 
is  a  quotation  from  Malachi  3:  1. 
In  the  original,  the  Messiah  is  repre- 
sented as  speaking,   "  he  shall  prepare 

Vol.  L— 18* 


tliey  of  Jerusalem,  and  were  all 
baptized  of  him  in  the  river  of 
Jordan,  confessing  their  sins. 

6  And  John  was  -'  clothed  with 
earners  hair,  and  with  a  girdle 
of  a  skin  about  his  loins ;  and  he 
did  eat  "  locusts  and  wild  honey ; 

7  And  preached,  saying,  ''There 
Cometh  one  mightier  than  I  after 
mc,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am 
not  worthy  to  stoop  down  and  un- 
loose. 

8  'I  indeed  have  baptized  you 
with  water :  but  he  shall  baptize 
you  ^  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

9  ^  'And  it  came  to  pass  in  those 
days,  that  Jesus  came  from 
Nazareth   of    Galilee,     and    was 

h  Mt.  3  :  11 ;  Jn.  1 :  27 ;  Ac.  13 :  25.  «  Ac.  1  : 
5,  &  11  :  16,  &  19  :  4.  A-  Is.  44  :  3  ;  Joel  2  :  2S  ; 
Ac.  2  :  4,  &  10:45,  &  11:  15, 16;  1  Co.  12;  13. 
mt.  3:13;  Lu.  3:21. 


the  way  before  me."  As  quoted  by 
Mark,  Jehovah  or  the  Father  (see  N.  on 
Matt.  28  :  19)  is  the  speaker.  The  sense 
is  not  affected  by  this  slight  change. 
The  prophecy  referred  in  direct  terms 
to  the  ibrerunner  of  the  Messiah,  and  had 
in  John  its  complete  fullilnient.  Before 
thy  face.  See  N.  on  Matt.  11  :  lo. 
\VJiich  shall  prepare,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  3:3. 

3-7.  On  this  passage  see  Ns.  on 
Matt.  3:2-11.  In  v.  7,  the  words 
latchet  of  whose  shoes,  is  added  to  the 
corresponding  words  in  Matthew.  The 
duty  of  unloosing  the  straps,  by  which 
the  sandals  were  fastened  to  the  feet, 
required  the  person  to  stoop  down,  and 
hence  it  was  regarded  as  a  menial  ser- 
vice, and  usually  assigned  to  slaves. 
John  did  not  deem  himself  worthy  of 
performing  the  most  menial  act,  to  a 
person  of  such  superior  dignity  as  the 
Messiah.  This  was  eminently  true, 
when  his  divine  nature  was  taken  into 
account,  as  it  manifestly  was  bv  John. 

8-11.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  3:11-17. 
The   words  froin   Nazareth,  in    v.    9, 


418 


CHAPTER  I. 


A.  D.  31.] 


baptized    of     John    in     Jordan. 

10  '"  And  straightway  coming 
up  out  of  the  water,  he  saw  the 
heavens  opened,  and  the  Spirit 
like  a  dove  descending  upon  him  : 

11  And  there  came  a  voice 
from  heaven,  saying,  "  Thou  art 
my  behived  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased. 

12  "And  immediately  the  Spirit 
driveth  him  into  the  wilderness. 

13  And   he   was  there  in  the 

wMt.  3  :16:  Jn.  1:32.    »iPs.  2:7;  Mt.3: 17; 
Ch.  9 :  7.    o  Mt.  4  : 1 ;  Lu.  4:1.    p  Mt.  4 :  11. 


show  that  Jesus  came  dh-ectly  from  his 
home  and  friends,  to  be  baptized  of 
John,  and  to  enter  upon  his  public 
ministry. 

12,  13.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  4:  1-11; 
Luke  4:  1-13. 

12.  Immediately  after  his  baptism. 
Driiieth  him,  i.  e.  hurried  him  on  with 
a  strong  impulse.  Mark's  language  is 
here  much  stronger  than  the  parallel 
words  in  Matthew  and  Luke,  and  is  to 
be  modified  and  interpreted  by  them. 
No  physical  agency  was  exerted  upon 
Jesus  by  Satan.  Into  the  wilder?iess. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  4:1. 

13.  Andhe  was  there,  &c.  It  appears 
from  Mark,  that  our  Lord  underwent 
the  temptations  of  Satan,  during  the 
whole  time  he  was  in  the  wilderness, 
while  from  Matt.  (4 :  3),  it  would  seem 
that  the  tempter  came  to  him,  after  the 
forty  days  were  ended.  His  mind  was 
probably  troubled,  during  the  whole 
time,  with  the  wicked  suggestions  of 
the  adversary,  but  the  great  assaults 
upon  his  integrity,  were  reserved  to  the 
close,  and  to  these  only  Matthew  refers. 
Mark  omits  the  circumstances  of  the 
temptation,  which  are  fully  narrated 
by  Matthew  and  Luke.  Tlie  wild  beasts. 
The  article  gives  to  the  expression  a 
generic  sense.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
angels,  in  the  next  clause.  This  use  of 
the  article  is  quite  common.  The  scene 
of  the  temptation  was  one  of  the  wildest 
portions  of  the  desert,  the  haunt  of 
savage  beasts.    It  was  after  the  tempta- 


wilderness  forty  days  tempted  of 
Satan ;  and  was  with  the  wild 
beasts ;  ^and  the  angels  ministered 
unto  him. 

14  ''  Now  after  that  John  was 
put  in  prison,  Jesus  came  into 
Gralilee,  '  preaching  the  gospel  of 
the  kingdom  of  God, 

15  And  saying,  'The  time  is 
fulfilled,  and  'the  kingdom  of  Grod 
is  at  hand  :  repent  ye,  and  believe 
the  gospel. 

(2  Mt.  4: 12.    r  Mt.  4  :  28.    «  Da.  9 :  25 ;  Ga.  4  : 
4;Ep.  1:10.    f  Mt.  3:  2,  &4  :  17. 

tion,  that  the  angels  ministered  unto 
him  (see  N.  on  Matt.  4:  11),  for  Luke 
expressly  says,  that  during  the  forty 
days  he  did  eat  nothing. 

14.  On  the  interval  of  time  and  the 
incidents  which  occurred  therein,  be- 
tween the  temptation  and  the  appear- 
ance of  Jesus  in  Galilee,  see  N.  on 
Matt.  4:  12.  After  that  John,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  4:  12.  Preaching  tlie  gos- 
pel, &c.     See  N.  on  Matt.  4 :  23. 

15.  Tlie  time  is  fulfilled,  i.  e.  the  time 
spoken  of  by  the  prophets,  when  the 
Messiah  was  to  appear.  The  Jews,  who 
read  with  care  the  prophecies,  espe- 
cially that  of  Daniel  (9  :  24-27),  were 
at  this  time  in  a  state  of  earnest  expec- 
tation of  the  Messiah.  Simeon  and 
Anna,  although  of  great  age,  were 
waiting  with  confident  hope,  that  they 
should  be  permitted  to  see  the  Lord's 
Christ  before  their  death  (see  Luke  2  : 
2.5-38).  It  should  be  noted  also,  that 
this  expectation  of  the  appearance  of  a 
great  personage,  was  not  confined  to 
Judea,  but  extended  over  the  civilized 
world.  The  kijigdonj,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  4  :  17.  Repent  ye.  This  was  the 
burden  of  John's  preaching.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  3 :  2.  Believe  the  gospel 
(literally,  believe  in  the  gospel),  i.  e.  be- 
lieve in  the  Messiah,  who  is  now  to  be 
preached  unto  you,  and  trust  in  him  for 
salvation.  The  word  gospel,  is  here  to 
be  taken  in  its  general  sense,  good 
tidings,  but  a  Jew  would  understand  it 
at  once,  as  referring  to  the  Messiah. 


[A.  D.  31. 


MARK. 


419 


16  "  Now  as  he  walked  by  tJie 
sea  of  Galilee,  he  saw  Simon,  and 
Andrew  his  brother  casting  a  net 
into  the  sea  :  for  they  were  fishers. 

17  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Come  ye  after  me,  and  I  will 
make  you  to  become  fishers  of 
men. 

18  And  straightway  they  for- 
sook "  their  nets,  and  followed 
him. 

19  ''  And  when  he  had  gone  a 
little  further  thence,  he  saw  James 
the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John 
his  brother,  who  also  were  in  the 
ship  mending  their  nets. 

20  And  straightway  he  called 
them  :  and  they  left  their  father 
Zebedee   in   the    ship    with    the 

u  Mat.  4  :  IS ;  Lu.  5  :  4.  x  Mat.  19 :  2T ;  Lu.  5 : 
11.    yMat.4:21.    e  Mat.  4  :  13;  Lu.4:  31. 


16-20.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  4:  18-22; 
Luke  5:  1-11.  The  expression  hired 
servants  in  v.  20,  shows  that  Zebedee 
was  a  man,  whose  means  and  business 
were  such,  that  besides  his  two  sons,  he 
had  hired  men  in  his  employ.  This 
may  throw  some  light  on  the  acquaint- 
ance of  John  with  the  high  priest  (see 
John  18:  1.5),  which  shows  that  the 
family  was  neither  poor  nor  obscure  in 
Galilee. 

21,  28.  With  these  verses,  Luke  4: 
31-37  is  parallel.  They  went  into 
Capernaum.  This  was  immediately  or 
soon  after  he  had  called  Peter,  James, 
and  John.  Straiffhtwai/.  He  went  with- 
out delay  into  the  synagogue,  as  soon 
as  the  hour  for  the  synagogue-worship 
arrived.  On  the  sabbath  day.  The 
next  sabbath  after  the  calling  of  the 
above-mentioned  disciples.  Into  the 
synagogue,  &c.     See  N.  on  Matt.  4:  23. 

22,  23.  They  were  astonished,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  7  :  28,  29.  With  an  un- 
clean spirit  (see  N.  on  Matt.  4:  24); 
literally,  in  an  unclean  spirit.  Alford 
thinks  that  this,  like  the  expressions 
in  the  Lord,  in  Christ,  expresses  the 
element  in   which  the  man  lived  and 


hired   servants,    and   went    after 
him. 

21  '  And  they  went  into  Caper- 
naum ;  and  straightway  on  the 
sabbath  day  he  entered  into  the 
synagogue,  and  taught. 

22  "  And  they  were  astonished 
at  his  doctrine :  for  he  taught 
them  as  one  that  had  authority, 
and  not  as  the  scribes. 

23  'And  there  was  in  their 
synagogue  a  man  with  an  unclean 
spirit ;   and  he  cried  out, 

24  Saying,  Let  us  alone ;  'what 
have  we  to  do  with  thee,  thou  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou  come 
to  destroy  us  ?  I  know  thee  who 
thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God. 

25  And  Jesus  ''rebuked   him, 


a  Mat.  7  :  28. 


?;Lu.4:3.3. 
d  Ver.  34. 


c  Mt.  8  :  29. 


moved,  as  possessed  and  interpene- 
trated by  the  evil  spirit.  He  cried  out. 
It  was  the  unclean  spirit  speaking 
through  the  organs  of  the  man.  Let 
us  alone.  The  translators  supplied  the 
pronoun  us,  from  the  following  clause. 
There  was  but  one  impure  spirit  in  this 
man,  but  he  spoke  as  it  were,  for  those 
who  had  entered  into  others.  So 
banded  were  they  together,  that  the 
expulsion  of  one  by  Jesus,  was  a  blow 
felt  by  all.  Wltat  have  we  to  do  with 
thee,  i.  e.  what  is  there  common  to  you 
and  us  ?  Why  should  you  interfere 
with  us?  See  N.  on  Matt".  8 :  29.  Art 
thou  come,  &c.  See  also  N.  on  Matt. 
8  :  29.  /  know  thee,  &c.  On  the  evi- 
dence, which  this  knowledge  of  our 
Savior's  true  character  furnishes,  of  the 
reality  of  demoniacal  possessions,  see 
N.  on  Matt.  8 :  29.  Tlie  Holy  One  of 
God,  i.  e.  the  Messiah.  See  Luke 
1:35. 

25.  Jesus  rebuked  him,  i.  e.  the  evil 
spirit.  This  again  shows  that  it  was 
not  a  mere  disease  with  which  the  man 
was  afflicted.  Diseases  are  not  com- 
manded to  hold  their  peace,  nor  do  they 
give  the  diseased  person    supernatural 


420 


CHAPTER  I. 


saying,  Hold  thy  peace,  and  come 
out  of  him. 

26  And  when  the  unclean  spirit 
*had  torn  him,  and  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  he  came  out  of  him. 

27  And  they  were  all  amazed, 
insomuch  that  they  questioned 
among  themselves,  saying,  What 
thing  is  this  ?  what  new  doctrine 
is  this  ?  for  with  authority  com- 
maudeth  he  even  the  unclean 
spirits,  and  they  do  obey  him. 

28  And  immediately  his  fame 
spread  abroad  throughout  all  the 
region  round  about  Galilee. 

e  Ch.  9 :  20. 

knowledge,  nor  do  they  utter  the  cry 
of  rage  and  despair,  when  they  leave 
him.  On  the  general  subject  of  de- 
moniacal possession,  see  N.  on  Matt. 
4:  23. 

26.  And  when  the  unclean  spirit  had 
torn  him.  The  literal  translation  would 
here  be  better,  and  the  iinclean  spirit 
having  thrown  him  into  spastns  or  cotivul- 
sions.  He  was  obliged  to  obey  the  potent 
voice  of  Jesus,  but  in  doing  so,  inflicted 
all  the  evil  he  could  upon  the  miser- 
able man,  whom  he  possessed.  Cried 
icith  a  loud  voice.  The  spasm  or  con- 
vulsion was  attended  with  a  loud  shriek 
of  rage,  which,  through  the  organs  of 
the  man,  he  uttered  as  he  came  out. 

27.  TItey  were  all  amazed.  This  ex- 
pulsion of  the  demon  took  place  in  the 
synagogue,  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
people.  They  saw  the  man,  and  heard 
the  voice  of  the  demon,  and  also  the 
tone  of  authority,  with  which  Jesus 
commanded  him  to  come  out.  All  this 
was  so  new  and  strange,  that  they 
openly  expressed  their  amazement. 
What  new  doctrine  (i.  e.  kind  of  teach- 
ing) is  this  ?  The  ground  of  their  in- 
quiry is  contained  in  the  following 
clause  :  for  with  authority  (i.  e.  as  one 
having  power  self-derived  and  inde- 
pendent) cominandeth  he  (the  teacher) 
even  the  unclean  spirits,  and  they  do 
obey    him.     They  reasoned    correctly, 


A.  D.  Rl.] 

29  '"And  forthwith,  when  they 
were  come  out  of  the  synagogue, 
they  entered  into  the  house  of 
Simon  and  Andrew,  with  James 
and  John. 

30  But  Simon's  wife's  mother 
lay  sick  of  a  fever;  and  anon 
they  tell  him  of  her. 

31  And  he  came  and  took  her 
by  the  hand,  and  lifted  her  up ; 
and  immediately  the  fever  left 
her,  and  she  ministered  unto 
them. 

32  ^  And  at  even,  when  the  sun 
did   set,   they   brought  unto  him 

/Mat.  8:14;   Lu.  4  :  38. 
CMat.  S:  16;  Lu.  4:  40. 


that  a  person  who  could  expel  such 
mighty  and  malignant  demons,  must 
be  a  teacher  also  of  extraordinary 
doctrines.  This  miracle,  therefore,  in- 
creased the  astonishment,  which  they 
had  previously  (v.  22)  felt  at  his  doc- 
trine. These  questions  are  to  be  re- 
garded, as  expressive  of  admiration 
rather  than  interrogation. 

28.  His  fame  spread,  kc.  The  strange 
news  was  spread  through  the  whole 
region.  It  formed  the  la-incipal  theme 
of  conversation  and  reflection.  Many 
began  to  hope  that  the  Messiah  had 
come  to  save  his  people  from  the  Ro- 
man yoke,  which  pressed  so  heavily 
upon  them.  There  were  some,  doubtless, 
who  connected  with  his  temporal  reign 
many  spiritual  blessings,  and  a  general 
restoration  of  the  pure  and  heavenly 
precepts  of  religion,  which  were  then 
covered  up  beneath  cumbrous  and  un- 
meaning ceremonial  rites  and  obser- 
vances. The  stupendous  miracle,  which 
had  turned  all  eyes  upon  Jesus,  awak- 
ened also  the  hostility  of  the  scribes 
and  priests,  for  Jesus  paid  them  no 
homage,  and  his  teachings  from  the 
very  outset,  were  diametrically  opposed 
to  their  vain  traditions  and  hypocritical 
pretensions. 

29-34.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  8  :  14-17  ; 
Luke  4  :  38-41. 

32.  At  even,  &c.     The  Jewish   sab- 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


421 


all  that  were  diseased,  and  tbem 
that  were  possessed  with  devils. 

33  And  all  the  city  was  gather- 
e  1  together  at  the  door. 

34  And  he  healed  many  that 
were  sick  of  divei-s  diseases,  and 
cast  out  many  devils ;  and  ^suifei"- 
ed  not  the  devils  to  speak,  because 
they  knew  him. 

35  And  '  in  the  morning,  rising 

'  A  Ch.  3 :  12 ;  Lu.  4:  41 ;  see  Acts  16,  17, 18. 


bath  ended  at  sunset.  All  that  were 
diseased.  Luke ;  "  sick  with  divers 
diseases."  See  also  v.  34.  Upon  these 
he  laid  his  hand  (Luke  4 :  40),  as  a  vis- 
ible connection  of  his  power  to  heal, 
with  the  effect  which  followed.  See 
N.  on  Matthew  8  :  3.  Arid  all  the  city, 
&c.  A  very  common  hyperbole,  mean- 
ing that  a  great  many  people  of  the 
city  were  thus  assembled.  At  the  door 
of  Peter's  house.  He  healed  many. 
This  does  not  imply  that  he  did  not  heal 
all  the  sick  who  were  brought  to  him. 
He  healed  all,  and  they  were  many. 
Thus  there  is  no  disagreement  of  Mark 
with  Matthew,  who  says,  "  he  healed 
all  who  were  sick."  Ajid  suffered  not, 
&c.  The  reason  is  given  in  the  next 
clause,  because  they  knew  him.  The 
time  had  not  yet  come  for  the  open 
ptoclamation  of  him  as  Messiah.  Had 
it  been  done,  the  jealousy  and  hostili- 
ty of  the  priests  and  rulers  would 
have  been  so  excited,  as  to  in- 
terfere at  once  with  his  labors.  We 
see  how  this  was  done  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  ministry,  when  he  made  more 
open  avowals  of  his  office  and  char- 
acter. The  rage  of  these  wicked  men 
was  so  excited,  that  he  was  shortly 
after  apprehended  and  put  to  death.  It 
is  worthy  of  note,  that  these  demons 
not  only  recognized  and  acknowledged 
his  Messiahship,  but  at  his  command 
came  forth  in  silence,  thus  showing  con- 
clusively, that  they  were  not,  as  some 
assert,  mere  personifications  of  diseases. 

35-39.     See  Luke  4 :  42-44. 

35.  In  the  morning,  &c.  literally,  very 
early  (but)  yet  in  the  night.  It  was  just 
as  the  day  began  to  break,  while  the 
shades  of  night  yet  rested  upon  the 


up  a  great  while  before  day,  he 
went  out,  and  departed  into  a  so- 
litary place,  and  there  prayed. 

36  And  Simon  and  they  that 
were  with  him  followed  after 
him. 

37  And  when  they  had  found 
him,  they  said  unto  him,  All 
men  seek  for  thee. 

38  And   he    said   unto    them, 


earth.  So  Luke :  "  and  when  it  was 
day."  Into  a  solitary  place.  He  would 
there  be  less  liable  to  interruption.  We 
have  here  the  example  of  our  Lord,  to 
make  prayer  the  first  duty  of  the  day, 
and  to  secure  a  place  of  as  much  pri- 
vacy as  possible,  in  order  that  freedom 
and  fervor  of  devotion  may  not  be 
checked,  through  fear  of  being  over- 
heard or  interrupted.  Barnes  well  re- 
marks :  "If  Jesus  prayed,  how  much 
more  important  is  it  for  us !  If  he  did 
it  in  the  morning,  how  much  more  im- 
portant is  it  for  MS,  before  the  world 
gets  possession  of  our  thoughts,  before 
Satan  tills  us  with  unholy  feelings." 

36.  Tliey  that  were  with  him,  i.  e. 
Andrew,  James,  and  John.  Folloiced 
after  him.  The  verb  here  signifies  to 
folloio  hard  after,  with  the  desire  of 
finding.  The  disciples  had  found  such 
enjoyment  in  his  society,  that  they 
could  not  endure  his  absence,  and  find- 
ing when  they  arose  in  the  morning, 
that  he  had  left  the  house,  they  sally 
forth  to  seek  him. 

37.  M^en  they  had  found  him.  He 
had  selected  a  place  of  such  privacy, 
that  they  evidently  had  to  make  no  lit- 
tle search  to  find  him.  All  men  seek  for 
thee,  i.  e.  are  anxious  for  thy  re- 
turn. This  was  said  to  induce  him  to 
return  to  the  house,  and  resume  his 
discourses  and  miraculous  cures.  Luke 
says,  "  the  people  sought  him,  and 
came  unto  him,  and  stayed  him,  that 
he  should  not  depart  from  them." 
They  either  followed  the  disciples,  on 
their  search  for  Jesus,  or  Peter  and  his 
companions  spoke  in  their  name.  The 
former  is  the  more  likely  conjecture. 

38.  Let  us  go  into  t/ie  next  towns,  i.  e. 


422 


MARK. 


[A.D.31. 


*  Let  us  go  into  the  next  towns, 
that  I  may  preach  there  also  :  for 
'  therefore  came  I  forth. 

39  '"  And  he  preached  in  their 
synagogues  throughout  all  Galilee, 
and  cast  out  devils. 

40  ^  "And  there  came  a  leper  to 
him,  beseeching  him,  and  kneeling 
down  to  him,  and  saying  unto 
him,  If  thou  wilt,  thou  canst 
make  me  clean. 

*  A  Lu.  4  ;  43.    i  Is.  61 : 1 ;  Jn.  16  :  28,  &  17  :  4. 


into  the  neighboring  villages.  These 
towns  were  places  of  a  size  between  a 
city  and  village,  mostly  unwalled,  of 
which  Josephus  says  there  were  many 
in  Galilee.  That  I  may  preach  there  also. 
The  gospel  was  provided  for  all,  and 
was,  therefore,  to  be  preached  to  all. 
Our  Savior  could  not  tarry  long  at  one 
place,  for  with  all  his  zeal  and  diligence, 
he  found  himself  unable  to  visit  person- 
ally all  the  towns  and  villages,  and  was 
obliged  to  send  forth  his  disciples,  first 
the  Twelve,  and  afterwards  the  Seventy. 
For  therefore,  i.  e.  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel. This  was  his  great  business.  He 
had  a  mission  to  fulfill,  and  he  rested 
not  until  it  was  accomplished.  Came  I 
forth  from  God.  It  is  not  likely,  that 
these  words  in  their  high  and  solemn 
sense,  were  at  that  time  understood  by 
the  disciples.  In  respect  to  this  whole 
clause,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  it 
does  not  teach,  that  the  only  object  for 
which  Christ  came  from  above,  was  sim- 
ply to  preach  the  gospel.  He  came  to  suf- 
fer and  die  for  the  sin  of  the  world.  But 
the  gospel,  in  its  offer  of  salvation  to 
all  who  believe  in  Jesus,  is  founded 
upon  his  atoning  death,  so  that  in  pro- 
viding and  preaching  the  gospel,  is  im- 
plied the  great  work  of  the  atonement 
on  which  it  rests.  In  this  comprehen- 
sive sense,  the  gospel  is  frequently  to 
be  taken. 

39.  In  their  synagogues.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  4  :  23.  In  the  early  part  of  his 
ministry,  our  Lord  preached  mostly  in 
the  synagogues.  Afterwards,  when  the 
people  followed  him  from  place  to 
place  by  thousands,  he  was  obliged  to 


41  And  Jesus,  moved  with 
compassion,  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  touched  him,  and  saith  unto 
him,  I  will ;  be  thou  clean. 

42  And  as  soon  as  he  had  spo- 
ken, immediately  the  leprosy  de- 
parted from  him,  and  he  was 
cleansed. 

43  And  he  straitly  charged  him, 
and  forthwith  sent  him  away  ; 

OTMat4:23;Lu.4:44.    TiMt.  8:2;  Lu.  5: 12. 

address  them  in  the  open  air,  from  a 
ship  anchored  near  the  shore,  or  from 
some  eminence,  where  he  could  be  seen 
and  heard  by  all.  All  Galilee.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  2  :  22.  Cast  out  devils. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  4  :  24. 

40-44.  See  N.  on  Matt.  8  :  4,  also 
Luke  5  :  12-16.  The  account  of  this 
healing  of  the  leper,  is  more  full  and 
circumstantial  in  Mark  and  Luke  than 
in  Matthew. 

40-45.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  8:2-4; 
Luke  5  :  12-16. 

40,  41.  Beseeching  him,  &c.  His  im- 
portunity and  suppliant  posture  show 
the  depth  and  intensity  of  his  desire  to 
be  healed,  and  his  confidence  in  the 
power  of  Jesus  to  do  it.  Moved  with 
compassion.     See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  36. 

42.  As  soon  as  he  had  spoken,  &c. 
The  loathsome  signs  of  leprosy,  at  the 
word  of  Jesus,  instantaneously  disap- 
peared from  the  leper,  and  he  rejoiced 
in  the  conscious  possession  of  perfect 
health.  What  a  change  !  Well  has 
this  incident  been  selected  as  a  type  of 
the  loathsome  disease  of  sin,  and  the 
power  of  Jesus'  blood  to  wash  it  away, 
when  the  penitent  sinner  applies  to 
Him  for  pardon  and  remission  of  sin. 

43.  And  he  straitly  charged,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  9  :  30.  Forthwith  sent  him 
away.  It  was  very  desirable  to  obtain 
the  priest's  certificate  to  his  being 
cleansed,  before  the  news  reached  him 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  cure  was 
effected.  Hence  our  Lord  sent  him 
forthwith  to  Jerusalem,  without  per- 
mitting him  to  tarry  in  his  town,  as  he 
would  naturally  wish  to  do,  in  order  to 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


423 


44  And  saith  unto  him,  See 
thou  say  nothing  to  any  man  ; 
but  go  thy  way,  shew  thyself  to 
the  priest,  and  offer  for  thy  cleans- 
ing those  things  "  which  Moses 
commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto 
them. 

45  ''  But  he  went  out,  and  be- 
gan to  publish  it  much,  and  to 
blaze  abroad  the  matter,  insomuch 
that  Jesus  could  no  more  openly 

o  Le.  14 :  8,  4, 10  ;  Lu.  5  :  14.    2^  Lu.  5  :  15. 

receive  the  congratulations  of  his 
friends,  on  his  sudden  and  wonderful 
cure.  See  N.  on  Matt.  8  :  4.  For  the 
cleansing,  i.  e.  for  the  sake  of  accom- 
plishing the  ceremonial  purification. 
The  man  was  not  ceremonially  clean, 
until  the  priest  had  declared  him  to  be 
so,  and  had  made  an  atonement  for  him 
as  prescribed  in  Levit.  14  :  4,  10-20. 

45.  He  went  out,  i.  e.  he  left  the 
place  where  the  cure  had  been  effected. 
He  may  have  been  cured  in  a  house  or 
in  the  city,  but  nothing  definite  can  be 
obtained  from  the  words  he  loent  out,  ex- 
cept that  he  left  the  place,  where  the 
miracle  was  wrought.  Began  to  pub- 
lish it  much,  &c.  His  joy  was  so  ex- 
cessive, that  he  could  not  refrain  from 
telling  others  of  his  marvellous  cure. 
In  this  he  disobeyed  Jesus.  He  was 
strictly  charged  to  say  nothing  to  any 
man.  He  ought  to  have  obeyed  this 
command.  Yet,  doubtless,  his  offence, 
which  resulted  from  his  uncontrollable 
joy,  rather  than  from  a  disobedient 
spirit,  was  forgiven  by  his  compas- 
sionate Savior.  To  blaze  abroad,  i.  e. 
to  publicly  proclaim.  He  did  not  con- 
fine the  recital  of  his  cure  to  his  friends, 
but  told  it  through  the  whole  country, 
and  bid  every  diseased  and  afflicted 
person  go  to  Jesus.  The  matter,  i.  e. 
the  account  of  his  healing.  Insonnich 
that  Jesus,  &c.  The  whole  country  was 
excited  by  the  story  of  the  leper.  Mul- 
titudes came  to  Jesus,  bringing  their 
sick  and  infirm.  With  such  numbers 
in  his  train,  had  he  entered  any  city  or 
town,  he  would  have  been  arrested  as  a 
seditious  person.  Nor  could  any  town  or 
village  have  received  so  great  a  multi- 


enter    into  the     city,    but     was 

without    in  desert    places  :    ^  and 

they    came  to    him    from    every 
quarter. 

CHAPTER  II. 

AND  again  "  he  entered  into 
Capernaum  after  so7ne  days; 
and  it  was  noised  that  he  was  in 
the  house. 

qCh.2: 13.    a  Mt.  9  : 1  ;  Lu.  5  :  18. 


tude, without  seriously  incommoding  the 
inhabitants.  For  this  reason  he  resorted 
to  desert  places  without  the  city,  whi- 
ther the  people  flocked  to  him  from 
every  quarter.  Luke  says,  "  he  with- 
drew himself  into  the  wilderness  and 
prayed,"  where  the  original  Greek  is 
very  emphatic,  he  was  withdrawing  hitn- 
self  and  ■praying,  referring  to  his  habit 
of  secret  devotion.  There  was  such 
general  excitement  among  the  people, 
and  such  attention  given  to  the  preached 
word,  that  Jesus  spent  much  time, 
which  others  would  have  given  to  re* 
pose,  in  fervent,  importunate  prayer, 
that  the  gospel  might  prove  a  means  of 
spiritual  life  to  those  who  heard  it. 

CHAP.  II. 

1-12.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  9:2-8; 
Luke  5  :  1*7-26.  In  the  account  of 
the  healing  of  the  paralytic,  Mark  enters 
the  fullest,  and  Matthew,  the  least  into 
particulars. 

1.  Again  he  entered,  &c.  He  had 
previously  visited  Capernaum,  after 
the  caUing  of  Peter,  James,  and  John 
(see  1-21).  After  some  days ;  literally, 
through  days,  i.  e.  some  days  having  in- 
tervened. It  was  noised.  Although 
he  came  in  a  private  and  unostentatious 
manner,  such  was  the  general  interest 
excited  by  his  miracles  and  teaching, 
that  his  coming  was  soon  known 
throughout  the  city.  In  the  house,  or 
as  we  say,  within  doors,  the  article 
being  generic,  although  some  refer  it 
to  the  house  in  which  he  stopped, 
while  on  his  former  visit.  The  Greek 
construction  is  equivalent  to,  he  had 
gone  into  the  house  and  was  there. 


424 


MAKK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


2  And  straightway  many  were 
gathered  together,  insomuch  that 
there  was  no  room  to  receive 
them,  no,  not  so  much  as  about 
the  door :  and  he  preached  the 
word  unto  them. 

3  And  they  come  unto  him, 
bringing  one  sick  of  the  palsy, 
which  was  borne  of  four. 

4  And  when  they  could  not 
come  nigh  unto  him  for  the  press, 

2.  And  straightwa;/.  This  is  a  fiivor- 
ite  expression  of  Mark,  the  original 
Gi-eek  adverb  occurring  in  the  first 
chapter  no  less  than  ten  times.  Inso- 
much that  there  was  no  room,  &c.  The 
house  and  all  the  avenues  to  it,  were 
crowded  with  a  dense  mass  of  persons. 
And  he  preached,  &c.  He  doubtless 
took  some  position,  where  he  could  be 
heard  by  the  greatest  number.  The 
word,  i.  e.  the  doctrines  and  precepts 
of  the  gospel.  Its  more  simple  ele- 
ments, such  as  the  spirituality  of  God's 
law,  the  inefficacy  of  rites  and  cere- 
monies to  purify  the  heart,  the  neces- 
sity of  repentance,  and  a  radical  refor- 
mation of  life,  and  the  nature  of  the 
Messianic  reign,  were  the  themes  doubt- 
less descanted  upon. 

3,  4,  Which  was  borne  of  four.  It 
shows  his  utter  helplessness,  that  he 
was  carried  in  a  couch  or  litter  upon 
the  shoulders  of  men.  For  the  press  ; 
literally,  on  account  of  the  throng  or 
crowd,  which  choked  up  the  entrance  to 
the  house.  They  zcncovered  the  roof. 
Some  think  that  having  ascended  a 
neighboring  house,  and  passed  along 
upon  the  continuous  roofs  (see  N.  on 
Matt.  24  :  17),  until  they  reached  that 
of  the  house  where  Jesus  was,  the 
bearers  of  the  litter  tore  off  the  tiles  or 
roofing,  in  the  place  under  which  they 
knew  Jesus  to  be.  Others  suppose  that 
the  awning  or  covering,  drawn  over  the 
open  area  (see  N.  on  Matt.  26  :  58),  to 
exclude  the  heat  of  the  sun,  or  rain  and 
snow,  when  large  companies  were  re- 
ceived into  the  court,  was  removed, 
and  that  the  railing  or  balustrade, 
which  was  required  by  the  law  of  Moses 


they  uncovered  the  roof  where  he 
was  :  and  when  they  had  broken 
it  up,  they  let  down  the  bed 
wherein  the  sick  of  the  palsy  lay. 

5  When  Jesus  saw  their  faith, 
he  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy, 
Son,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee. 

6  But  there  were  certain  of 
the  scribes  sitting  there,  and 
reasoning  in  their  hearts, 

7  \\  hy   doth    this   man   thus 

(Dent.  22  :  8)  to  be  placed  around  this 
aperture,  to  prevent  persons  from  fall- 
ing, was  broken  down,  so  that  the 
couch  could  be  let  down  into  the  open 
court  or  area,  where  Jesus  was  supposed 
to  be.  The  words,  they  uncQmred  the 
roof  (literally,  they  unroofed  or  dug 
through  the  roof),  seem  to  confirm  the 
former  of  these  explanations  (see  also 
Luke  5  :  19),  yet  if  they  can  be  applied 
(which  is  very  doubtful)  to  the  remov- 
ing of  the  awning  and  railing  above  re- 
ferred to,  the  latter  explanation,  which 
in  every  other  respect  is  to  be  preferred, 
is  the  true  one.  The  interpretation, 
which  refers  it  to  a  trap  door  which 
was  taken  up,  is  wholly  inadmissible,  in- 
asmuch as  other  terms  than  those  here 
used,  would  have  been  chosen  to  ex- 
press the  act.  Let  down  (i.  e.  lowered) 
the  bed,  by  means  of  ropes  fastened  to 
the  poles  of  the  litter,  on  which  the 
paralytic  had  been  brought. 

5,  6.  Saiu  their  faith  manifested  in 
such  great  pains  to  bring  to  him  the 
sick  man.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  2.  Cer- 
tain of  the  scribes.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  : 
3.  Sitting  there.  They  had  taken  a 
position  near  to  Jesus,  in  order  to  watch 
narrowly  all  that  he  did  or  said.  From 
the  very  first,  they  were  his  malignant 
critics  and  opposers. 

7.  miy  doth  this  man.  The  word 
man,  is  not  in  the  original,  and  the 
pronoun  is  used  in  the  way  of  contempt, 
as  in  Matt.  26  :  Gl,  on  which  see  Note. 
This  shows  their  envy  and  hatred,  ex- 
cited probably  at  first  by  the  little  de- 
ference paid  them  by  Jesus,  and  strength- 
ened by  his  doctrines  and  teachings, 
which  were  the  very  opposite  of  theirs. 


A.  D.31.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


425 


speak  blasphemies  ?  *who  can  for- 
give sins  but  God  only  ? 

8  And  immediately,  ■■  when  Je- 
sus perceived  in  his  spirit  that 
they  so  reasoned  within  them- 
selves, he  said  unto  them,  Why 
reason  ye  these  things  in  your 
hearts  ? 

9  ''  Whether  is  it  easier,  to  say 
to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Thy  sins 
be  forgiven  thee ;  or  to  say, 
Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed,  and 
walk  ? 

10  But  that  ye  may  know  that 
the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on 
earth  to  forgive  sins,  (he  saith  to 
the  sick  of  the  palsy,) 

111  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  and 

6  Job  14:  4;  Is.  43:25.      cMt.9:4. 
d  Mt.  9  :  5. 

Who  can.  forgive  sins,  &c.  The  idea 
implied  in  tliis  question  was  correct. 
No  one  but  God  has  power  to  forgive 
sin.  For  any  created  being  to  pretend 
to  do  this  in  his  own  name,  would  be 
blasphemy  of  the  worst  Ivind.  But  their 
error  consisted  in  not  discerning  the 
true  character  of  the  Messiah  as  God- 
man,  and  acknowledging  the  claim  of 
Jesus  to  that  office,  supported  as  it 
was  with  such  indubitable  miraculous 
powers. 

8.  Perceived  in  his  spirit.  This  is  not 
to  be  referred  to  the  illumination  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  a  mere  man  might 
receive,  but  to  our  Lord  as  God-man, 
possessing  a  divine  and  human  nature. 
To  this  complex  person  belonged  the 
attribute  of  omniscience,  and  hence  he 
knew  the  secret  thoughts  and  reason- 
ings of  these  wicked  scribes,  as  here 
affirmed.  This  text  is  therefore  very 
properly  referred  to,  in  proof  of  the 
divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  With- 
iyi  themselves.  "In  their  hearts"  (v.  6), 
and  so  in  the  latter  part  of  this  verse. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  4.  Tliese  things, 
called  in  Matthew,  evil,  inasmuch  as 
these  thoughts  arose  from  wicked,  en- 
vious, and  unbelieving  hearts.  9-lL 
See  Ns.  on  Matt.  9  :  5,  6. 


take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  thy  way 
into  thine  house. 

12  And  immediately  he  arose, 
took  up  the  bed,  and  went  forth 
before  them  all ;  insomuch  that 
they  were  all  amazed,  and  glorified 
God,  saying.  We  never  saw  it  on 
this  fashion. 

13  'And  he  went  forth  again 
by  the  sea  side  ;  and  all  the  mul- 
titude resorted  unto  him,  and  he 
taught  them. 

1-4  ■'  And  as  he  passed  by,  he 
saw  Levi  the  son  of  Alpheus  sit- 
ting at  the  receipt  of  custom,  and 
said  unto  him,  Follow  me.  And 
he  arose  and  followed  him. 

15   ^  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 

eMt.  9:9.  /Mt9:9;  Lu.5:2T.    gUt9:W. 


12.  Before  them  all,  i.  e.  in  the  pre- 
sence or  sight  of  them  all.  We  never  saw 
it  on  thisfashioti  (literally,  thus),  i.  e.  we 
never  saw  the  like  of  this. 

13,  14.  See  Matt.  9:9;  Luke  5  :  27, 
28.  Went  forth  again  (see  1:16)  by 
the  sea  side.  As  no  house  could  con- 
tain the  vast  numbers  who  came  to  him 
for  instruction,  he  resorted  to  the  lake 
shore,  as  a  quiet  and  convenient  place 
for  addressing  them.  All  the  multitude, 
who  had  gathered  in  and  around  the 
house,  where  the  paralytic  was  healed. 
He  taugJtt  them.  This  must  have  been 
near  the  close  of  the  day,  and  when  he 
had  became  fatigued  with  his  arduous 
and  incessant  labor.  But  he  did  not 
intermit  his  efforts  to  instruct  the  mid- 
titude,  who  thronged  around  him.  Aiid 
as  he  passed  by.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  9. 
This  was  on  his  way  to  the  lake  shore. 
The  son  of  Alpheus,  not  the  person  of 
that  name  spoken  of  in  Matt.  10  :  3,  as 
the  father  of  James  the  Less. 

1.5-22.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  9  :  10-17  ; 
Luke  5  :  29-39.  The  feast  was  given 
by  Levi  (see  Luke  5  :  29),  and  is  trans- 
ferred by  Mark  and  Luke  to  the  time 
of  his  call,  although  it  did  not  take 
place  till  some  mouths  after.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  9  :  10. 


426 


MARK. 


[A.D.  31. 


as  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  his  house, 
many  publicans  and  sinners  sat 
also  together  with  Jesus  and  his 
disciples ;  for  there  were  many, 
and  they  followed  him. 

16  And  when  the  scribes  and 
Phaiisees  saw  him  eat  with  pub- 
licans and  sinners,  they  said  unto 
his  disciples,  How  is  it  that  he 
eateth  and  drinketh  with  publicans 
and  sinners  ? 

17  When  Jesus  heard  it,  he 
saith  unto  them,  *  They  that  are 
whole  have  no  need  of  the  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick  :  I 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners,  to  repentance. 

18  'And  the  disciples  of  John 
and  of  the  Pharisees  used  to  fast : 
and  they  come,  and  say  unto  him. 
Why  do   the   disciples   of   John 

A  Mt.  9  :  12, 13;  Ln.  5 :  31, 82;  1  Ti.  1 :  15. 


15.  Sat  at  meai ;  literally,  vms  recli- 
ning at  table.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  10. 
I7i  his  house,  1.  e.  Levi's  house.  The 
pronoun  can  be  easily  referred  to  him 
from  the  preceding  verse,  and  we  have 
also  the  direct  testimony  of  Luke  (5  : 
29).  It  is  strange  that  Meyer  should 
interpret  it,  as  our  Lord's  own  house. 
The  change  of  subjects  in  the  pronouns, 
as  Alford  remarks,  is  no  uncommon 
thing.  See  Luke  19:3,  where  Meyer, 
to  be  consistent,  ought  to  refer  the 
words,"  because  he  was  little  of  stature," 
to  the  Lord.  Many  publicans  (see  N. 
on  Matt.  9  :  10).  The  presence  of  so 
many  of  this  class  may  be  accounted  for 
in  the  fact,  that  Levi  himself  had  been 
a  publican.  It  would  seem  also  from 
the  next  cXoMse,  for  there  icere  many  and 
tlicy  followed  him  (i.  e.  Jesus),  that  the 
publicans  also  had  attended  upon  the 
preaching  of  Jesus,  and  had  followed 
liim  from  place  to  place,  for  it  is  absurd 
to  refer  the  last  words  to  following 
him  into  the  house. 

16,  17.  These  verses  differ  but  little 


and  of  the  Pharisees  fast,  but  thy 
disciples  fast  not  ? 

19  And  Jesus  said  unto  them. 
Can  the  children  of  the  bride- 
chamber  fast,  while  the  bridegroom 
is  with  them  ?  As  long  as  they 
have  the  bridegroom  with  them, 
they  cannot  fast. 

20  But  the  days  will  come, 
when  the  bridegroom  shall  be 
taken  away  from  them,  and  then 
shall  they  fast  in  those  days. 

21  No  man  also  seweth  a  piece 
of  new  cloth  on  an  old  garment : 
else  the  new  piece  that  filled  it 
up  taketh  away  from  the  old,  and 
the  rent  is  made  worse. 

22  And  no  man  putteth  new 
wine  into  old  bottles :  else  the 
new  wine  doth  burst  the  bottles, 
and  the  wine  is  spilled,  and  the 
bottles  will  be  marred  :  but  new 

i  Mt.  9  :  14  ;  Lu.  5  :  33. 

from   Matt.   9  :  11-13,   on  which  see 

Notes. 

18.  The  disciples  of  John,  &c.  In 
view  of  the  low  state  of  religion  through- 
out the  nation.  John,  who  was  himself 
an  austere  reformer  and  ascetic,  im- 
posed upon  his  disciples  the  duty  of 
frequent  fostings.  The  Pharisees  also, 
from  far  different  motives,  fasted  often 
(see  Luke  18  :  12),  and  taught  their 
disciples  thus  to  do  (Luke  5  :  33).  Used 
to  fast ;  literally,  icere  fasting,  which 
may  refer  to  their  keeping  a  fast,  at 
that  particular  time,  but  more  probably 
their  practice  or  custom.  They  come. 
In  Matthew,  "  the  disciples  of  John," 
on  which  see  Note.  Probably  at  or 
near  the  same  time,  the  question  was 
proposed  to  him  by  both  these  classes 
of  disciples. 

19-22.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  15-17. 
The  words  in  v.  19,  as  long  as  they  have, 
&c.  are  found  only  in  Mark,  which  shows 
that  he  was  not,  as  some  think,  a  mere 
abridger  of  previously  written  gospels. 

23-28.     See  Ns.  on  Matt.  12  :  1-8  ; 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


427 


wine  must  be  put  into  new  bottles.  ! 

23  ^  ^  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  ' 
he  went   through  the   corn  fields 
on  the  sabbath  day ;  and  his  dis- 
ciples   began,    as  they   went,    'to 
pluck  the  ears  of  corn. 

24  And  the  Pharisees  said  unto 
him,  Behold,  why  do  they  on  the 
sabbath  day  that  which  is  not 
lawful  ? 

25  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Have  ye  never  read  '"  what  David 
did,  when  he  had  need,  and  was 

k  Mt.  12 : 1 ;  Lii.  6:1.    I  De.  23 :  25. 


Luke  6  :  1-5.  The  accounts  of  the  in- 
cident here  related,  agree  essentially, 
but  have  such  minor  points  of  difference, 
as  to  show  that  tlie  writers  were  wholly 
independent  of  one  another. 

26.  /w  the  days  of  Abiathar,  &c.  He 
was  the  son  of  Ahimelech,  and  was  the 
only  one  who  escaped  the  massacre  of 
his  family  by  Saul.  He  so  soon  succeed- 
ed his  father  to  the  high  priesthood, 
and  was  so  well  known  as  the  compan- 
ion of  the  fortunes  of  David,  that  Mark 
refers  to  this  incident,  as  happening  in 
his  day.  There  is  no  discrepancy  be- 
tween his  account  and  the  facts,  as  they 
are  related  in  the  Old  Testament. 

27.  The  sabbath  was  made,  &c.  The 
institution  of  the  sabbath  was  not  an 
arbitrary  arrangement,  having  no  re- 
ference to  the  wants  and  conditions  of 
man.  It  was  designed  to  promote  his 
temporal  and  spiritual  welfare,  and  was 
suited  both  to  his  moral  and  physical 
necessities.  It  was  made  for  him,  in 
order  that  he  might  have  time  and  op- 
portunity to  meditate  upon  his  relations 
to  God,  and  to  prepare  for  happiness  in 
the  world  to  come.  It  was  made  for 
him,  as  a  social  being,  in  order  that  he 
might  cultivate  those  kindly  feelings, 
which  the  socialities  of  religious  wor- 
ship inspire.  It  was  made  for  him,  as 
possessing  a  body  requiring  rest  and  re- 
laxation from  daily  toil,  and  receiving 
no  small  benefit  from  the  habits  of 
cleanliness  and  external  neatness,  which 
characterize  the  community  on  the  sab- 


ahungered,  he,  and  they  that  were 
with  him  ? 

26  How  he  went  into  the  house 
of  God  in  the  days  of  Abiathar 
the  high  priest,  and  did  eat  the 
shewbread,  "  which  is  not  lawful 
to  eat  but  for  the  priests,  and 
gave  also  to  them  which  were  with 
him  ? 

27  And  he  said  unto  them.  The 
sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and 
not  man  for  the  sabbath  : 

m  1  Sa.  21 :  6.     n  Ex.  29  :  32,  .53 ;  Le.  24 :  9. 

bath  day.  Whoever  then  desecrates 
this  day  by  devoting  its  hours  to  labor 
or  amusement,  violates  the  laws  of  his 
own  moral  and  physical  being,  as  well 
as  the  divine  law  by  which  the  Sabbath 
was  ordained. 

The  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  not 
for  the  Jewish  nation  only,  or  any  sin- 
gle branch  of  the  human  family,  but  for 
maw,  in  the  most  extensive  sense  of  the 
term,  for  man  as  he  has  existed  from 
Adam  to  the  present  time,  and  as  he 
will  continue  to  exist,  until  the  end  of 
the  world,  in  want  of  just  such  a  day  as 
the  saV)bath. 

Atid  not  man  for  the  sabbath.  No 
one  was  to  be  left  to  perish,  through  a 
superstitious  fear  of  violating  the  sab- 
bath by  affording  him  the  needed  assist- 
ance. No  one  was  to  neglect  his  own 
physical  wants,  nor  turn  a  deaf  ear  to 
the  call  of  compassion,  made  by  a  suffer- 
ing fellow  mortal,  nor  to  withhold  care 
and  attention  from  the  brute  creation 
around  him,  through  mistaken  notions 
of  the  sanctity  and  obligations  of  the 
sabbath.  Man  was  not  made  subject 
to  an  arbitrary  law,  which  placed  the 
sabbath  away  from  and  above  him,  as 
a  day  to  be  observed  with  su]X'rstitious 
strictness  and  dread,  and  during  the 
hours  of  which,  he  was  prohibited  from 
attending  to  his  personal  and  necessary 
wants,  and  those  of  others  depending 
upon  him,  or  providentially  thrown 
upon  his  care.  This  was  not  the  design 
which  God  had  in  view,  when  he  provi- 


428 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


28  Therefore  "  the  Son  of  man 
is  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath. 

CHAPTER  III. 

AN  D  "  he  entered  again  into  the 
synagogue;  and  there  was  a 
man  there  which  had  a  withered 
hand. 

2  And  they  watched  him,  whe- 
ther he  would  heal  him  on  the 
sabbath  day  ;  that  they  might  ac- 
cuse him. 

3  And  he  saith  unto  the  man 


ded  for  man  the  holy  sabbath.  It  was 
instituted  simply  and  only  for  his  tem- 
poral and  eternal  good,  and  this  renders 
the  violation  of  the  day  a  greater  sin 
even,  than  thoiigh  it  were  an  unmean- 
ing, arbitrary  enactment,  having  no  re- 
ference to   so  benevolent  a  purpose. 

28.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  8.  Mark 
introduces  this  supremacy  of  Christ 
over  the  sabbath,  as  a  result  or  conse- 
quence of  its  relation  to  man,  as  shown 
in  V.  27.  The  sabbath  not  being  an 
arbitrary  enactment  but  instituted  for 
the  benefit  of  man,  the  Messiah,  who 
took  upon  himself  the  nature  of  man, 
and  is  our  great  representative,  having 
the  happiness  of  our  race,  as  the  object 
of  his  mission  to  this  world,  is  both  the 
author  and  Lord  of  the  day,  and  can 
rightfully  alter  or  abrogate  any  or  all 
its  laws  and  provisions  at  his  pleasure. 

CHAP.  III. 

1-6.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12:  9-14;  Luke 
6  :  6-11. 

1,  2.  And  he  entered,  &c.  He  had 
now  returned  again  to  Galilee  from 
Jerusalem,  whither  he  had  gone  to 
keep  the  second  passover  after  his  en- 
trance upon  his  public  ministry.  Wither- 
ed hajid.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  10.  27iey 
watched  him.  Luke  says  that  it  was  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  thus  watch- 
ed him.  This  might  also  be  gathered 
from  Matt.  v.  14,  and  Mark  v.  6. 

4.  In  it  lawful  to  do  good,  &c.  Most 
commentators  refer  this  question  to  the 


which    had   the   withered    hand, 
Stand  forth. 

4  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Is  it 
lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath 
days,  or  to  do  evil  ?  to  save  life, 
or  to  kill  ?  But  they  held  their 
peace. 

5  And  when  he  had  looked 
round  about  on  them  with  anger, 
being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of 
their  hearts,  he  saith  unto  the 
man.  Stretch  forth  thine  hand. 
And  he  stretched  it  out :  and  his 

a  Mt.  12  :  9 :  Lu.  6 :  6. 


Jewish  maxim,  that  not  to  do  good  to 
a  man,  when  opportunity  is  furnished,  is 
to  do  evil  to  him ;  and  not  to  save  Ufe, 
when  it  can  be  done,  is  to  destroy  it. 
But  this  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  nega- 
tive expressed  by  the  affirmation  of  its 
contrary,  as  Campbell  supposes,  but  is 
a  simple  interrogation,  in  which  he  asks 
whether  his  efforts  to  save  life  and  do 
good  to  others,  are  not  more  lawful 
than  the  murderous  designs  against  him, 
which  they  were  then  forming  on  the 
sabbath  day.  It  was  this  searching  in- 
quiry, exposing  so  fidly  the  wickedness 
of  their  heart,  which  rendered  them  in- 
capable of  any  reply.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
13  :  13. 

6.  Wlien  he  had  looked,  &c.  He  was 
filled  with  sorrow  and  holy  indignation, 
at  such  wickedness  and  hypocrisy,  and 
for  some  moments  held  his  searching 
eye  upon  them,  after  which  he  turned 
to  the  man,  and  bid  him  stretch  forth 
his  hand  (see  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  13). 
This  shows  that  one  can  "  be  angry 
and  sin  not."  A  just  and  holy  displea- 
sure with  tliat  which  is  wrong,  and  with 
persons  who  do  wrong,  is  compatible 
with  the  highest  love  and  most  ardent 
desire  for  the  welfare  of  those,  against 
whose  wicked  acts  and  conduct  it 
is  directed.  Being  grieved ;  literally, 
being  grieved  withal.  Our  Lord's  dis- 
pleasure was  accompanied  by  tlie  most 
tender  grief,  at  the  conduct  of  these 
wicked  men.  He  regarded  them  with 
mingled  emotions  of  anger  and  sorrow. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


429 


hand  was  restored  whole  as  the 
other. 

6  And  the  Pharisees  went  forth, 
and  straightway  took  *  counsel 
with  the  Herodians  against  him, 
'  how  they  might  destroy  him. 

7  But  Jesus  withdrew  himself 
with  his  disciples  to  the  sea  :  and 
a  great  multitude  from  Galilee 
followed  him,  ''and  from  Judea, 

&  Mat.  12  :  14. 

Hardness  of  their  hearts.  This  is  meta- 
phorically put  for  spiritual  stupidity 
and  dullness.  The  word  literally  signi- 
fies, a  petrifyitig,  a  becoming  hard  like 
stone,  and  then  the  state  of  hardness  or 
petrifaction. 

6.  Straightivay.  See  N.  on  2  :  2. 
Took  counsel.  So  enraged  were  they  at 
his  reproof  and  exposure  of  their  wick- 
edness, that  they  lost  no  time  in  endea- 
Toring  to  effect  his  death.  With  the 
Herodians.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  14  ; 
22:  15. 

7,  8.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  15.  Our 
Lord  probably  retired  to  some  unfre- 
quented border  of  the  lake,  where  he 
could  teach  those  who  resorted  to  him 
without  interruption.  From  Galilee, 
i.  e.  from  the  surrounding  towns  and 
villages  of  Galilee.  Judea.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  2:1.  Jerusalem,  also  mentioned 
because  the  capital  city  of  Judea. 
Idumea.  This  country,  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment called  Edom,  was  inhabited  by  the 
descendants  of  Esau,  and  lay  south-east 
of  Palestine,  along  the  great  valley  ex- 
tending from  the  Dead  Sea  to  the  gulf 
of  'Akabah,  chiefly  on  its  eastern  side, 
which  is  rough  and  mountainous.  Dur- 
ing the  Babylonish  captivity,  the  Edom- 
ites,  who  exulted  over  the  miseries  of 
the  nation  (see  Ps.  127  :  7),  took  pos- 
session of  the  southern  part  of  Palestine 
as  far  as  Hebron,  so  that  the  word 
Idumea  is  often  used  by  Josephus,  and 
also  in  the  apocryphal  books,  as  inclu- 
ding that  region.  Mark  probably  refers 
to  this  portion  of  Idumea,  which  hav- 
ing been  subdued  was  regarded  as  a 
part  of  the  Jewish  nation.  Herod  was 
the  son  of  Antipater,  an  Idumean.    Be- 


8  And  from  Jerusalem,  and 
from  Idumea,  and  from  beyond 
Jordan ;  and  they  about  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  a  great  multitude, 
when  they  had  heard  what  great 
things  he  did,  came  unto  him. 

9  And  he  spake  to  his  disciples, 
that  a  small  ship  should  wait  on 
him  because  of  the  multitude, 
lest  they  should  throng  him. 

c  Mat.  22 :  16.    <?  Lu.  6 :  17. 


yond  Jordan,  i.  e.  Perea  (literally,  that 
beyond  or  the  other  side),  the  name  given 
to  the  region  beyond  Jordan.  And 
they  about  Tyre  and  Sidon.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  11  :  21.  The  persons  here  refer- 
red to  were  not  the  Tyrians  and  Sido- 
nians,  but  the  Jews  who  lived  on  the 
confines  of  those  places.  A  great  mul- 
titude. So  Matthew  :  "  great  multi- 
tudes." mien  they  had  heard,  iic.  They 
were  drawn  to  him  by  the  report  of  his 
wonderful  works ;  some,  with  a  sincere 
desire  to  learn  of  him  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, and  avail  themselves  of  his  healing 
mercies  in  behalf  of  their  sick  friends ; 
others,  through  hope  of  his  immediate 
proclamation  of  himself  as  the  Messiah, 
and  of  his  raising  the  standard  of  rebel- 
lion against  the  Romans.  There  was  evi- 
dently a  great  excitement  through  the 
whole  land,  by  the  reports  of  his  won- 
derful works. 

9.  Tliat  a  small  ship,  &c.  The  reason 
is  contained  in  the  clause,  lest  they 
should  throng  (i.  e.  press  upon)  him. 
Those  who  had  diseases  which  did 
not  prevent  self-motion,  eagerly  made 
their  way  through  the  thousands  who 
surrounded  him,  in  order  to  touch  him 
and  experience  his  healing  virtue  (see 
V.  10),  while  those  who  were  too  ill  to 
move  about  themselves,  were  brought 
by  their  friends  into  his  presence. 
There  was  in  the  nature  of  the  case 
much  jostling  and  crowding,  and  lest  he 
should  be  too  closely  pressed,  and  his 
labors  thereby  interrupted,  he  directed 
this  little  skiff" to  await  him  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  shore.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
12  :  15. 

10,  11.  For  to  touch  him.     See  N. 


480 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


10  For  he  had  healed  many; 
insomuch  that  they  pressed  upon 
him  for  to  touch  him,  as  many  as 
had  phigues. 

11  'And  unclean  spirits,  when 
they  saw  him,  fell  down  before 
him,  and  cried,  saying,  ^  Thou  art 
the  Son  of  God. 

12  And  ''he  straitly  charged 
them,  that  they  should  not  make 
him  known. 

e  Ch.  1 :  23,  24 ;  Lu.  4  :  41.    /Mat.  14  :  3.3 ; 
Ch.  1:1.     ^  Ch.  1 :  25:  34 ;  Mat.  12  :  16. 

on  Matt.  14 :  36.  Plagues ;  literally, 
scourges.  Violent  diseases  were  so 
called,  because  they  were  thought  to 
be  sent  as  scourges  from  God.  Unclean 
spirits,  &c.  There  was  such  copious 
exercise  of  power,  that  those  possessed 
of  demons,  as  soon  as  they  came  into 
his  presence,  were  at  once  healed,  the 
spirits,  as  they  were  ejected,  acknow- 
ledging their  subjection  to  him,  as 
Son  of  God.  Fell  down.  This  refers 
to  the  bodily  prostration  of  the  persons 
possessed,  acted  upon  by  the  unclean 
spirits.  As  Alford  remarks,  the  two 
are  fused  together,  it  being  impossible 
that  any  but  the  spirits  could  have 
known  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  and 
the  material  body  of  the  possessed 
falling  down  and  uttering  the  cry. 

12.  And  he  straitly  charged  them,  &c. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  16.  Here  is  addi- 
tional evidence  of  the  reality  of  de- 
moniacal possession.  The  merely  sick 
could  have  had  no  special  knowledge  of 
his  Messiahship,  nor  did  they  address 
him  as  the  Son  of  God.  Had  the  per- 
sons possessed  with  unclean  spirits 
been  merely  epileptics,  as  is  claimed 
by  some,  they  must  have  been  as  igno- 
rant of  our  Lord's  true  nature  and  dig- 
nity, as  those  around  them.  To  suppose 
that  epileptics  or  maniacs  were  endowed 
with  such  superior  and  indeed  super- 
human knowledge  (see  Matt.  16  :  17),  is 
neither  the  deduction  of  reason  or 
common  sense. 

13-19.  See  Luke  6  :  12-19. 

13.  And  he  goeth,    &c.      Luke  says 


13  *![  *  And  he  goeth  up  into  a 
mountain,  and  ealleth  unto  him 
whom  he  would  :  and  they  came 
unto  him. 

14  And  he  ordained  twelve, 
that  they  should  be  with  him,  and 
that  he  might  send  them  forth  to 
preach, 

15  And  to  have  power  to  heal 
sicknesses,  and  to  cast  out  devils : 


h  Mat.  10 : 1 ;  Lu.  6  :  12. 

that  he  went  to  this  mountain  to  pray, 
and  that  he  continued  all  night  in 
prayer.  He  had  become  deeply  affect- 
ed with  the  spiritual  destitution  of  the 
people,  and  their  readiness  to  hear  the 
preached  word.  He  was  about  to  or- 
dain some  of  his  followers  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  and  this  he  deemed  of 
such  importance,  that  he  spent  the 
whole  of  the  preceding  night  in  prayer. 
Calleth  unto  himwhom  he  would,  i.  e.  such 
of  his  disciples  (see  Luke  16  :  13) 
as  he  pleased,  in  order  to  select  from 
their  number  the  Twelve  Apostles. 
And  theg  (i.  e.  the  disciples)  came  unto 
him,  in  the  order  in  which  they  were 
called  by  our  Lord. 

14.  He  ordained  or  set  apart.  lAte- 
rally,  77iade,  appointed.  Twelve,  "as  the 
representatives  of  the  spiritual  Israel." 
Olshausen.  See  Rev,  21  :  14.  TJiat 
theg  shoidd  he  with  him.  Constant  at- 
tendance upon  his  ministry  was  not 
required  of  the  other  disciples,  but  the 
apostles  were  to  be  fitted  for  their  office, 
by  remaining  with  him,  and  enjoying 
private  as  well  as  public  instruction. 
That  he  might  send,  &c.  The  multi- 
tudes in  attendance  upon  his  ministry 
were  now  becoming  so  large,  that  he 
felt  it  necessary  to  send  the  apostles 
forth,  that  all  might  have  opportunity 
to  hear  the  gospel,  and  that  he  himself 
might  have  time  to  visit  other  portions 
of  the  country,  than  those  in  wliich  his 
labors  had  hitherto  been  confined. 

15.  And  to  have  power,  k.c.  This  was 
to  be  an  evidence  of  their  commission. 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


431 


16  And  Simon  *he  surnamed 
Peter. 

17  And  James  the  son  of  Zebe- 
dee,  and  John  the  brother  of 
James,  and  he  surnamed  them 
Boanerges,  which  is,  The  sons  of 
thunder, 

18  And  Andrew,  and  Philip, 
and  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew, 
and  Thomas,  and  James  the  son 

iJohn  1:42. 

It  was  also  a  benevolent  provision  for 
the  sick  and  afflicted,  that  this  power  to 
heal  was  given  to  the  apostles. 

16.  On  the  names  of  the  Twelve,  see 
N.  on  Matt.  10  :  2-4.  And  Simon  he 
surnamed,  &c.  literally,  and  he  gave  to 
Simon  the  surname  Peter.  There  is  an 
omission  of  some  words  before  this. 
Some  critics  supply  from  Matt.  10  :  2, 
"  the  first  Simon,"  others,  "  Simon" 
only,  which  accords  with  Luke,  "  Simon, 
whom  he  also  named  Peter."  This  is 
spoken  by  way  of  reference  to  a  pre- 
vious act  (see  John  1  :  42). 

17,  18.  Boanerges.  The  reason  for 
bestowing  this  appellation  upon  James 
and  John,  can  only  be  conjectured. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  10  :  2.  The  name  of 
Andrew  is  placed  by  Matthew  and  Luke 
with  that  of  Peter  his  brother,  but  in 
Acts  1  :  13,  it  has  the  same  connection 
as  here. 

19.  And  they  went  into  a  house. 
These  words  have  their  appropriate 
place  in  v.  20,  as  previous  to  this,  and 
after  the  calling  of  the  Twelve,  the  Ser- 
mon on  the  Mount  was  preaehed,  which 
was  followed  by  the  healing  of  the 
centurion's  servant  (Matt.  8.  5-13 ; 
Luke  7  :  1-10) ;  the  raising  of  the 
widow's  son  (Luke  Y  :  11-17);  and  the 
visit  of  John's  disciples  (Matt.  11:2- 
9  ;  Luke  7  :  18-35). 

20.  Andthe  multitude,  kc.  Wherever 
he  went,  so  anxious  were  the  people  to 
hear  him,  that  they  came  together  in 
great  numbers.  It  appears  from  what  fol- 
lows, that  the  multitude  at  this  time  was 
unusually  great.  So  that  they  could  not, 
kc.    Their  usual  meals  were  interrupted. 


of   Alpheus,  and  Thaddeus,  and 
Simon  the  Canaanite, 

19  And  Judas  Iscariot,  which 
also  betrayed  him  :  and  they  went 
into  a  house. 

20  And  the  multitude  cometh 
together  again,  *  so  that  they 
could  not  so  much  as  eat  bread. 

21  And  when  his  friends  heard 
of  it,  they  went  out  to  lay  hold 

*  Ch.  6  :  31. 


To  eat  bread  is  a  Hebrew  expression 
denoting  to  take  food.  The  Greek  origi- 
nal gives  this  turn  to  the  sentiment: 
they  were  unable  to  take  food,  much 
less  attend  to  any  thing  else. 

21.  Whenhis  friends  ;  liter nWy,  those 
from  near  him.  This  is  referred  by 
Doddridge  and  some  others  to  the 
apostles.  It  is  better,  however,  to  refer 
it  to  his  relations,  who,  having  heard 
that  he  was  at  Capernaum,  came  forth 
from  home,  to  restrain  him  from  what 
they  deemed  a  course  fraught  with 
madness  and  ruin.  Heard  of  it.  The 
words  of  it,  are  not  in  the  original, 
and  the  reference  is  therefore  in  gene- 
ral to  his  acts  and  doings,  his  preaching, 
calling  the  apostles,  denunciations  of 
the  Pharisees,  miraculous  powers,  &c. 
Some  supply  the  ellipsis  :  having  heard 
that  he  was  in  the  house.  But  this 
does  not  accord  with  the  general  scope 
of  the  passage.  They  went  out.  Those 
who  refer  this  to  the  apostles,  interpret 
it  of  the  house  where  Jesus  was  stop- 
ping. According  to  their  explanation, 
Jesus,  without  giving  himself  time  to 
rest  or  eat,  had  gone  forth  from  the 
house  to  address  the  multitude,  and  his 
disciples,  having  heard  of  it,  follow  him, 
and  by  a  sort  of  gentle  violence  attempt 
to  induce  him  to  come  again  within, 
and  take  necessary  rest  and  refresh- 
ment. They  would  interpret  he  is  beside 
himself,  less  offensively,  he  is  trans- 
ported too  far,  in  thus  overtasking  him- 
self with  labor,  and  injuring  his  health. 
But  the  verb,  which  literally  signifies 
went  forth,  may  with  equal  propriety  be 
referred  to  the  going  forth  of  the  rela- 


432 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


on  him  :  'for  they  said,  He  is  be- 
side himself. 

22  ^  And  the  scribes  which 
came  down  from  Jerusalem,  said, 
"'He  hath  Beelzebub,  and  by  the 
prince  of  the  devils  casteth  he  out 
devils. 

23  "  And  he  called  them  unto 
him,  and  said  unto  them  in  par- 
ables, How  can  Satan  cast  out 
Satan  ? 

24  And  if  a  kingdom  be  divi- 
ded against  itself,  the  kingdom 
cannot  stand. 

25  And  if  a  house  be  divided 
against  itself,  that  house  cannot 
stand. 

26  And  if  Satan  rise  up  against 

Z  John  7:  5.    w  Mat.  9: 34.    w  Mat.  12:  25. 

lives  of  Jesus  from  their  home,  in  order 
to  restrain  him  from  what  they  deemed 
60  infatuated  a  course.  To  lay  hold. 
This  does  not  necessarily  refer  to  phy- 
sical violence,  yet  it  is  not  unlikely  that 
they  intended,  in  case  he  would  not 
yield  to  their  wishes,  to  take  him  away 
by  force.  They  regarded  him  as  de- 
ranged, and  supposed  that  his  with- 
drawal from  scenes  of  excitement  to 
the  quietness  of  home,  would  tend  to 
restore  him  to  his  right  mind.  For  they 
said.  A  consultation  among  his  friends 
in  regard  to  his  course  of  conduct,  is 
here  impHed.  The  result  was  that  they 
pronounced  him  to  be  deranged.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  suppose  from  the 
words,  he  is  beside  himself,  that  his  re- 
lations regarded  him  as  a  confirmed 
maniac,  but  only  temporarily  deranged, 
or  under  the  influence  of  monomania. 
The  interpretation  of  some,  that  the 
disciples  went  forth  to  repress  the 
people,  who  were  so  eagerly  pressing  on 
and  crowding  around  the  house  that 
they  acted  like  madmen,  is  not  only 
inapposite,  but  would  require  a  change 
in  the  Greek,  both  in  respect  to  the 
number  of  the  verb,  and  of  the  pro- 
noun which  follows  the  preceding  one. 


himself,  and  be  divided,  he  can- 
not stand,  but  hath  an  end. 

27  °  No  man  can  enter  into  a 
strong  man's  house,  and  spoil  his 
goods,  except  he  will  first  bind 
the  strong  man  ;  and  then  he  will 
spoil  his  house. 

28  P  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  All 
sins  shall  be  forgiven  unto  the 
sons  of  men,  and  blasphemies 
wherewith  soever  they  shall  blas- 
pheme : 

29  But  he  that  shall  blaspheme 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  never 
forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of 
eternal  damnation : 

30  Because  they  said,  He  hath 
an  unclean  spirit. 

o  Is.  49  :  24  ;  Mat.  12  :  29.     p  Mat.  12  :  81 ; 
Lu.  12 :  10 ;  IJn.  5  :  16. 


22.  While  the  relatives  of  Jesus  wer^ 
on  their  way  from  Nazareth,  (or  som^ 
house  in  Capernaum,  if  they  had  pre" 
viously  come  there,)  to  the  house  where 
Jesus  was  tarrying,  we  are  told  by  Mat- 
thew (12  :  22,'  23,  on  which  see  N.), 
that  a  demoniac  was  brought  to  him 
and  was  healed,  at  which  the  people 
were  amazed,  and  began  to  inquire  whe- 
ther he  was  not  the  Messiah.  This 
exasperated  the  scribes,  who  had  come 
down  from  Jerusalem,  and  in  order  to 
counteract  the  effect  of  this  great  mi- 
racle upon  the  people,  they  openly 
charged  him  with  receiving  aid  from 
Beelzebub  the  prince  of  devils  (see  N. 
on  Matt.  12  :  24). 

23-30.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  12  :  25-32  ; 
alo  compare  Luke  11  :  14-23. 

29,  30.  Is  in  dan ffer  of  eternal  damna- 
tion. This  does  not  imply  uncertainty. 
A  better  translation  would  be,  is  ex- 
posed to  or  under  sentence  of  eternal 
condemnation,  to  be  pronounced  by 
Christ  the  Judge  at  the  last  day  (see 
Matt.  23  :  33).  Alford  adopts  the"  read- 
ing si«,  instead  of  cow(fc»i«a/«o«,  finding 
the  parallel  in  John  8  :  24,  "ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins."  Because  they  said, 
&c.     This  was  the  ground  of  our  Lord's 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


433 


31  1"  ^  There  came  then  his 
"brethren  and  his  mother,  and 
standing  without,  sent  unto  him, 
calling  him. 

32  And  the  multitude  sat  about 
him,  and  they  said  unto  him. 
Behold,  thy  mother  and  thy  breth- 
ren without  seek  for  thee. 

33  And  he  answered  them,  say- 
ing, Who  is  my  mother,  or  my 
brethren  ? 

34  And  he  looked  round  about 
on  them  which  sat  about  him,  and 
said.  Behold,  my  mother  and  my 
brethren  ! 

35  For  whosoever  shall  do  the 
will-  of  Grod,  the  same  is  my 
brother,  and  my  sister,  and 
mother. 


A 


CHAPTER  IV. 
ND  "  he  began  again  to  teach 
by   the   sea  side  :  and    there 
gMat.  12:46;  Lu.8: 19. 


denunciation  against  them,  as  bias- 
phemers  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  12  :  31,  where  this  subject 
is  more  fully  discussed. 

31-35.  Compare  Luke  8  :  19-21,  also 
Ns.  on  Matt.  12  :  46-50. 

31.  There  came  then  his  brethren,  &c. 
His  friends  had  now  arrived,  and  per- 
haps were  listeners  to  the  remarks  just 
made.  The  word  then  does  not  express 
the  exact  shade  of  the  original,  which 
is  resumptive  of  the  thread  of  narrative 
from  V.  21.  The  sense  will  be  seen  in 
this  paraphrase :  So  then  his  brethren 
and  his  mother,  having  determined  on 
bringing  him  away  (as  was  said  in  v. 
21),  caitie  and  standing  without,  &c. 
This  shows  clearly  that  no  reference  is 
had  to  his  disciples  in  v.  21.  Standing 
without,  &c.  See  N.  on  Matt.  12  :  46. 
Sent  unto  him.  They  could  not  them- 
selves reach  him,  on  account  of  the 
crowd. 

34.  He  looked  round  about.  This 
was  accompanied  by  the  stretching  forth 
Vol.  I.— 19 


was  gathered  unto  him  a  great 
multitude,  so  that  he  entered  into 
a  ship,  and  sat  in  the  sea ;  and 
the  whole  multitude  was  by  the 
sea,  on  the  land. 

2  And  he  taught  them  many 
things  by  parables,  *  and  said  unto 
them  in  his  doctrine, 

3  Hearken  ;  Behold,  there  went 
out  a  sower  to  sow. 

4  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he 
sowed,  some  fell  by  the  way  side, 
and  the  fowls  of  the  air  came  and 
devoured  it  up  : 

5  And  some  fell  on  stony 
ground,  where  it  had  not  much 
earth  ;  and  immediately  it  sprang 
up,  because  it  had  no  depth  of 
earth  : 

6  But  when  the  sun  was  up,  it 
was  scorched  ;  and  because  it  had 
no  root,  it  withered  away. 

7  And  some  fell  among  thorns, 

aMat  13:1;  Lu.  8:4    6  Ch.  12  :  38. 

of  his  hand  (Matthew)  towards  the 
disciples,  who  sat  around  him  as  his 
privileged  followers.  It  is  well  ob- 
served by  Alford,  that  these  incidents 
show  that  both  accounts  were  from  eye- 
witnesses. 

CHAP.  IV. 

1-9.  See  Xs.  on  Matt.  13  :  1-9,  and 
Luke  8  :  4-8. 

1.  He  began  to  teach,  &c.  His  au- 
ditors, however,  pressed  upon  him  in 
such  increasing  throngs,  that  he  was 
obliged  to  break  off  his  discourse,  and 
enter  a  boat  (literally,  the  boat,  perhaps 
the  one  provided  for  him  on  a  former 
occasion,  see  3:9),  and  putting  off  at  a 
convenient  distance  from  the  shore, 
thus  to  address  the  people.  Sat  in  the 
sea,  i.  e.  in  the  boat  launched  out  from 
the  shore. 

2-Y.  In  his  doctrine,  i.  e.  in  his  teach- 
ing. Hearken.  This  admonition  shows 
the  importance  of  what  he  was  about 
to  say.  This  is  repeated  in  varied  form 
in  V.  9.     It  yielded  no  fruit.     It  gave 


434 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


and  the  tliorns  grew  up,  and 
choked  it,  and  it  yielded  no 
fruit. 

8  And  other  fell  on  good 
ground,  '  and  did  yield  fruit  that 
sprang  up  and  increased,  and 
brought  forth,  some  thirty,  and 
some  sixty,  and  some  a  hun- 
dred. 

9  And  he  said  unto  them,  He 
that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear. 

10  1^  "^  And  when  he  was  alone, 
they  that  were  about  him  with 
the  twelve  asked  of  him  the  par- 
able. 

11  And  he  said  unto  them. 
Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the 
mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God  : 
but  unto  '  them  that  are  without, 

c  Johu  15:5;  Col.  1:6.    d  Mat.  18 :  10. 
6  1  Co.  5 :  12  ;  Col.  4  :  5 ;  1  Th.  4: 12 ;  1  Ti.  3: 7. 

promise  at  first  of  coming  to  maturity, 
but  was  soon  cholced  by  the  rank  growth 
of  thorns  around  it. 

10-12.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  13  :  10-15  ; 
Lulie  8  :  9-10.  When  he  was  alone  (v. 
10),  in  respect  to  the  multitude,  whom 
he  had  been  teaching.  His  disciples 
were  with  him.  Asked  of  him  the  par- 
able, i.  e.  the  explanation.  Unto  them 
that  are  without  (v.  11),  i.  e.  not  having 
the  intimate  connection  with  Jesus, 
which  was  enjoyed  by  his  disciples. 
This  phrase  was  one,  by  which  the  Jews 
designated  the  heathen  round  about. 
On  this  account  some  have  thought  that 
the  Savior  hinted,  that  the  Jewish  na- 
tion would  soon  be  deprived  of  the 
blessings  and  privileges  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  become  themselves  the 
people  ivithout  (in  common  parlance,  the 
outsiders).  But  this  is,  perhaps,  mak- 
ing too  much  of  the  passage,  for  in  the 
parallel  passage  of  Luke,  it  is  simply 
the  rest,  i.  e.  those  out  of  the  circle  of 
his  followers  (Alford).  Are  done,  i.  e. 
are  spoken.  That  seeing  they  may  see, 
&c.  See  the  explanation  of  this  cita- 
tion in  N.  on  Matt.  13  :  11. 


all  these  things  are  done  in  par- 
ables : 

11^  That  seeing  they  may  see, 
and  not  perceive  ;  and  hearing 
they  may  hear,  and  not  under- 
stand; lest  at  any  time  they 
should  be  converted,  and  their 
sins  should  be  forgiven  them. 

13  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Know  ye  not  this  parable  ?  and 
how  then  will  ye  know  all  par- 
ables ? 

14  ^  ^  The  sower  soweth  the 
word. 

15  And  these  are  they  by  the 
way  side,  where  the  word  is  sown  ; 
but  when  they  have  heard,  Satan 
cometh  immediately,  and  taketh 
away  the  word  that  was  sown  in 
their  hearts. 

/Is.  6:  9:  Mat.  13: 14.    Ac.  28  :  26  ;  Ko.  11 :  8. 
g  Mat.  13:19. 

13.  Know  ye  not  this  parable,  yfhich 
is  comparatively  so  plain  and  easy  of 
appHcation?  JIow  then,  if  you  are  so 
dull  of  apprehension  ?  All  parables 
suitable  for  you  to  know,  and  yet  more 
obscure  than  this  parable  of  the  sower. 

14-20.  See  Ns.  on  Matt  13:  19-23, 
and  Luke  8  :  11-15.  The  sower  soweth 
the  loord  (v.  14).  This  is  explained  in 
Luke,  "  the  seed  is  the  word  of  God." 
The  word  was  first  preached  by  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  but  all  who  have  truly 
preached  it  since,  are  sowers  of  the  word, 
and  the  same  results  are  to  be  looked 
for,  as  when  it  was  first  preached.  Satan 
(v.  15),  in  Matthew  "  the  evil  one,"  and 
in  Luke,  "  the  devil."  Such  verbal 
differences  with  essential  agreement, 
are  the  strongest  proofs  of  the  indepen- 
dent authority  of  each  of  the  gospels. 
Mere  copyists  would  have  chosen  the 
same  verbal  forms.  The  lust  of  other 
things  (v.  19).  This  refers  to  carnal 
lusts  and  appetites,  worldly  desires,  am- 
bitious views  and  aims,  all  of  which  tend 
to  choke  the  word  and  make  it  unfruit- 
ful. See  Gal.  5  :  6,  19-24  ;  Ephes.  2  : 
3  ;  2  Pet.  2  :  18  ;  1  John  2  :  16,  where 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


435 


16  And  these  are  they  likewise 
which  are  sown  on  stony  ground  ; 
who,  when  they  have  heard  the 
word,  immediately  receive  it  with 
gladness ; 

17  And  have  no  root  in  them- 
selves, and  so  endure  but  for  a 
time :  afterward,  when  affliction 
or  persecution  ariseth  for  the 
word's  sake,  immediately  they  are 
offended. 

18  And  these  are  they  which 
are  sown  among  thorns ;  such  as 
hear  the  word, 

19  And  the  cares  of  this  world, 
*  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches, 
and  the  lust  of  other  things  enter- 
ing in,  choke  the  word,  and  it  he- 
cometh  unfruitful. 

A  1  Ti.  6 :  9, 17.    i  Mat.  5  :  15.     k  Mat.  10 :  26 ; 
Lu.  12  :  2. 


the  lusts  of  the  flesh  evidently  refer  to 
desires  fixed  on  sensual  objects,  as  plea- 
sures, honors,  and  the  like.  Entering 
in,  I.  e.  arising  in  the  mind.  These 
lusts,  cares,  and  anxieties  are  said  to 
enter  into  the  mind,  because  they  are 
excited  and  rendered  active  and  power- 
ful by  external  objects.  A'xd  receive  it 
(v.  20),  i.  e.  assent  to  it,  and  give  it  a 
lodgment  in  the  heart.  This  implies 
that  the  word  is  understood.  See  Matt. 
13  :  23. 

21-25.  See  Luke  8  :  16-18. 

21.  Is  a  candle,  &c.  The  general  con- 
nection is  this  :  I  explain  to  you  these 
parables,  and  give  you  instruction  in  all 
things  pertaining  to  the  gospel  of  sal- 
vation. You  are  to  consider  yourselves 
depositaries  of  truth  ;  and  as  men  do  not 
light  a  candle  or  lamp,  to  conceal  its 
rays  by  placing  it  under  a  ))ushel,  nei- 
ther are  you  to  withhold  from  others 
the  knowledge  of  the  truths,  which  I  am 
now  imparting  to  you.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
5  :  14,  15.  Under  a  bed.  This  is  re- 
ferred by  some  to  a  sort  of  couch  or 
sofa,  having  a  cavity  beneath  it,  in 
which  a  candlestick  might  be  placed. 
Others  more  correctly,  refer  it  to  the 
coi'ch    or    triclinium,    on    which    they 


20  And  these  are  they  which 
are  sown  on  good  ground ;  such 
as  hear  the  word,  and  receive  U^ 
and  bring  forth  fruit,  some  thirty- 
fold,  some  sixty,  and  some  a 
hundred. 

21  T[  '  And  he  said  unto  them. 
Is  a  candle  brought  to  be  put 
under  a  bushel,  or  under  a  bed  ? 
and  not  to  be  set  on  a  candlestick  ? 

22  *  For  there  is  nothing  hid, 
which  shall  not  be  manifested  ; 
neither  was  any  thing  kept  secret, 
but  that  it  should  come  abroad. 

23  '  If  any  man  have  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear. 

24  And  he  said  unto  them. 
Take  heed  what  ye  hear.  "'With 
what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be 

I  Mat.  11:15;  ver.  9.    m  Mat.  T :  2 ;  Lu.  6 :  88. 


reclined  at  meals  (see  N.  on  Matt. 
23  :  6),  the  idea  being  that  a  hghted 
candle  is  not  placed  binder,  but  upon  the 
table.  Compare  7  :  4,  where  the  word 
has  this  meaning. 

22.  For  there  is  notJiing  hid,  kc.  This 
proverl)ial  expression  is  introduced  in  a 
somewhat  different  connection  from  that 
of  Matt.  10  :  26  (on  which  see  N.).  There 
it  was  intended  to  show  that  the  cha- 
racter of  the  disciples,  although  tra- 
duced and  loaded  with  dishonor,  would 
in  due  time  be  vindicated  and  made  the 
subject  of  praise.  Here  it  illustrates 
the  great  principle,  that  all  which  Jesus 
did  or  taught  was  to  be  made  known  to 
men,  inasmuch  as  he  was  aiming  at  the 
renovation  and  enlightenment  of  the 
whole  human  race.  Mlrich  shall  not  be 
inanlfested ;  literally,  if  not  what  shall 
be  revealed,  i.  e.  bid  that  it  shall  be  re- 
vealed;  as  appears  from  the  parallel,  but 
that  it  should  come  abroad,  in  the  follow- 
ing clause.  The  idea  is,  that  nothing  is 
so  hidden,  that  it  shall  not  be  fully 
brought  to  light,  and  publicly  made 
known. 

23.  Who  hath  ears,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  11  :  15. 

24.  Take  heed  what,  &c.     Luke   ex- 


436 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


measured  to  you :  and  unto  you 
that  hear  shall  more  be  given. 

25  "  For  he  that  hath,  to  him 
shall  be  given ;  and  he  that  hath 
not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  even 
that  which  he  hath. 

26  ^  And  he  said,  "  So  is  the 

n  Mat.  13  :  12. 

presses  it,  "  take  heed  how  ye  hear." 
They  were  to  attend  earnestly  to  what 
he  was  communicating  to  them,  so  as  in 
due  time  to  make  known  to  their  fellow- 
men  the  duties  and  doctrines  of  the 
gospel.  With  lohat  measure,  &c.  This 
proverbial  expression  is  explained  in  N. 
on  Matt.  7  :  2.  The  application  is  here 
determined  by  the  scope  of  the  passage. 
If  the  disciples  improved  all  their  oppor- 
tunities to  instruct  others  in  the  way  of 
salvation,  they  should  receive  an  ample 
recompense  from  Him,  whose  commis- 
sion they  bore.  But  if  they  paid  no  heed 
to  his  instructions,  or  failed  to  impart 
them  to  others,  they  would  to  a  cor- 
responding degree  become  the  objects 
of  his  displeasure.  Ui^to  you  that  hear 
with  attentive  and  obedient  minds. 

25.  See  N.  on  Matt.  18  :  12. 
26-29.   This  parable,    recorded  only 

by  Mark,  was  probably  spoken  next  in 
order  to  the  parable  of  the  tares  (Matt. 
13:  24-3(1),  and  was  addressed  to  the  peo- 
ple at  large.  Macknight  and  some  other 
commentators  think,  however,  that  it 
was  spoken  in  connection  with  the  pre- 
ceding verse  in  Mark,  and  was  ad- 
dressed to  the  apostles  only,  to  prevent 
them  from  becoming  dispirited,  at  not 
seeing  the  immediate  results  of  their 
labors. 

26,  2Y.  So  is  the  kingdom,  &c.  The 
sure  and  uninterrupted  progress  of  the 
gospel  in  the  heart  of  man,  and  its  uni- 
versal spread  and  triumph,  is  here  illus- 
trated, by  the  growth  and  maturity  of  a 
plant,  springing  up  from  seed  sown  in 
the  ground.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  in- 
structive picture  of  the  "  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  religion  in  the  soul,"  which  has 
been  expanded  and  illustrated  with 
such  fidelity  in  the  inmiortal  work 
of    Doddridge.     A    iiian.     The  sower, 


kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man 
should  cast  seed  into  the  ground ; 

27  And  should  sleep,  and  rise 
night  and  day,  and  the  seed 
should  spring  and  grow  up,  he 
kuoweth  not  how. 

28  For  the  earth  bringeth  forth 

o  Mat.  13:24. 

either  Christ  or  his  ministers,  the 
idea  of  sleeping  being  introduced, 
to  make  the  picture  conform  to  the 
habits  of  a  farmer,  who  takes  his  usual 
rest  at  night,  while  all  the  time  the 
processes  of  nature  are  going  on,  and 
bringing  to  maturity  the  seed  sown. 
The  hidden,  mysterious  power  and  de- 
velopment of  the  seed  deposited  in  the 
ground,  is  the  principal  idea  of  the 
parable,  all  the  other  circumstances 
being  the  background  of  the  picture. 
He  knoweth  not  how.  Having  prepared 
the  soil  and  sown  the  seed,  his  labor 
for  the  present  is  ended.  Soon  the 
tender  plant  is  seen  springing  up.  An 
agency  wholly  unseen  and  inexplicable, 
has  caused  his  seed  to  swell,  burst 
open,  and  send  forth  a  plant,  which,  in 
due  time,  brings  forth  fruit  after  its 
kind,  to  perpetuate  itself,  and  supply 
the  wants  of  man.  This  process,  al- 
though so  hidden  and  mysterious,  indi- 
cates a  law  of  growth  and  progress, 
which  no  one  doubts,  and  the  invari- 
able connection  between  seed  time  and 
harvest,  imparts  to  the  former,  as  an 
essential  prerequisite  to  the  latter,  a 
degree  of  interest  hardly  exceeded  by 
the  harvest,  which  was  with  the  Jews 
a  continued  festival  (Deut.  16 :  9-12 ; 
Jr.  5  :  24).  In  like  manner,  the  rise,  pro- 
gress, and  maturity  of  religion  in  the 
soul,  although  unseen  (except  in  its 
fruits)  and  mysterious,  is  nevertheless 
real  and  certain. 

28.  For  the  earth,  &c.  This  explains 
and  illustrates  the  closing  remark  of 
the  preceding  verse.  Of  herself,  i.  e. 
self-moved,  spontaneously.  Man's  agen- 
cy is  limited  to  the  preparation  of  the 
soil  and  sowing  of  the  seed.  The 
quickening  and  energizing  power  resides 
in  the  earth  itself,  according  to  the  great 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


437 


fruit  of  herself ;  first  the  blade, 
then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full 
corn  in  the  ear. 

29  But  when  the  fruit  is  brought 
forth,  immediately  -''  he  putteth  in 
the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is 
come. 

30  1"  And  he  said,  ^  Where- 
unto  shall  we  liken  the  kingdom 
of  God  ?  or  with  what  comparison 
shall  we  compare  it  ? 

SI  It  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed,  which,  when  it   is   sown  in 

p  Ee.  U  :  15.     g  Mat.  13  :  31 ;  Ac.  2  :  41. 


and  immutable  laws  of  the  Author  of  na- 
ture. 77ie  blade,  i.  e.  the  shoot  which  first 
springs  from  the  ground,  and  grows 
until  the  ears  begin  to  form.  The  ear 
in  its  green  state  is  here  referred  to, 
being  followed  by  the  full  (ripened) 
corn  in  the  ear,  denoting  its  maturity 
and  readiness  to  be  harvested.  In  all 
this  process,  its  life  and  growth  is  de- 
rived from  the  earth,  and  whether  the 
farmer  sleeps  or  is  awake,  the  unseen 
agency  of  nature  is  continually  at 
work. 

29.  Is  broright forth ;  literally,  yield/!  or 
presents  itself  ior  the  hmw est,  i.  e.  is  ripe 
for  the  sickle.  He  putteth  in,  &c.  Now 
the  husbandman  has  something  to  do. 
All  this  rich  growth  of  nature's  bounty 
will  fall  to  the  earth  and  be  lost,  unless 
harvested  in  its  proper  season.  Thus 
Christ's  ministers  are  to  preach  the 
gospel  and  sow  the  seed  of  truth  in 
confidence,  that  the  same  Being,  who 
thus  gives  productiveness  to  the  seed 
sown  in  the  earth,  will  render  their  la- 
bors successful,  and  by  the  agency  of 
his  Spirit,  the  mysterious  operations  of 
whom  are  as  inscrutable  to  man  as  tlie 
growth  of  a  plant,  will  cause  the  seed 
sown  to  bring  forth  fruit  to  life  ever- 
lasting. What  is  true  of  the  seeds  of 
religion  planted  in  the  soul  of  the  be- 
liever, will  also  be  realized  in  the 
general  growth  and  spread  of  Chris- 
tianity throughout  the  world.  Its  be- 
ginning was  small,  like  a  grain  of 
mustard  seed  (see  next  parable  vs.  30- 


the  earth,  is  less  than  all  the 
seeds  that  be  in  the  earth  : 

32  But  when  it  is  sown,  it 
groweth  up,  and  becometh  greater 
than  all  herbs,  and  shooteth  out 
great  branches ;  so  that  the  fowls 
of  the  air  may  lodge  under  the 
shadow  of  it. 

33  ''  And  with  many  such  para- 
bles spake  he  the  word  unto  them, 
as  they  were  able  to  hear  it. 

34  But  without  a  parable  spake 
he  not  unto  them  :  and  when  they 

r  Mat  13  :  .34  ;  John  16 :  12. 

32),  but  watched  os^er  by  the  eye  of 
Omniscience,  and  caused  to  grow  by 
divine  power,  it  Mill  eventually  reach 
the  consummation  foretold  in  prophecy, 
when  "the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
as  the  waters  cover  the  sea  (Hab. 
2:  14). 

30-34.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  13 :  31-3-5. 

30.  Whereunto  shall  we  liken,  &c. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  11 :  16.  The  kingdom 
of  God.  See  N.  on  the  parallel  pas- 
sage.  Matt.  13 :  31.  Or  icith  what 
comparison,  &c.  An  emphatic  repeti- 
tion of  the  preceding  clause. 

31,  32.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  13  :  31,  32. 
And  with  many  such  parables  (v. 
33).  See  N.  on  Matt.  13:  34.  Unto 
them,  i.  e.  the  multitude,  who  were 
standing  upon  the  shore  (see  v.  1).  As 
they  were  able,  &c.  i.  e.  as  they  had 
ability  to  understand  them.  He  adapted 
his  parables  to  the  mental  capacities  of 
his  hearers.  Thus  he  gradually  led 
them,  by  these  plain  and  familiar  illus- 
trations, to  some  insight  into  the  spirit- 
ual nature  of  his  kingdom,  and  the 
transforming  influence  of  the  gospel 
upon  the  life  and  conduct  of  those,  who 
embraced  its  truths  and  requisitions. 

34.  But  without  a  parable,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  13:  34.  When  they  (i.  e. 
the  disciples)  were  alotie,  i.  e.  apart 
from  the  crowd.  Jle  expounded.  This 
verb  is  used  of  the  solving  (literally, 
unloosing)  of  enigmas,  riddles,  obscure 
sayings,  and  the  like.  There  were  some 


438 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


were    alone,    he    expounded    all 
things  to  his  disciples. 

35  '  And  the  same  day,  when 
the  even  was  come,  he  saith  unto 
them.  Let  us  pass  over  unto  the 
other  side. 

36  And  when  they  had  sent 
away  the  multitude,  they  took 
him  even  as  he  was  in  the  ship. 
And  there  were  also  with  him 
other  little  ships. 

sMat.  8:18,  23;  Lu.  8  :  22. 


points  in  these  parables,  which  the  dis- 
ciples could  not  comprehend.  These 
he  explained  and  made  clear  to  their 
understanding. 

35-41.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  8  :  18-27  : 
Luke  8  :  22-25 ;  9  :  57-62. 

35.  And  the  same  dai/,  &c.  This 
was  the  evening  of  the  day,  in  which  he 
spake  the  preceding  parables.  The 
former  evening  is  here  referred  to.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  14:  15.  Saith  unto  them, 
i.  e.  his  disciples.  Let  us  jmss  over,  &c. 
This  was  done  from  motives  of  pru- 
dence, as  well  as  to  obtain  some  rest 
from  his  severe  and  continued  labors. 
The  multitude  had  become  so  great, 
that  unless  they  dispersed,  the  jealousy 
of  the  civil  authorities  would  have  been 
excited.  Other  side  of  the  lake.  See 
Luke  8 :  22. 

36.  ^]^len  fhcy  had  sent  away.  Jesus 
did  this  through  the  agency  of  his  dis- 
ciples. Tliey  took  him.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  4 :  5.  Even  as  he  was.  Most  com- 
mentators construe  this  with  the  words 
in  the  .ihip,  and  explain  it  of  their 
making  no  preparation  for  the  voyage, 
but  conveying  him  across  the  lake,  in 
the  boat  from  which  he  had  been  teach- 
ing the  multitude  on  the  shore.  Others 
connect  it  with  the  preceding  verb,  and 
explain  :  took  him  just  as  he  was  (i.  e. 
in  an  unprepared  state),  on  board  the 
ship.  This  would  imply  that  when  he 
dismissed  the  multitude,  he  hod  pre- 
viously come  on  shore,  after  which  he 
re-emiiarked  in  the  same  boat,  or  some 
other  one  which  lay  near  by.  This 
receives  confirmation  from  Matt.  8  :  19- 


37  And  there  arose  a  great 
storm  of  wind,  and  the  waves 
beat  into  the  ship,  so  that  it  was 
now  full. 

38  And  he  was  in  the  hinder 
part  of  the  ship,  asleep  on  a  pil- 
low :  and  they  awake  him,  and  say 
unto  him,  Master,  carest  thou  not 
that  we  perish  ? 

39  And  he  arose,  and  rebuked 
the  wind,  and  said  unto  the  sea, 


23,  where  a  scribe  offers  to  follow  him, 
and  then  another,  and  another  still 
(Luke  9  :  57-62),  after  which  he  is  said 
to  have  entered  into  a  ship,  his  disci- 
ples following  him.  The  words  even  as 
he  was,  might  in  this  case  refer  to  the 
hurry  of  their  departure,  as  it  was 
growing  towards  evening,  and  they  had 
the  lake  yet  to  cross.  There  is  a  pas- 
sage in  Thucydides  (III.  30),  in  which 
the  words  just  as  we  are,  are  taken  by 
all  commentators  in  the  sense  of  with- 
out any  delay.  Xenophon  also  uses  the 
phrase  in  the  same  sense.  Such  I  doubt 
not  is  its  meaning  here.  Of  course  it 
precludes  the  idea  of  unnecessary  pre- 
parations. And  there  were  also,  &c.  A 
few  small  fishing  boats  were  filled  with 
persons,  who  were  so  desirous  of  enjoy- 
ing still  further  his  instructions,  that 
they  resolved  to  accompany  him  across 
the  lake.  They  were  doubtless  sepa- 
rated from  him  by  the  storm. 

37.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  8  :  24-27. 
77ie  waves  beat  into;  literally,  cast  them- 
selves into,  denoting  the  force  and  vio- 
lence with  which  they  beat  upon  the 
boat.  Hinder  part  (v.  38),  i.  e.  the 
stern,  where  generally  is  found  the  most 
convenient  seat  for  passengers.  On  a 
pillow;  literally,  on  the  pillow,  which 
refers  it  to  the  stuffed  seat  or  cxishion 
at  the  stern,  and  now  used  by  Jesus,  as 
a  pillow  for  his  weary  head.  Peace,  be 
still  (v.  39) ;  literally,  be  silent,  close 
the  mouth,  i.  e.  keep  the  most  profound 
silence.  How  simple,  how  sublime ! 
The  twofold  form  of  the  command  gives 
energy   to  the   expression.     The    first 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


439 


Peace,  be  still.  And  the  wind 
ceased,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm. 

40  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Why  are  ye  so  fearful  ?  how  is  it 
that  ye  have  no  faith  ? 

41  And  they  feared  exceeding- 
ly, and  said  one  to  another. 
What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that 
even  the  wind  and  the  sea  obey 
him  ? 

CHAPTER  y. 

AND  "  they  came  over  unto  the 
other  side  of  the  sea,  into  the 
country  of  the  Gadarenes. 

2  And  when  he  was  come  out 


served  to  arrest,  as  it  were,  the  atten- 
tion of  the  elements ;  the  latter  enjoined 
absolute  silence.  They  must  not,  there- 
fore, be  regarded  as  unmeaning  syn- 
onyms. 

40,  41.  How  is  it  that  ye  have,  &c. 
They  had  witnessed  his  stupendous 
miracles,  and  it  was  amazing  that  they 
should  have  despaired  of  safety,  with 
such  a  passenger  on  board.  Theif  feared 
exceedingly  /literally,  they  feared  a  great 
fear.  They  experienced  in  his  presence 
such  awe,  as  they  had  never  before  felt. 
It  was  no  mortal  being,  that  could  thus 
control  at  a  word  the  raging  elements. 
SeeN,  on  Matt.  8:  27. 

CHAP.  V. 

1-21.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  8:  28-34; 
also  Luke  8  :  2(3-40.  Mark's  account  of 
the  healing  of  the  demoniacs  of  Gadara, 
is  more  full  than  that  of  Matthew,  inas- 
much as  he  recounts  the  wonderful  con- 
version of  one  of  them,  to  whom  he  con- 
fines his  narration.  Such  incidents  only 
will  be  referred  to  in  the  comments  ou 
this  passage,  as  are  not  found  inMatthew. 

1.  Country  of  the  Gadarenes.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  8  :  28. 

3.  Who  had  his  dwelling,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  8  :  28.  iVo  man  could  bind 
him.  Maniacs  seem  at  times  to  be  en- 
dowed with  superhuman  strength,  but 
it  is   not  unreasonable  to  suppose,  that 


of  the  ship,  immediately  there  met 
him  out  of  the  tombs  a  man  with 
an  unclean  spirit, 

3  Who  had  his  dwelling  among 
the  tombs ;  and  no  man  could 
bind  him,  no,  not  with  chains  : 

4  Because  that  he  had  been 
often  bound  with  fetters  and 
chains,  and  the  chains  had  been 
plucked  asunder  by  him,  and  the 
fetters  broken  in  pieces :  neither 
could  any  ma7i  tame  him. 

5  And  always,  night  and  day, 
he  was  in  the  mountains,  and  in 
the  tombs,  crying,  and  cutting 
himself  with  stones. 

aMt.  8:28;  Lu.  8:26. 

the  prodigious  strength  of  this  man 
was  in  part,  at  least,  the  result  of  de- 
moniacal agency. 

4.  Had  been  plucked  asunder.  The 
verb  in  the  original  is  expressive  of  the 
ease  with  which  the  chains  were  torn 
asunder.  Broken  in  pieces ;  literally, 
crushed  or  broken  together,  showing  the 
violence  and  force  with  which  these 
fetters  had  been  dashed  together,  as 
against  some  roek,  and  broken  in 
pieces.  Chains  here  refer  to  those  with 
which  his  hands  or  arms  were  attempted 
to  be  bound,  in  distinction  irom  fetters 
applied  to  his  feet  or  ankles.  Tame 
him,  i.  e.  overpower  or  subdue  him,  so 
as  to  prevent  his  inflicting  injuries  upon 
himself  and  others. 

5.  Night  and  day.  These  words  give 
emphasis  to  always,  the  idea  being  that 
he  never  left  these  mountains  and  soli- 
tary places,  that  he  had  no  lucid  inter- 
vals, during  which  he  visited  the  abodes 
of  men.  He  was  a  confirmed  and 
raging  maniac,  which  shows  the  great- 
ness of  his  cure.  Crying,  i.  e.  uttering 
howls  of  rage  and  shrieks  of  anguish, 
as  he  was  tormented  or  excited  to  new 
acts  of  violence  by  the  demon  within 
him.  Cutting  himself,  &c.  He  tore 
and  mangled  his  flesh  with  sharp,  flinty 
stones,  as  no  knife  would  of  course  be 
given  to  such  a  man. 

6.  But  when  he  saw.  &c.     As  he  met 


440 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


G  But  when  he  saw  Jesus  afar 
off,  he  rau  aud  worshipped  him, 

7  And  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
and  said,  What  have  I  to  do  with 
thee,  Jesus,  ihou  Son  of  the  most 
high    Grod  ?    I    adjure     thee    by 

Jesus  immediately  on  his  landing  from 
the  ship  (see  v.  '2),  this  must  refer  to 
the  more  distant  siglit  of  him,  as  the 
ship  was  approaching  to  the  land. 
Worshipped  him  in  the  Oriental  style 
of  prostration  to  a  superior.  Olshau- 
sen  well  refers  this  hastening  to  Jesus 
and  prostration  at  his  feet,  as  the  act 
of  the  man,  in  contradistinction  from 
the  demon  within  him,  who  would  have 
fled  from,  instead  of  coming  to  meet 
Jesus.  "With  a  presentiment  of  help, 
the  unhappy  man,  when  he  came  within 
view  of  the  Savior,  hastened  to  him, 
and  fell  at  his  feet ;  Jesus  commanded 
the  unclean  spirit  to  depart  from  him, 
and  in  an  instant  his  condition  was  re- 
versed. A  violent  paroxysm  seized  him, 
and  under  its  influence  he  spake  with 
the  suppression  of  human  conscious- 
ness, in  the  character  of  the  demoniacal 
power,  and  cried,  '  what  have  I  to  do 
with  thee?'  although  he  had  just  before 
sought  the  Lord  with  purely  human 
feelings."     Olshausen. 

7.  Son  of  tite  most  hirih  God  (see  N. 
on  Matt.  8  :  29),  i.  e.  God  who  dwells  in 
the  highest  heavens,  and  by  implication, 
all-powerful.  See  N.  on  Matt.  6:9.  / 
adjure  thee  by  God^  not  to  be  taken  in 
the  usual  sense,  I  charge  thee  on  oath, 
but  as  a  strong  expression  of  entreaty 
or  adjuration.  Thus  Luke  :  "  I  beseech 
thee,  &c."  Olshausen  unnecessarily  re- 
fers this  adjuration  by  God  to  the  demo- 
niac in  his  character  as  a  man.  But  it 
is  the  demon  who  speaks,  and  charges 
Jesus  by  the  most  high  God,  whose  Son 
he  declares  him  to  be,  not  to  torment 
him  before  the  time  (see  X.  on  Matt.  8 : 
29).  To  refer  these  words  to  the  man, 
would  deprive  them  of  all  pertinency. 

8.  lor  he  said,  &c.  More  literally, 
he  was  naijing,  i.  e.  was  in  the  act  of 
commanding  the  unclean  spirit  to  come 
out,  when  the  demon  through  the  or- 
gans  of  the  man,    uttered   the  words 


God,  that   thou,   torment  me  not. 

8  (For  he  said  unto  him,  Come 
out  of  the  man,  ihou  unclean 
spirit.) 

9  Aud  he  asked  him,  What  is 
thy   name  ?     And    he    answered, 


given  in  v.  7.  So  in  Luke  the  words 
had  commanded,  ought  not  to  have  been 
translated  as  a  pluperfect,  but  in  the 
tense  of  the  original  (i.  e.  the  imperfect) 
icas  commanding.  It  is  not  singular 
that  demons  of  such  fierce  and  malig- 
nant character,  should  have  interrupted 
Jesus  with  their  adjurations  against  an 
increased  degree  of  punishment,  which 
they  had  reason  to  fear,  when  he  was 
authoritatively  commanding  them  to 
come  forth  from  the  man. 

9.  Asked  him,  i.  e.  the  demon.  Wliat 
is  thy  7iame  ?  Both  good  and  bad 
angels  were  regarded  by  the  Hebrews 
as  having  names.  Our  Lord  did  not 
propose  this  question,  because  he  him- 
self was  ignorant  of  the  name  or  num- 
ber of  demons  who  had  taken  posses- 
sion of  this  man,  but  in  order  by  the 
reply  to  show  those  who  were  present, 
the  great  power  required  to  work  the  mi- 
racle. Olshausen,  and  Trench  after  him, 
regard  this  question  as  addressed  to  the 
man.  But  it  degrades  the  whole  trans- 
action, to  represent  Jesus,  at  this  crisis 
of  the  miracle,  as  merely  asking  the 
man's  name.  My  name  is  Legion .  The 
Roman  legion  at  that  period  numbered 
(;0()0  men  (see  N.  on  Matt.  26  :  53).  It 
is  not  necessary  to  suppose,  that  just 
this  number  of  demons  had  taken  pos- 
session of  the  man.  It  is  used  indefi- 
nitely for  a  great  number,  as  appears 
from  the  following  clause,  for  ice  are 
many,  which  stands  as  the  reason  why 
the  name  was  given  them.  What  a 
total  dethronement  of  reason,  and 
breaking  up  of  the  whole  mental  and 
moral  being,  must  have  resulted  from 
this  terrible  possession  of  hundreds  of 
malignant  fiends.  Let  no  one  regard 
this  as  figuratively  spoken.  It  were  as 
easy  for  many  demons,  as  for  one  only, 
to  enter  into  and  afflict  a  man,  and  that 
this  was  sometimes  the  case,  is  seen  not 
only  in  the  demoniac  of  Gadara,  bu>  ii? 


A.  D.  31.] 


CIl  AFTER  V. 


441 


saying,  My  name  is  Legion  :  for 
we  are  many. 

10  And  he  besought  him  much 
that  he  would  not  send  them  away 
out  of  the  country. 

11  Now  there  was  there  nigh 
unto  the  mountains  a  great  herd 
of  swine  feeding. 

12  And  all  the  devils  besought 
him,  saying,  Send  us  into  the 
swine,  that  we  may  enter  into 
them. 

13  And   forthwith  Jesus  gave 

Mary  Magdalene  (16  :  9).  Olsliausen 
has  endeavored  to  show  that  both 
in  this  case,  and  that  of  Mary  of 
Magdala,  reference  is  had  to  the  com- 
plete possession  which  sin  had  over  all 
the  departments  of  their  being,  that 
the  whole  inner  man  was  laid  open  to 
the  influence  of  the  demoniacal  world, 
and  that  the  sufferer  expressed  this  idea 
by  calling  himself  Legion,  under  the 
impression  that  more  than  one  evil 
power  was  exerting  its  influence  over 
him.  But  this  presupposes  that  the 
man  is  here  speaking,  and  not  the  de- 
mon through  his  organs,  which  is  mani- 
festly the  case  in  all  this  conversation. 

lo.  A7id  he  besought.  One  of  the 
demons  is  represented  as  speaking  for 
himself  and  companions.  Besought  him 
much.  He  used  the  most  urgent  en- 
treaty. Luke  says  that  "  they  besought 
him,  that  he  would  not  command  them 
to  go  out  into  the  deep,"  i.  e.  the  abyss 
■where  evil  spirits  are  punished.  So 
Mark  :  that  he  loould  not  send  them 
av)ay  out  of  the  country.  This  shows 
that  the  full  measure  of  punishment  has 
not  yet  fallen  upon  evil  spirits,  but  that 
they  are  permitted  to  dwell  upon  and 
around  this  earth,  in  a  state  of  com- 
parative freedom  from  suftering,  the 
agents  of  evil  to  the  human  race  in 
atHicting  and  leading  them  astray.  It 
might  almost  be  conjectured  from  this 
passage,  that  they  have  their  respective 
localities,  to  banish  them  from  which 
would  be  the  same,  as  to  send  them 
down  to  the  abyss  (Luke  8  :  31),  to  be 
Vol.  I.— ly* 


them  leave.  And  the  unclean 
spirits  went  out,  and  entered  into 
the  swine  ;  and  the  herd  ran  vio- 
lently down  a  steep  place  into  the 
sea,  (they  were  about  two  thou- 
sand.) and  were  choked  in  the 
sea. 

14  And  they  that  fed  the  swine 
fled,  and  told  it  in  the  city,  and 
in  the  country.  And  they  went 
out  to  see  what  it  was  that  was 
done. 

15  And  they   come  to   Jesus, 

tormented  before  their  time  (Matt. 
8  :  29). 

11.  Nigh  unto  the  moimiains.  In 
most  of  the  MSS.,  7iear  the  mountain. 
The  swine  were  feeding  upon  an  ele- 
vated plain,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 
Luke  says  "on  the  mountain, "'as  it  be- 
longed to  the  mountain  range. 

13.  Gave  them  leave.  Jesus  did  not 
command  them  to  enter  the  swine  ;  he 
only  gave  them  leave.  It  is  singular 
that  Trench  should  suppose,  that  the 
devils  did  not  foresee  or  intend  this 
result  of  their  entering  into  the  swine, 
and  that  the  rushing  of  these  animals 
into  the  sea,  was  the  driving  of  these  evil 
spirits  into  the  very  abysmal  deep,  which 
they  so  much  feared.  This  strange  idea 
is  founded  on  the  notion,  that  when 
the  swine  persished,  the  demons  had  no 
place  to  which  they  might  go,  except 
to  the  abyss.  But  could  they  not  re- 
main in  the  same  general  locality,  to 
w^itch  their  opportunity  to  get  posses- 
sion of  some  other  poor  and  miserable 
human  being?  A  reference  to  Matt. 
12  :  43  (on  which  see  N.)  will  throw 
some  light  on  the  restless  condition  of 
evil  spirits,  when  dispossessed  from  their 
dwelling-place  in  men. 

15.  And  they  came,  &c.  The  news 
w  as  so  strange  and  exciting,  that  "  the 
whole  city  went  out  to  meet  Jesus." 
Matthew.  Sitti^ig  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
(Luke),  listening  to  instruction,  and  ex- 
pressing his  gratefid  thanks  for  his  won- 
drous cure.  His  sitting  posture  was  in 
itself  an  evidence  of  sanity,  as  raving 


442 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  31. 


and  see  him  that  was  possessed 
with  the  devil,  and  had  the  legion, 
sitting,  and  clothed,  and  in  his 
right  mind  ;  and  they  were  afraid. 

16  And  they  that  saw  it  told 
them  how  it  befell  to  him  that 
was  possessed  with  the  devil,  and 
also  concerning  the  swine. 

17  And  '  they  began  to   pray 

&Mt.  8:34;  Ac.  16:39. 


maniacs  are  seldom  found  in  this  posi- 
tion of  rest.  A)id  clothed.  Luke  (8  : 
27)  says  tliat  he  wore  no  clothes,  not 
implying  absolute  nudity,  but  that  his 
garments  were  so  torn  into  shreds,  that 
he  was  as  good  as  naked.  He  was  now 
provided  with  suitable  apparel,  which 
ha  was  quietly  wearing,  another  evi- 
dence of  his  sanity.  The  whole  phrase 
might  be  more  literally  translated,  both 
clothed  and  in  his  right  mind,  denoting 
the  manner  in  which  he  was  found 
sitting.  And  they  were  afraid,  not,  as 
some  think,  that  Jesus  would  do  them 
injury,  but  being  in  awe,  as  in  the  pre- 
sence of  a  superior  being.  The  words, 
and  had  tlie  legion,  have  a  very  em- 
phatic position  in  the  original,  being 
placed  after  the  clause,  in  his  right 
mind.  This  arrangement  removes  the 
apparent  tautology  of  the  English  trans- 
lation, the  words,  as  Bloomfield  re- 
marks, having  the  sense  :  "  they  see  the 
demoniac  seated,  both  clothed  and  in  his 
right  mind  ;  him  (I  say)  who  had  been 
possessed  by  the  demons,  who  called 
themselves  Legion." 

1(5.  Theg  that  saw  it.  This  refers  to 
the  bystanders,  who  had  witnessed  the 
miracle,  and  could  give  the  Gadarenes 
a  more  particular  account,  than  could 
the  swine  herds  (v.  14),  of  the  heahng 
of  the  demoniac,  and  of  the  agency 
which  the  evil  spirits  had  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  swine.  How  it  befell  to  him. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  8  :  33. 

18.  Into  the  ship.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
9:1.  Frayed  him,  &c.  They  take  a 
low  as  well  as  false  view  of  this  request 
(compare  v.  20 ;  and  Luke  8  :  39),  who 
attribute  it  to  the  fear,  on  the  part  of 
the  man,   that  after  the   departure  of 


him  to  depart  out  of  their  coasts. 
18  And  when  he  was  come  into 
the  ship,  *■  he  that  had  been  pos- 
sessed with  the  devil  prayed  him 
that  he  might  be  with  him. 

19  Howbeit  Jesus  suffered 
him  not,  but  saith  unto  him,  Go 
home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them 
how  great  things  the  Lord  hath 


Jesus  the  demons  would  return  to  tor- 
ment him.  Such  a  fear  might  have 
been  indulged,  but  his  request  is  to  be 
regarded,  as  the  expression  of  a  grate- 
ful heart,  to  live  and  die  with  his 
deliverer. 

19.  Suffered  him  not  to  be  personally 
with  him.  The  reason  for  this  can  only 
be  conjectured.  The  most  probable  one 
is,  that  the  man  could  do  more  good 
by  remaining  in  his  own  city  and  region, 
a  monument  of  the  stupendous  power 
which  had  wrought  his  cure,  and  a 
living  witness  that  it  was  Jesus  who 
had  exerted  it.  This  is  shown  in  the 
reply  of  Jesus.  Go  home  to  thy  friends  ; 
literally,  go  away  to  thy  house  to  the 
thine,  i.  e.  to  thy  family.  It  has  also 
been  well  remarked,  that  the  man, 
while  deranged,  had  been  lost  to  his 
family, and  Jesus  in  his  compassion  would 
not  separate  him  from  them,  now  that 
ho  could  return  home  a  sane  man.  It  is  a 
low  view  of  the  completeness  of  the 
miracle,  and  the  power  of  Jesus  to  pre- 
vent the  recurrence  of  the  demoniacal 
possession,  to  suppose  with  Olshausen, 
that  this  direction  was  based  in  part 
on  sanitary  grounds,  to  keep  him  from 
solitude  and  a  recurrence  to  his  old 
vices.  And  hath  had,  &c.  He  could 
never  forget  that  he  had  been  cured  of 
a  dreadful  malady,  but  might  soon  lose 
sight  of  its  having  been  done  through 
the  compassion  of  the  Lord.  Hence  he 
was  to  keep  this  prominently  in  view,  in 
every  rehearsal  of  the  transaction.  The 
tenses  in  the  original  are  different,  tlie 
perfect  has  done,  denoting  the  full 
completion  and  continuance  of  the 
cure  ;  and  the  aorist  had  compassion, 
showing  the  momentary  act  of  mercy, 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


443 


done  for  thee,  and  hath  had  com- 
passion on  thee. 

20  And  he  departed,  and  began 
to  publish  in  Decapolis  how  great 
things  Jesus  had  done  for  him  : 
and  all  men  did  marvel 

21  ''  And  when  Jesus  was  pass- 
ed over  again  by  ship  unto  the 
other  side,  much  people  gathered 
unto  him  ;  and  he  was  nigh  unto 
the  sea. 

22  '  And,  behold,  there  cometh 
one  of  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue, 
Jairus  by  name ;  and  when  he 
saw  him,  he  fell  at  his  feet, 

23  And  besought  him  greatly, 
saying,  My  little  daughter  lieth 
at  the  point  of  death  :  I  pray  thee, 
come  and  lay  thy  hands  on  her, 

<fMt.  9:1;  Lu.8:40.    eMt.  9:18;  Lu.  8:41. 

which    effected   the   expulsion    of  the 
demons. 

20.  Decapolis  (See  N.  on  Matt.  4: 
25),  of  which  Gadara  was  one  of  the 
cities.  Did  marvel  at  the  stupendous 
miracle.  In  Galilee,  where  Jesus  began 
to  be  well  known,  and  was  already 
arousing  the  jealousy  of  the  civil  au- 
thorities, those  who  were  healed  were 
commanded  to  keep  silence,  but  in 
Perea  this  was  unnecessary,  and  hence 
the  man  was  commanded  to  spread  the 
news  of  his  cure  abroad. 

21.  Unto  the  other  side,  i.  e.  to  his 
own  city,  Capernaum.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
9 :  1.  Much  people,  &c.  Crowds  ga- 
thered around  him  wherever  he  went. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  only  rest  he 
took,  after  the  excessive  labors  of  the 
day  on  which  he  pronounced  the  par- 
ables (see  N.  on  Matt.  8  :  18),  was 
while  he  reclined  on  the  pillow  in  the 
stern  of  the  ship  (N.  on  4 :  38) ;  and  now 
on  his  return,  he  is  immediately  sur- 
rounded by  throngs,  anxious  to  hear 
his  words  and  experience  his  healing 
mercies.  He  was  nigh,  &c.  He  took 
up  his  temporary  abode  near  the  sea, 
and  there  instructed  the  people. 

22-43.  See  Ns.    on   Matt.  9 :  18-26  : 


that  she  may  be  healed  ;   and  she 
shall  live. 

24  And  Jesus  went  with  him  ; 
and  much  people  followed  him, 
and  thronged  him. 

25  And  a  certain  woman,  %hich 
had  an  issue  of  blood  twelve 
years, 

26  And  had  suffered  many 
things  of  many  physicians,  and 
had  spent  all  that  she  had,  and 
was  nothing  bettered,  but  rather 
grew  worse, 

27  When  she  had  heard  of 
Jesus,  came  in  the  press  behind, 
and  touched  his  garment. 

28  For  she  said.  If  I  may  touch 
but  his  clothes,  I  shall  be  whole. 

29  And   straightway  the  foun- 

/Le.  15:25;  Mt.  9:20. 


Luke  8  :  41-56.  The  raising  of  Jairus' 
daughter,  and  the  healing  of  the  wo- 
man with  an  issue  of  blood,  are  nar- 
rated more  fully  by  Mark,  than  by  the 
other  evangelists.  The  additional  in- 
cidents will  be  referred  to  in  the  Notes. 

22,23.  One  of  the  nders  of  the  syna- 
gogue. These  were  probably  the  elders 
in  the  synagogue  (Luke  7 :  3),  who 
had  the  general  oversight  of  all  matters 
pertaining  to  the  synagogue  worship. 
One  of  these  was  the  chief  director,  see 
vs.  35,  36,  38;  Luke  8:49;  13:14; 
Acts  18  ;  8,  17.  Lieth  at  the  point,  &c. 
For  the  reconciliation  of  this  with  Mat- 
thew's statement,  see  N.  on  Matt. 
9:  18. 

26.  And  had  suffered,  kc.  She  had 
taken  much  nauseous  medicine,  and 
been  subject  to  various  kinds  of  pain- 
ful treatment  from  the  dififerent  physi- 
cians, to  whom  she  had  resorted  for  help. 
Had  spent  all,  &c.  She  was  reduced 
to  poverty,  besides  having  become 
worse  instead  of  better  under  medical 
treatment.  This  shows  her  wretched 
and  hopeless  condition,  when  she  ap- 
plied to  Jesus  for  aid. 

29.  Tlie  fountain  of  her  blood,  ex- 
plained in  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke, 


444 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  SI. 


tain  of  her  blood  was  dried  up ; 
and  she  felt  in  her  body  that  she 
was  healed  of  that  plague. 

30  And  Jesus,  immediately 
kuowinff  in  himself  that  "  virtue 
had  gone  out  of  him,  turned  him 
about  in  the  j^ress,  and  said,  Who 
touched  my  clothes  ? 

31  And  his  disciples  said  unto 
him,    Thou    seest   the    multitude 

^Lu.  6:19,  &  8:  46. 

an  issue  or  flowinff  of  blood.  The  word 
translated  fountain,  is  ofted  used  in 
classical  Greek,  for  the  stream  which 
proceeds  from  it.  The  reason  for  its 
employment  here,  may  be  seen  in  the 
words  was  dried  up.  The  discharge  of 
blood  ceased,  and  the  fountain  or 
source  whence  it  came,  was  said  to  be 
dried  up,  as  the  drying  up  of  a  stream  of 
water  indicates  the  drying  up  of  the 
fountain  whence  it  proceeds.  This 
shows  how  radical  and  complete  was 
the  cure.  She  felt  in  her  bod>/.  Strength 
and  energy  were  imparted  to  her,  on  her 
first  touch  of  the  Savior's  garment.  She 
Mas  made  certain  of  her  cure,  by  the  im- 
mediate cessation  of  the  bloody  dis- 
charge, and  relief  from  the  pain  which 
attended  it.  This  shows  that  she  was  then 
suffering  under  her  grievous  malady,  and 
makes  her  sudden  and  perfect  cure  the 
more  strikingly  miraculous.  Of  that 
plague.     See  N.  on  3  :  10. 

30.  77iat  virtue.  Literally,  that  the 
power  (i.  e.  the  healing  or  miraculous 
power)  had  gone  forth  from  him,  i.  e. 
had  been  called  into  exercise  and  put 
forth.  The  power  to  work  miracles 
was  inherent  in  Jesus,  and  was  not  the 
result  of  some  special  grace  conferred 
in  each  instance  by  God,  as  was  true  of 
the  prophets  and  apostles.  In  the  press, 
i.  e.  in  the  crowd  following  close  upon 
him,  on  his  way  to  visit  the  ruler's 
daughter.  Who  touched  my  clothes  ? 
He  proposed  this  question,  not  through 
ignorance  of  the  person  who  had  done 
the  act,  but  in  order  to  draw  attention 
to  her  faith,  humility,  and  miraculous 
cure,  and  also  to  bring  the  woman  her- 
self to  an  acknowledgment  of  what  she 


thronging   thee,  and   sayest  thoa, 
AVlio  touched  me  ? 

32  And  he  looked  round  about 
to  see  her  that  had  done  this 
thing. 

33  But  the  woman  fearing  and 
trembling,  knowing  what  was  done 
in  her,  came  and  fell  down  before 
him,  and  told  him  all  the  truth. 

34  And    he    said    unto    her, 


had  done,  which  he  deemed  necessary 
to  the  full  measure  of  gracious  influ- 
ence, spiritual  as  well  as  physical, 
which  he  was  bestowing  upon  her,  and 
which  would  have  been  restricted,  had 
she  been  suffered  to  bear  away,  as  she 
wished,  her  blessing  concealed  and  un- 
acknowledged. 

31.  And  his  disciples,  ha.  Peter  was 
the  spokesman  (Luke  8  :  45),  who,  after 
that  all  had  denied  having  touched 
him,  expressed  his  wonder  that  Jesus, 
in  the  midst  of  such  a  crowd,  should 
ask  who  touched  him. 

32-34.  And  he  looked,  &c.  As  he  did 
this,  he  again  repeated  the  assertion 
that  somebody  had  touched  him,  inas- 
much as  the  healing  power  residing  in 
him,  had  been  put  into  exercise  (Luke). 
To  see  her,  &c.  i.  e.  in  order  to  single 
out  the  one  who  had  touched  him.  As 
he  did  this,  his  eye  probably  rested  on 
the  woman,  and  she  fearing  and  tremb- 
ling— as  a  poor  and  timid  woman  would 
do,  who  had  been  the  subject  of  such  a 
sudden  and  wondrous  cure,  and  dreaded 
his  displeasure  for  such  presumption  on 
her  part — and  knowing  what  was  done  in 
her,  and  being  thereby  inspired  with 
awe,  fell  down  before  him,  and  did  not 
attempt  to  conceal  herself  any  longer 
from  him.  All  the  truth  respecting  the 
affair  in  question.  See  Luke  8  :  47. 
Be  whole,  &c.  Our  Lord  confirms  the 
cure  previously  wrought,  and  sends  the 
woman  away  with  words  of  comfort  and 
assurance.  Go  in  peace ;  literally,  go 
airay  into  peace,  i.  e.  into  the  enjoyment 
of  every  kind  of  good.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  10  :  13. 

35.    While  he  yet  spake,  i.  e.  while  he 


A.  D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


445 


Daughtei",  ^  thy  ftiith  hath  made 
thee  whole ;  go  in  peace,  and  be 
whole  of  thy  plague. 

35  '  While  he  yet  spake,  there 
came  from  the  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue's house  certain  which  said. 
Thy  daughter  is  dead  ;  why  troub- 
lest  thou  the  Master  any  fur- 
ther ? 

36  As  soon  as  Jesus  heard  the 
word  that  was  spoken,  he  saith 
unto  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue, 
Ee  not  afraid,  only  believe. 

37  And  he  suffered  no  man  to 
follow  him,  save  Peter,  and  James, 
and  John  the  brother  of  James. 

38  And  he  cometh  to  the  house 
of  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and 

A  Mt.  9  :  22;   Ch.  in  :  52 ;  Ac.  14:  9. 

was  talking  with  the  woman  whom  he 
had  just  healed.  From  the  ruler  of  the 
synagogue's  house.  There  is  an  ellipsis 
of  the  word  house,  common  also  in  such 
phrases  in  our  language.  The  ruler 
himself  was  at  this  time  with  Jesus. 
Tliy  daughter,  &c.  She  lay  at  the  point 
of  death,  when  her  father  left  to  seek 
aid  from  Jesus  (v.  23).  She  had  now 
expired,  and  a  messenger  was  sent  to 
apprise  him  of  the  fact,  supposing  that 
his  errand  to  Jesus  would  now  be  fruit- 
less. Wliy  troublest  thou,  &c.  Why 
put  him  to  the  trouble  of  coming  to  thy 
house,  when  the  child  is  already  dead  ? 

36.  As  soon  as  Jesus,  &c.  This  sad 
intelligence  overwhelmed  the  ruler  with 
grief,  but  our  Lord  immediately  ad- 
dressed him  with  encouraging  words, 
and  reassured  his  faith  now  so  severely 
tried.  The  word  rendered  heard,  is 
literally  having  overheard,  which  implies 
that  the  message  was  delivered  to  the 
ruler,  in  low,  subdued  tones  of  grief. 
Only  believe.  Here  lay  the  ruler's 
danger.  Jesus  had  equal  power  to 
raise  from  the  dead,  as  from  a  bed  of 
sickness,  but,  in  either  case,  faith  as  a 
prerequisite  was  required  of  the  father, 
and  lest  it  should  fail  in  this  great  trial 


seeth  the  tumult,  and  them  that 
wept  and  wailed  greatly. 

39  And  when  he  was  come  in, 
he  saith  unto  them.  Why  make  ye 
this  ado,  and  weep  ?  the  damsel  is 
not  dead,  but '''  sleepeth. 

40  And  they  laughed  him  to 
scorn.  '  But  when  he  had  put 
them  all  out,  he  taketh  the  father 
and  the  mother  of  the  damsel, 
and  them  that  were  with  him, 
and  entereth  in  where  the  damsel 
was  lying. 

41  And  he  took  the  damsel  by 
the  hand,  and  said  unto  her,  Tali- 
tha-cumi :  which  is,  being  inter- 
preted, Damsel,  (I  say  unto  thee,) 
arise. 

42  And  straightway  the  damsel 

iLu.  8:49.    ^Jn.  11:11.    i  Ac.  9:40. 

of  it,  these  words  of  exhortation  and 
encouragement  were  addressed  to  him. 
See  Luke  8  :  50. 

37.  Save  Peter,  and  James,  and  John. 
SeeN.  on  Matt.  17  :  1. 

38.  And  seeth.  This  is  used  here  and 
elsewhere,  not  only  of  the  eye,  but  also 
the  mind,  he  perceived,  contemplated. 
The  tumult,  i.  e.  the  wailing  and  lamen- 
tation of  the  minstrels  (see  Matt.  9  :  23), 
as  appears  from  the  following  words 
added  by  way  of  explanation,  (viz.) 
those  who  wept  and  loailed  greatly.  This 
last  M'ord,  in  the  original  Greek,  ex- 
presses a  shrill  and  prolonged  utterance 
of  the  word  alala,  wailed  forth  as  here 
in  lamentations  for  the  dead,  and  some- 
times shouted  as  a  battle-cry. 

39.  Wliy  make  ye  this  ado?  'Why 
these  manifestations  of  grief  ?  They  are 
untimely.  The  damsel  is  not  dead  (as  you 
suppose)  but  sleepeth  (see  N.  on  Matt.  9  : 
24).  Cease  then  your  wailing.'  Our 
Lord  does  not  here  forbid  the  Jewish 
custom  of  mourning  for  the  dead,  but 
only  asserts  that  there  is  no  necessity 
for  it  on  this  occasion. 

41.  Talitha-cwni.  An  Aramiean  or 
Syro-Chaldaic  word,  the  ordinary  dialect 
of  the  people,  talitha,  a  term  of  cndcai"- 


446 


MARK. 


[A.D.32. 


arose,  and  walked ;  for  she  was  of 
the  age  of  twelve  years.  And 
they  were  astonished  with  a  great 
astonishment. 

43  And  '"  he  charged  them 
straitly  that  no  man  should 
know  it ;  and  commanded  that 
something  should  be  given  her  to 
eat. 

CHAPTER  YI. 

AND  "  he  went  out  from  thence, 
and  came   into  his  own  coun- 
try ;  and  his  disciples  follow  him. 

2  And  when  the  sabbath  day 
was  come,  he  began  to  teach  in 
the  synagogue  :  and  many  hearing 
him  were  astonished,  saying, 
*  From  whence  hath  this  man 
these  things  ?  and  what  wisdom 
is  this  which  is  given  unto  him, 
that  even  such  mighty  works  are 
wroiaght  by  his  hands  ? 

3  Is  not  this  the  carpenter,  the 
son  of  Mary, '  the  brother  of  James 

TOMt.8:4;  Ch.  3:12;  Lii.5  :  14.  aMt.l3: 
64;  Lu.  4:16.  &  .Jn.  6  :  42.  c  See  Mt.  12  :  46  : 
Ga.  1 :  19.    d  Mt.  11 :  6. 

merit,  my  little  girl,  ^^  come,  my  child" 
( Alford) ;  cumi,  arise,  rise  up.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  9  :  25. 

42.  They  were  astonished,  &c.  The 
words  are  very  emphatic  in  the  original. 
Their  astonishment  knew  no  bounds. 
The  raising  up  of  one  whom  they  knew 
to  be  dead  (Lulvc  8  :  63),  transcended 
any  power  which  they  had  ever  seen 
put  forth.  With  a  great  astonishment ; 
literally,  with  a  great  ecstasy,  a  word 
which  etymologically  signifies  the  being 
out  of  one\'i  mind,  as  here  with  amaze- 
ment. Sometimes,  as  in  Acts  10  :  10; 
11  :  5;  22:  17,  it  signifies  a  drawee,  in 
which  the  soul  is  wrapt  up  in  visions  of 
the  future  or  unseen  world. 

43.  He  charged  them,  &c.  This  was 
not  an  injunction  of  perpetual  secrecy, 
but  only  for  the  time  being,  to  avoid 
the  great  excitement  which  such  a  dis- 
closure would  produce.     Our  Lord  was 


and  Joses,  and  of  Judas,  and 
Simon  ?  and  are  not  his  sisters 
here  with  us  ?  And  they  "^  were 
offended  at  him. 

4  But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  'A 
prophet  is  not  without  hoaor,  but 
in  his  own  country,  and  among 
his  own  kin,  and  in  his  own 
house. 

5  •'And  he  could  there  do  no 
mighty  work,  save  that  he  laid  his 
hands  upon  a  few  sick  folk,  and 
healed  them. 

6  And  ^he  marvelled  because 
of  their  unbelief  *And  he  went 
round  about  the  villages,  teach- 
ing- 

7  ^  '  And  he  called  unto  him 
the  twelve,  and  began  to  send 
them  forth  by  two  and  two ;  and 
gave  them  power  over  unclean 
spirits  ; 

8  And  commanded  them  that 
they  should  take  nothing  for  their 
journey,   save   a   staff  only ;    no 

eMt.  13:57;  Jn.  4:  44.  /See  Ge.  19  :  22; 
Mt.  13  :  58.  fir  Is.  59  :  16.  A  Mt.  9 :  35 ;  Lu.  13 : 
22.    *  Mt.  10  :  1. 

careful  not  to  awaken  the  jealousy  of 
the  civil  authorities,  by  drawing  and 
keeping  together,  any  length  of  time, 
great  crowds.  Atid  commanded,  &c. 
One  object  of  this  was  to  furnish 
the  most  satisfactory  evidence  of  the 
maiden's  restoration  to  life  and  perfect 
health. 

CHAP.  VI. 

1-6.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  13  :  54-58.  He 
went  out  from  thence  (v.  1),  i.  e.  from 
the  city  of  Capernaum.  He  marvelled 
(v.  6).  This  unbelief  and  indifference 
to  their  spiritual  wants,  as  well  as  neg- 
lect to  avail  themselves  of  his  healing 
power  in  behalf  of  their  sick  and  af- 
flicted, were  so  great  as  to  excite  the 
astonishment  of  Jesus.  And  he  went, 
&c.  See  N.  on  Matt.  9  :  35,  which  is 
parallel  to  this. 

7.  See  N.  on  Matt.  10:1.  Two  and 
two.     See  N.  on  Matt.  10  :  5. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


447 


scrip,  no  bread,  no  money  in  their 
purse  : 

9  But  ^  he  shod  with  sandals  ; 
and  not  put  on  two  coats. 

10  '  And  he  said  unto  them,  In 
what  place  soever  ye  enter  into 
an  house,  there  abide  till  ye  de- 
part from  that  place. 

11  '"  And  whosoever  shall  not 
receive  you,  nor  hear  you,  when 
ye  depart  thence,  "  shake  off  the 
dust  under  your  feet  for  a  testi- 
mony against  them.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you.  It  shall  be  more  toler- 
able for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in 
the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that 
city. 

12  And  they  went  out,  and 
preached  that  men  should  repent. 

13  And  they  cast  out  many 
devils,  "  and  anointed  with  oil 
many  that  were  sick,  and  healed 
ihem. 

k  Ac.  12  :  8.    ^Mt.  10  :  It ;  Lu.  9 :  4.  m  Mt.  10: 
14 ;  Lu.  10  :  10.    11  Ac.  13 :  51.    o  Ja.  5  :  14. 

8-11.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  10  :  9-15  ; 
also  Luke  11  :  1-5. 

12.  And  they  went  out,  &c.  They  set 
out  on  their  missionary  tour,  after 
having  received  the  instructions  more 
fully  detailed  in  Matt.  10  :  5-42,  on 
which  see  Notes.  Preached  that  men 
should  repent.  So  John  the  Baptist 
preached  (Matt.  3:2,  8,  11),  and  thus 
also  preached  Jesus  himself  (Matt.  4  : 
17).  Luke  expresses  it  (v.  6),  preaching 
the  gospel,  which  implies  the  preaching 
of  repentance,  since  the  promises  and 
blessings  of  the  gospel  can  be  secured, 
only  by  such  as  truly  repent  of  their 
sins. 

13.  Anointed  with  oil  (literally, 
olive-oil)  many,  &c.  It  is  strange  that 
any  should  refer  this  to  the  mere  prac- 
tice of  the  healing  art,  that  is,  to  the 
application  of  a  certain  oil  of  high 
medicinal  virtue.  The  application  of 
oil  was  merely  symbolic  of  the  miracu- 
lous power  put  forth,  just  like  the  lay- 


14  ^  And  king  Herod  heard  of 
him ;  (for  his  name  was  spread 
abroad;)  and  he  said,  That  John 
the  Baptist  was  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  therefore  mighty  works 
do  shew  forth  themselves  in  him. 

15  ^  Others  said.  That  it  is 
Elias.  And  others  said.  That  it 
is  a  prophet,  or  as  one  of  the  pro- 
phets. 

16  'But  when  Herod  heard 
thereof,  he  said.  It  is  John,  whom 
I  beheaded  :  he  is  risen  from  the 
dead. 

17  For  Herod  himself  had  sent 
forth  and  laid  hold  upon  John, 
and  bound  him  in  prison  for  He- 
rodias'  sake,  his  brother  Philip's 
wife  ;  for  he  had  married  her. 

18  For  John  had  said  unto 
Herod,  '  It  is  not  lawful  for  thee 
to  have  thy  brother's  wife. 

19  Therefore  Herodias  had  a 

/>Mt.l4:l;  Lu.9:T.    .2Mt.l6:14.    »-Mt.l4: 
2;  Lu.  3:19.    s  Le.  18:  16. 

ing  on  of  the  hand,  so  frequently  prac- 
tised by  our  Savior.  In  this  sense, 
James  5  :  14  is  to  be  interpreted.  Oil 
was  a  fit  emblem  of  this  healing  power, 
both  because  it  was  typical  of  the  oil  of 
gladness,  with  which  God  anoints  his 
people,  and  also  because  in  certain 
cases,  as  wounds,  bruises,  sprains,  it  has 
great  sanatory  efficacy.  Hence  anoint- 
ing with  oil  was  common  among  the 
Jews,  in  cases  of  sickness,  but  in  no 
instance  with  the  accompaniment  of 
miraculous  power,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
apostles.  Alford  cites  as  instances  of 
such  symbolic  use  of  external  applica- 
tions, 2  Kings  5:14;  Mark  8  :  23  : 
John  9  :  6,  &c. 

14-29.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  14:  1-12. 
Compare  also  Luke  9  :  1-9.  Mark's 
account  of  the  beheading  of  John  is 
more  full  than  that  of  Matthew,  while 
it  is  only  referred  to  by  Luke  in  v.  9. 

14.  King  Herod.  He  received  the 
title  of  king  by  courtesy,  being  only 


448 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


quarrel  against  him,  and  would 
have  killed  him ;  but  she  could 
not  : 

20  For  Herod  feared  John, 
knowiug  that  he  was  a  just  man 
and  an  holy,  and  observed  him  ; 
and  when  he  heard  him,  he  did 
many  things,  and  heard  hiu!  glad- 

21  "  And  when  a  convenient 
day  was  come,  that  Herod  'on  his 
birth-day  made  a  supper  to  his 
lords,  high  captains,  and  chief 
estates  of  Glalilee ; 

22  And  when  the  daughter  of 
the  said  Herodias  came  in,  and 
danced,  and  pleased  Herod  and 
them  that  sat  with  him,  the  king 

t  Mt.  14  :  5.    u  Mt.  14  :  6.    so  Ge.  40  :  20. 

tetrarch.  That  it  is  a  prophet  (v.  15),  &c. 
Literally,  he  is  a  prophet  as  one  of  the 
prophets,  i.  e.  a  prophet,  like  those  who 
have  preceded  him,  but  not  the  Messiah. 
It  is  Jolin  (v.  16),  &c.  The  original  is 
very  confused,  showing  the  agitation 
and  alarm  ot"  Herod  :  whom  I  have 
beheaded  (even)  John,  he  it  is,  he  has 
risen  from  the  dead.  For  Herod  himself 
&c.  (v.  17).  It  was  done  at  his  own  com- 
mand, and  not,  as  might  have  been  sup- 
posed, by  the  order  of  Herodias. 

20.  Feared  John,  i.  e.  stood  in  awe 
of  him,  on  account  of  his  sanctity,  and 
boldness  of  denunciation  against  sin. 
ICnowing,  i.  e.  because  he  knew,  &c.  The 
clause  denotes  the  reason  why  Herod 
feared  John.  Observed  him.  This  does 
not  refer  to  obeying  his  instructions, 
but  to  keeping  him  in  close  custody,  in 
order  to  preserve  him  from  the  machi- 
nations of  Herodias.  This  shows  why 
He  rod  first  imprisoned  John.  Did 
inani/  things  which  John  commanded. 
He  began  externally  to  reform  his  man- 
ners. Heard  him  gladly  (literally,  with 
the  relish  with  which  one  eats).  He 
enjoyed  his  instruction.  He  was  of  the 
class  of  stony  ground  hearers,  "  who 
receive  the  word  with  joy"  (Matt.  13  : 
20;  Luke  8  :  13).     But  he  did  not  put 


said  unto  the  damsel,  Ask  of  me 
whatsoever  thou  wilt,  and  I  will 
give  it  thee. 

23  And  he  sware  unto  her, 
"  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  ask  of 
me,  I  will  give  it  thee,  unto  the 
half  of  my  kingdom. 

24  And  she  went  forth ,  and  said 
unto  her  mother.  What  shall  I 
ask  ?  And  she  said,  The  head  of 
John  the  Baptist. 

25  And  she  came  in  straight- 
way with  haste  unto  the  king,  and 
asked,  saying,  I  will  that  thou 
give  me,  by  and  by,  in  a  charger 
the  head  of  John  the  Baptist. 

26  ^  And  the  king  was  exceed- 
ing sorry  ;  yet  for  his  oath's  sake, 

2/Es.  5:3,  6.    sMt.  14:9. 

away  Herodias,  as  he  was  directed,  nor 
refuse  the  head  of  his  religious  teacher, 
when  it  was  demanded  as  the  price  for 
the  paltry  gratification,  which  he  and 
his  courtiers  had  received  from  a 
dancing  girl.  This  shows  how  shallow 
was  the  soil,  into  which  the  word  had 
fallen. 

21.  Convenient  day  for  the  murder- 
ous design  of  Herodias.  She  probably 
planned  the  dance,  and  all  the  circum- 
stances attending  it.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
14  :  6.  Many  commentators  tran.slate 
this  a  festival  day,  but  such  is  not  its 
meaning  here,  although  the  day  was 
convenient  or  opportune,  from  its  being 
a  great  feast-day.  Lords ;  literally, 
magnates,  great  men.  High  civil  officers 
are  referred  to.  High  captains ;  lite- 
rally, chiliarchs  or  captains  of  a  thou- 
sand. It  here  designates  any  officer  of 
high  military  rank.  Chief  estates  ;  lite- 
rally, _y?r,s<  ones,  referring  to  magistrates 
and  persons  of  wealth  and  distinction, 
like  our  aristocratic  expression,  frst 
families. 

23.  Unto  half  my  kingdom.  An  ex- 
travagant promise,  even  for  a  king  (see 
Esth.  5:3;  7:2),  much  more  for  a 
mere  ethnarch  (see  N.  on  Matt.  14  :  7). 

30.  And  the   king,   &c.     More   cor- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


449 


and  for  their  sakes  which  sat  with 
him,  he  would  not  reject  her. 

27  And  immediately  the  king 
sent  an  executioner,  and  command- 
ed his  head  to  be  brought  :  and 
he  went  and  beheaded  him  in  the 
prison ; 

28  And  brought  his  head  in  a 
charger,  and  gave  it  to  the  dam- 
sel ;  and  the  damsel  gave  it  to  her 
mother. 

29  And  when  his  disciples  heard 
of  it,  they  came  and  took  up  his 
corpse,  and  laid  it  in  a  tomb. 

30  "  And  the  apostles  gathered 
themselves  together  unto  Jesus, 
and  told  him  all  things,  both  what 
they  had  done,  and  what  they  had 
taught. 

31  'And  he  said  unto  them, 
Come  ye  yourselves  apart  into  a 
desert  place,  and  rest  awhile  ;  for 

aLu.  9:10.    6  Mt.  14:1.3.    cCh.  3:20. 
d  Mat.  U  :  13. 

rectly  translated,  although  the  king 
was  exceeding  sorry.  Would  not  re- 
ject her,  i.  e.  was  unwilling  to  dishonor 
her  by  refusing  her  request. 

27.  An  executioner  ;  literally,  a  pike- 
man,  one  of  his  body  guard,  who,  ac- 
cording to  Oriental  custom,  acted  when 
necessary  as  executioner. 

30-4-1.  Matt.  14-31  (on  which  see 
Kotes);  Luke  9  :  10-17  ;  John  6  :  1-13. 
The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  is  one 
of  the  few  incidents,  narrated  with  al- 
most equal  fulness  of  detail  by  all  the 
evangelists.  While  there  is  a  remark- 
able agreement  between  them  in  all 
essential  points,  there  is  yet  a  variety 
of  verbal  expression,  which  shows  that 
they  are  independent  statements,  and 
not  compilations  one  from  another. 

30.  Gathered  themselves,  &c.  They 
returned  to  Jesus  from  the  mission,  on 
which  they  had  been  sent  (6  :  7).  Per- 
haps the  same  jealousy  and  persecuting 
spirit  of  Herod,  which  caused  Jesus  to 
cross  the   lake  to  a  more  retired  place 


"  there  were  many  coming  and 
going,  and  they  had  no  leisure  so 
much  as  to  eat. 

32  ''  And  they  departed  into  a 
desert  place  by  ship  privately. 

33  And  the  people  saw  them 
departing,  and  many  knew  him, 
and  ran  afoot  thither  out  of  all 
cities,  and  outwent  them,  and  came 
together  unto  him. 

34  '  And  Jesus,  when  he  came 
out,  saw  much  people,  and  was 
moved  with  compassion  toward 
them,  because  they  were  as  sheep 
not  having  a  shepherd  :  and  ^  he 
began  to  teach  them  many  things. 

35  ^  And  when  the  day  was  now 
far  spent,  his  disciples  came  unto 
him,  and  said,  This  is  a  desert 
place,  and  now  the  time  is  far 
passed  : 

36  Send  them  away,  that  they 

«  Mt.  9  :  36.   /Lu.  9:11.    g  Mt.  14  :  15. 


(see  N.  on  Matt.  14  :  13),  hastened  the 
return  of  the  apostles  from  their  circuit. 
All  things,  &c.  i.  e.  the  miracles  which 
they  had  wrought,  and  the  doctrines 
they  had  taught. 

31.  Come  ye  yonrselves,  &.c.  The  in- 
vitation was  addressed  only  to  the 
apostles,  who  had  now  been  absent  for 
a  season,  and  needed  rest  and  retire- 
ment with  Jesus,  in  order  to  receive 
further  instruction  in  things  pertaining 
to  the  kingdom  of  God.  Apart  info  a 
desert  place.  See  N.  on  Matt.  14  :  13. 
J^or  there  were  many,  &c.  These  were 
in  attendance  upon  his  ministry.  77iey 
had  not  leisure,  &c.  See  N.  on  Mark 
3  :  20. 

33.  Ifany  kneiv  him,  i.  e.  recognized 
him,  as  the  boat  was  putting  off  from 
shore,  to  convey  him  and  his  disciples 
across  the  lake.  Some  think  that  refer- 
ence is  had  to  their  knowledge  of  the 
point  across  the  lake,  whither  he  was 
intending  to  go,  so  that  they  were 
enabled  to  pass  on  foot  around  the  lake, 


450 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


may  go  into  the  country  round 
about,  and  into  the  villages,  and 
buy  themselves  bread  :  for  they 
have  nothing  to  eat. 

37  He  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  Give  ye  them  to  eat.  And 
they  say  unto  him,  *  Shall  we  go 
and  buy  two  hundred  pennyworth 
of  bread,  and  give  them  to  eat  ? 

38  He  saith  unto  them,  How 
many  loaves  have  ye  ?  go  and  see. 
And  when  they  knew,  they  say, 
'  Five,  and  two  fishes. 

39  And  he  commanded  them  to 
make  all  sit  down  by  companies 
upon  the  green  grass. 

40  And  they  sat  down  in  ranks, 
by  hundreds,  and  by  fifties. 

41  And  when  he  had  taken  the 
five  loaves,  and  the  two  fishes,  he 
looked  up  to  heaven,  *  and  blessed, 
and  brake  the  loaves,  and  gave 
ihem  to  his  disciples  to  set  before 
them  ;  and  the  two  fishes  divided 
he  among  them  all. 

42  And  they  did  all  eat,  and 
were  filled. 

43  And  they  took  up  twelve 
baskets  full  of  the  fragments,  and 
of  the  fishes. 

A Nu.  11 :  13,  22 ;  2  Ki.  4 :  43.    i  Mat.  14 :  17; 
Jn.  6:  9.     >fcl  Sa.  9: 18;  Mt.  26:  26. 

and  meet  him,  when  he  came  on  shore. 
But  this  is  not  the  sense  of  the  original. 
37.  Shall  IK  go  and  buy,  &c.  There 
seems,  together  with  surprise,  to  be  a 
slight  shade  of  censure  in  this  question. 
'What,  shall  we  spend  two  hundred 
pence  in  purchasing  bread  for  this  great 
multitude,  for  in  what  other  way  can 
we  give  them  to  eat?'  It  is  not  prob- 
able that  they  had  more  than  this  sum 
by  them,  and  Philip,  (for  it  appears 
from  John  that  it  was  he  who  spake,) 
thought  it  hardly  consistent  with  pru- 
dence, to  spend  it  all  in  purchasing 
food  for  so    great  a  multitude,   espe- 


44  And  they  that  did  eat  of 
the  loaves  were  about  five  thou- 
sand men. 

45  And  straightway  he  con- 
strained his  disciples  to  get  into 
the  ship,  and  to  go  to  the  other 
side  before  unto  Bethsaida,  while 
he  sent  away  the  people. 

46  And  when  he  had  sent  them 
away,  he  departed  into  a  mountain 
to  pray. 

47  '"  And  when  even  was  come, 
the  ship  was  in  the  midst  of  the 
sea,  and  he  alone  on  the  land. 

48  And  he  saw  them  toiling  in 
rowing  ;  for  the  wind  was  con- 
trary unto  them :  and  about  the 
fourth  watch  of  the  night  he 
Cometh  unto  them,  walking  upon 
the  sea,  and  "  would  have  passed 
by  them. 

49  But  when  they  saw  him 
walking  upon  the  sea,  they  sup- 
posed it  had  been  a  spirit,  and 
cried  out : 

50  For  they  all  saw  him,  and 
were  troubled.  And  immedi- 
ately he  talked  with  them,  and 
saith  unto  them.  Be  of  good  cheer  : 
it  is  I  ;  be  not  afraid. 

^Mt.  14:  22;  Jn.  6:17.    mMt.  14:23;  Jn.  2: 
16, 17.     n  See  Lu.  24  :  28. 

cially  as  it  would  fall  far  short  of  satis- 
fying their  wants  (John  6:7). 

39,  40.  By  companies ;  literally,  in 
table-parties.  In  ranks;  literally,  by 
plats  or  plat-wise,  the  words  being 
used  of  beds  in  gardens,  laid  out  in  re- 
gular forms,  as  squares,  parallelograms. 
The  people  sat  down  in  squares  or  com- 
panies of  50  and  100  each,  so  that  the 
food  covdd  be  easily  passed  around  to 
them.  It  is  not  necessary  to  suppose, 
that  each  company  had  just  one  or  the 
other  of  the  above  numbers,  and  no 
more  or  less,  or  that  the  squares  were 
formed  with   mathematical   exactness. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


451 


51  And  he  went  up  unto  them 
into  the  ship ;  and  the  wind 
ceased  :  and  they  were  sore 
amazed  in  themselves  beyond 
measure,  and  wondered. 

52  For  "  they  considered  not 
the  miracle  of  the  loaves;  for 
their  ■''  heart  was  hardened. 

58  •'  And  when  they  had  passed 
over,  they  came  into  the  land  of 
Gennesaret,  and  drew  to  the 
shore. 

64  And  when  they  were  come 
out  of  the  ship,  straightway  they 
knew  him. 
oCh.  8:17,18.    pCh.Z:Z.    qMt.l4:34. 

The  general  number  and  form,  is  all 
that  is  intended  to  be  represented. 

45-56.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  14:  22-36. 
Compare  also  John  6  :  15-21. 

48.  Toiling  in  rowing.  The  expres- 
sion is  emphatic,  laboring  or  exhausted 
ivith  rowing.  And  would  have  passed 
by  them ;  literally,  he  willed  or  proposed 
to  pass  by  them.  This  refers  to  what 
appeared  to  be  his  intention.  See 
Luke  24 :  28. 

52.  For  they  considered  not,  &c.  liter- 
ally, for  they  understood  7iot  at  the  time 
of  bread,  i.  e.  they  had  not  supposed 
from  the  miracle  of  the  bread — of  the 
amazing  greatness  of  which  they  at  the 
time  had  no  adequate  conception — that 
he  could  do  so  apparently  an  impos- 
sible thing,  as  to  walk  upon  the  water. 
The  word  miracle  is  supplied  in  our  Eng- 
lish version,  without  sufficient  reason, 
and  contrary  to  the  Greek,  which  is  liter- 
ally, they  understood  not  at  the  loaves,  i.  e. 
at  the  time  when  the  miracle  of  the 
loaves  took  place.  Was  hardened,  i.  e. 
was  dull,  insensible. 

53.  Drew  to  the  shore,  brought  the 
ship  to  her  place  of  anchorage.  Some- 
times these  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the 
shore. 

54.  55.  TTiey  knew  him;  literally, 
having  knoivn  him  (i.  e.  recognized 
him,  as  he  landed  from  the  ship), 
and  having  run  about  the   whole  sur- 


55  And  ran  through  that  whole 
region  round  about,  and  began  to 
carry  about  in  beds  those  that 
were  sick,  where  they  heard  he 
was. 

56  And  whithersoever  he  en- 
tered, into  villages,  or  cities,  or 
country,  they  laid  the  sick  in  the 
streets,  and  besought  him  that 
'■  they  might  touch  if  it  were  but 
the  border  of  his  garment  :  and  as 
many  as  touched  him,  were  made 
whole. 


rMt.9 :  20;  Ch.  5 : 27, 28;  Ac.  19: 12. 

rounding  region,  they  began  to  carry 
about,  &c.  They  took  their  sick  from 
one  place  to  another,  where  they  heard 
he  had  gone  or  was  about  to  go.  Where 
they  heard,  &c.  Literally,  where  they 
heard  he  was  there,  by  which  Hebraistic 
pleonasm,  the  idea  is  intended,  in  what- 
ever place  they  heard  that  he  might 
chance  to  be. 

56.  They  laid  the  sick  in  the  streets, 
i.  e.  along  the  road  where  he  was 
about  to  go,  in  order  as  he  passed  by, 
to  avail  themselves  ofhis  healing  power. 
Besought  him.  The  construction  refers 
this  most  naturally  to  the  persons,  who 
brought  their  sick,  but  it  seems  more 
probable,  that  the  sick  themselves  be- 
sought him  to  draw  near  as  he  passed 
along,  and  permit  them  to  touch  even 
the  border  of  his  garment  (see  N.  on 
Matt.  9 :  20).  There  is  hardly  an  in- 
cident in  our  Savior's  life,  more  inter- 
esting and  instructive  than  this.  It 
exemplifies  both  the  wondrous  power 
and  kindness  of  our  Lord,  and  the  faith 
of  these  people,  who  thus  brought 
their  sick  along  the  way-side,  in  order 
to  be  healed.  Thus  should  we  bring 
our  spiritually  diseased  friends  to  the 
foot  ofhis  cross,  where  only  he  dis- 
penses his  healing  mercies,  and  where 
whoever  comes  to  him  shall  experi- 
ence the  most  ready  and  ample  for- 
giveness. 


452 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  82. 


CHAPTER  V] 

THEN  "came  together  unto  him 
the  Pharisees,  aud  certain  of 
the  scribes,  which  came  from  Jeru- 
salem. 

2  And  when  they  saw  some  of 
his  disciples  eat  bread  with  de- 
filed, that  is  to  say,  with  un wash- 
en  hands,  they  found  fault. 

3  For  the  Pharisees,  and  all 
the  Jews,  except  they  wash  their 

aMt.  15:  1. 

CHAP.  VII. 

1-23.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  15  :  1-20. 

2.  Defiled;  literally,  conmion,  as  op- 
posed to  that  which  was  set  apart 
for  a  sacred  use.  Food,  regarded  as 
one  of  the  greatest  of  God's  gifts,  and 
in  a  sense  rendered  sacred  by  the  invo- 
cation of  the  divine  blessing  thereon, 
was  to  be  taken  with  consecrated 
hands.  The  Pharisees,  always  obser- 
vant of  the  letter,  but  unmindful  of  the 
spirit  of  God's  commands,  understood 
this  literally,  and  therefore  laid  such 
stress  on  washing  the  hands  before  eat- 
ing, that  they  judged  the  omission  of 
this  ablution,  a  crime  of  equal  magni- 
tude with  fornication,  and  worthy  of 
death  (Dr.  Jahn).  However  clean  the 
hands  might  be,  unless  they  were 
washed  just  before  the  meal,  they 
were  regarded  as  ceremonially  unclean. 
The  word  defiled,  is  an  unfortunate 
translation,  seeming  to  imply  that  the 
disciples'  hands  were  literally  unclean  ; 
whereas  it  only  means,  that  they  had 
not  been  washed  just  before  the  meal, 
and  were  therefore  ceremonially  un- 
clean. 

3,  4.  These  verses  explain  more  fully 
the  Pharisaic  observance  of  the  wash- 
ing of  hands,  vessels,  and  the  like,  and 
the  stress  which  they  laid  upon  it.  Had 
Mark  written  his  gospel,  as  did  Mat- 
thew, for  Hebrew  Christians,  this  ex- 
planation would  have  been  unnecessary. 
All  the  Jews,  except  the  Sadducees,  who 
rejected  the  traditionary  law.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  3  :  7.  Oft.  This  is  regarded  by 
almost  all  critics,  as  a  gloss,  the  MS. 
authorities  being  almost  all  in  favor  of 


hands  oft,  eat  not,  holding  the 
tradition  of  the  elders. 

4  And  ivhen  they  come  from 
the  market,  except  they  wash, 
they  eat  not.  And  many  other 
things  there  be,  which  they  have 
received  to  hold,  as  the  washiog 
of  cups,  and  pots,  brazen  yessels, 
and  of  tables. 

5  '  Then  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes  asked  him.  Why  walk  not 

6  Mt.  15 :  2. 

a  word  signifying  the  first,  on  which,  and 
also  on  the  words  tradition  of  the  el- 
ders, see  N.  on  Matt.  15 :  2.  From  the 
market;  literally,  from  market,  accord- 
ing to  our  mode  of  expression.  There 
is  some  word  to  be  here  supplied,  which 
has  given  rise  to  tvvo  interpretations ; 
1.  (having  come)  from  market  they  eat 
not  ejccept  they  wash;  2.  (of  what  is) 
from  inarket  unless  they  wash  (it)  ihey 
eat  not.  The  former  of  these  interpre- 
tations is  to  be  preferred,  as  the  ellipsis 
is  less  harsh  and  unnatural,  and,  as 
Alford  observes,  it  would  be  no  unusual 
practice  to  wash  things  bought  in  the 
market.  The  word  market  in  this 
case,  must  have  the  sense  market-place, 
forum,  where  men  in  ancient  times  as- 
sembled for  the  transaction  of  public 
business,  or  to  pass  a  leisure  hour  in 
social  intercourse  with  their  friends. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  word 
wash,  is  literally  baptize.  No  one  will 
presume  to  say,  that  in  this  connection 
is  signifies  to  immerse  the  whole  body 
in  water.  So  also  in  washing  (literally, 
baptisjn)  of  ctips,  &c.  in  the  next  sen- 
tence, reference  is  had  to  the  usual 
mode  of  applying  water  to  the  cleansing 
of  vessels,  and  not  to  dipping  them  in 
water  merely.  Ifany  other  things  per- 
taining to  this  same  ritual  purification. 
Have  received  (from  the  tradition  of  the 
elders)  to  hold,  i.  e.  to  observe.  Cups. 
Drinking  vessels.  Pots.  Small  mea- 
sures or  vessels,  for  things  both  liquid 
and  dr}'.  The  Roman  sextariiis,  which 
corresponds  to  this,  held  about  an  Eng- 
lish pint.  These  cups  or  pitchers  were 
made  of  wood,  stone,  or  horn  render- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


453 


thy  disciples  according  to  the  tra- 
ditiou  of  the  elders,  but  eat  bread 
with  unwashen  hands  ? 

6  He  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  Well  hath  Esaias  prophesied 
of  you  hypocrites,  as  it  is  written, 
'  This  people  honoureth  me  with 
their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far 
from  me. 

7  Howbeit  in  vain  do  they 
worship  me,  teaching  for  doc- 
trines the  commandments  of  men. 

8  For  laying  aside  the  com- 
mandment of  God,  ye  hold  the 
tradition  of  men,  as  the  washing 
of  pots  and  cups  :  and  many  other 
such  like  things  ye  do. 

9  And  he  said  unto  them,  Full 
well  ye  reject  the  commandment 
of  God,  that  ye  may  keep  your 
own  tradition. 

10  For  Moses  said,  "^  Honour 
thy  father  and  thy  mother  ;  and, 
'  Whoso  curseth  father  or  mother, 
let  him  die  the  death  : 

11  But  ye  say,  If  a  man  shall 
say  to  his  father  or  mother,  It  is 

t-Is.  29:13  ;Mt.  15:8. 
dEx.  20:12;  De.  5: 16;  Mt.  15:4. 

ed  smooth  by  rubbing  or  scraping, 
from  which  the  word  in  the  original 
has  its  origin.  Brazen  vessels.  These 
were  used  for  cooking.  Earthen 
vessels,  when  polhited,  were  at  once 
broken  (Levit.  15:  12).  Tables.  These 
were  the  couches  on  which  they  re- 
clined at  meals.  See  N.  on  Matt.  23 : 
6.  The  hteral  rendering  is  baptism 
of  tables,  which  surely  cannot  be 
strained  to  signify  immersion  of  tables 
or  couches. 

8.  Laying  aside,  i.  e.  leaving  imdone, 
neglecting  to  do.  Commandment  of  God 
is  here  opposed  to  tradition  of  men. 
The  former  they  neglected,  the  lat- 
ter they  scrupulously  observed.  As 
the  washing,  &c.  This  shows  in 
what  the  traditions  of  men  consisted. 


^  Corban,  that  is  to  say,  a  gift,  by 
whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  pro- 
fited by  me  ;  he  shall  he  free. 

12  And  ye  sufier  him  no  more 
to  do  aught  for  his  father  or  his 
mother ; 

13  Making  the  word  of  God  of 
none  effect  through  your  tradition, 
which  ye  have  delivered  :  and 
many  such  like  things  do  ye. 

14  ^  And  when  he  had  called 
all  the  people  unto  him,  he  said 
unto  them,  Hearken  unto  me 
every  one  of  you,  and  under- 
stand : 

15  There  is  nothing  from  with- 
out a  man,  that  entering  into 
him,  can  defile  him  :  but  the  things 
which  come  out  of  him,  these 
are  they  that  defile  the  man. 

16  ''If  any  man  have  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear. 

17  '  And  when  he  was  entered 
into  the  house  from  the  people, 
his  disciples  asked  him  concerning 
the  parable. 

18  And  he   saith  unto  them, 

e Ex.  21 :  17 ;  Le.  20:9;  Ps.  20:20.  /Mt.  15:5. 
g  Mt.  15:  10.  h  Mt.  11 :  15.  i  Mt.  15  :  15. 

How  infinitely  were  these  below  the 
commandments  of  God,  to  which  they 
paid  no  regard.  Such  like  things  as 
the  washings  just  mentioned. 

9.  Full  well.  Ironically  spoken,  as 
if  he  had  said :  '  you  do  well  in  thus  re- 
jecting God's  commands,  that  you  may 
keep  your  own  tradition.'  This  is  bet- 
ter than  to  regard  it  as  an  interroga- 
tion :  do  ye  well  in  rejecting,  &c.  ? 

10.  For  3fo.'ies  said  (Ex.  20  :  12).  In 
Matthew :  "  For  God  commanded,"  &c. 
Moses  received  his  laws  from  God,  and 
hence  his  law  was  also  God's  law. 

11.  12.  Corban.  A  Hebrew  word 
signifying  an  offering,  oblation,  gift  to 
God.  He  shal'l  be  free.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  15:6.  Ye  suffer  him,  &c.  Ye 
do  not  permit  him  to  use  any  of  the 


454 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


Are  ye  so  without  understanding 
also  ?  Do  ye  not  perceive,  that 
whatsoever  thing  from  with- 
out entereth  into  the  man,  it  can- 
not defile  him ; 

19  Because  it  entereth  not  into 
his  heart,  but  into  the  belly,  and 
goeth  out  into  the  draught,  purging 
all  meats  ? 

20  And  he  said,  That  which 
cometh  out  of  the  man,  that  de- 
fileth  the  man. 

21  *  For  from  within,  out  of 
the  heart  of  men,  proceed  evil 
thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications, 
murders, 

A  Ge.  6 :  5,  &  8  :  21 ;  Mt.  15 :  19. 


money  thus  consecrated  to  the  temple 
service,  for  the  support  of  his  parents. 
And  many  such  like  things,  &c.  Re- 
peated from  V.  8. 

n.  Into  the  house.  See  N.  on  2 :  1. 
Asked  him.  Prof.  Stuart  says  that  the 
imperfect  tense  is  here  put  for  the 
aorist,  but  it  is  better  to  take  it  in 
an  inceptive  sense,  began  to  question 
him. 

19.  It  entereth  not  into  his  heart.  It 
only  affects  the  body.  It  does  not 
reach  the  mind,  and  become  an  element 
of  thought.  The  affections  are  not  in- 
fluenced thereby,  nor  the  moral  charac- 
ter changed.  Purging  all  meats.  The 
idea  is,  that  food  taken  into  the  mouth 
and  passing  through  the  body,  under- 
goes a  sort  of  cleansing  process,  by 
which  that  which  is  pure  and  nutritious, 
being  converted  into  chyle,  remains  in 
the  system,  while  all  the  impurities  are 
cast  out.  The  participle  purging,  gram- 
matically belongs  to  the  word  trans- 
lated draught,  in  this  sense :  '  which  cir- 
cumstance (viz.  that  meats  are  cast 
forth  from  the  body  into  the  privy) 
makes  them  all  pure,  since  nothing  re- 
mains in  the  body  but  that  which  is  ab- 
sorbed into  the  system,  and  is,  there- 
fore, clean  and  lawful.'  Nothing  can 
exceed  the  clearness  and  force,  with 
which  our  Lord  refuted  this  miserable 


22  Thefts,  covetousness,  wick- 
edness, deceit,  lasciviousness,  an 
evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride,  foolish- 
ness ; 

23  All  these  evil  things  come 
from  within,  and  defile  the  man. 

24  1"  '  And  from  thence  he 
arose,  and  went  into  the  borders 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  entered 
into  an  house,  and  would  have  no 
man  know  it :  but  he  could  not 
be  hid. 

25  For  a  certain  woman,  whose 
young  daughter  had  an  unclean 
spirit,  heard  of  him,  and  came 
and  fell  at  his  feet : 

I  Mt.  15 :  21. 

notion    of   the    Pharisees,    respecting 
external  or  physical  defilement. 

24,  30.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.   15:  21-28. 

24.  Fro7n  thence,  i.  e.  the  place  of 
his  last  discourse,  which  is  unspeci- 
fied. Compare  6 :  55,  56.  Tlie  borders. 
This  border  land  is  supposed  to  be  a 
tract  dividing  Palestine  from  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  which  had  been  ceded  by  Solo- 
mon to  the  Tyrian  king,  and  in  after 
times  was  debatable  ground,  as  to 
which  of  the  countries  it  belonged. 
The  word  literally  means  the  between- 
boundaries,  the  parts  forming  a  bound- 
ary between.  But  the  phrase,  bor- 
ders of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  would  seem 
to  indicate,  that  in  the  time  of  Christ, 
it  was  considered  as  belonging  to  Tyre 
and  Sidon.  Entered  (literally,  having 
entered)  into  a  house.  This  is  to  be  con- 
nected in  thought  with  his  wish  to  re- 
main concealed,  expressed  in  the  follow- 
ing clause,  to  which  it  is  subordinate. 

25.  Heard  of  him,  i.  e.  of  his  being 
in  that  region.  Came  and  fell,  &c.  It 
was  not,  however,  until  she  had  wearied 
the  disciples  with  her  importunities 
(Matthew),  that  she  made  her  way  into 
the  presence  of  Jesus.  The  accounts 
of  Matthew  and  Mark  should  be  com- 
pared, in  order  to  fully  see  this  woman's 
faith  and  perseverance.  See  JS'.  on 
Matt.  15  :  23. 


A.  D.  ;s2.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


455 


26  The  woman  was  a  Greek, 
a  Syrophenician  by  nation;  and 
she  besought  him  that  he  would 
cast  forth  the  devil  out  of  her 
daughter. 

27  But  Jesus  said  unto  her, 
Let  the  children  first  be  filled  :  for 
it  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's 
bread,  and  to  cast  it  unto  the 
dogs. 

28  And  she  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  Yes,  Lord  :  yet  the  dogs 
under  the  table  eat  of  the  chil- 
dren's crumbs. 

29  And  he  said  unto  her,  For 
this  saying  go  thy  way ;  the  devil 
is  gone  out  of  thy  daughter. 

m  Mt.  15  :  29.    «,  Mt.  9 :  32 ;  Lu.  11 :  14. 


26.  Was  a  Greek,  &c.  Some  refer 
this,  not  to  her  country,  but  religion, 
as  though  it  were  said,  she  belonged  to 
the  Greek  or  heathen  people.  In  Matt. 
15:  22  (on  which  see  N.),  she  is  called  a 
vmman  of  Cariaan.  The  Phoenicians, 
inhabiting  the  northern  part  of  ancient 
Canaan,  called  themselves  by  this  name 
on  their  coins.  A  Syrophenician,  i.  e. 
a  Phoenician  of  Syria,  in  contradis- 
tinction from  the  Lybo-Phcenicians  or 
Pha?uicians  of  Libya,  viz.  the  Cartha- 
ginians. 

27.  Let  the  children,  &c.  Let  the 
Jews,  God's  chosen  people,  first  be  fed, 
and  then  it  is  meet  to  give  what  remains 
to  servants  and  strangers.  It  is  implied, 
that  the  time  for  bestowing  the  bless- 
ings of  the  gospel  upon  the  Gentiles 
had  not  yet  come.  Thus  while  the 
woman's  faith  was  tested,  a  glorious 
promise  was  virtually  made,  that  after 
the  children  had  been  fed,  all  who  were 
in  need,  should  become  partakers  in  the 
blessings  of  salvation. 

29.  For  this  saying,  i.  e.  this  speech 
so  full  of  faith,  love,  and  humility. 

30.  Laid  upon  the  bed.  This  was  an 
evidence  of  her  cure,  as  was  the  posi- 
tion of  the  demoniac,  "sitting  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  clothed  and  in  his  right 
mind"    (see  5  :   16),    an    evidence   to 


30  And  when  she  was  come  to 
her  house,  she  found  the  devil 
gone  out,  and  her  daughter  laid 
upon  the  bed. 

31  ^  '"  And  again,  departing 
from  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidoii, 
he  came  unto  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
through  the  midst  of  the  coasts 
of  Decapolis. 

32  And  "  they  bring  unto  him 
one  that  was  deaf,  and  had  an  im- 
pediment in  his  speech  ;  and  they 
beseech  him  to  put  his  hand  upon 
him. 

33  And  he  took  him  aside  from 
the  multitude,  and  put  his  fingers 

oCh.S:  2.5  ;  Jn.  9 :  6. 


the  Gadarenes  of  his  wonderful  cure. 
She  had  doubtless  exhibited  the  same 
violence,  which  had  previously  rendered 
the  demoniac  of  Gadara,  an  object  of 
terror  to  all  around  him,  but  the  parox- 
ysm had  now  wholly  ceased,  and  she  lay 
in  the  enjoyment  of  quiet  rest  upon  her 
bed. 

31.  And  again  departing,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  15  :  29. 

32.  And  they  (i.  e.  the  friends  of  the 
diseased  man)  bring  unto  him.  It  ap- 
pears from  Matt.  15  :  30,  that  at  this 
time  great  numbers  of  the  sick  and 
afflicted,  were  brought  to  him  to  be 
healed.  Had  an  impediment.  He  was 
not  wholly  dumb,  but  a  stammerer,  as 
is  the  case  with  one  who  becomes  deaf, 
after  having  learned  to  talk.  They 
gradually  lose  their  use  of  speech  en- 
tirely, or  speak  with  great  difficulty. 
Some  think  from  v.  35,  that  he 
was  tongue-tied,  but  that  is  doubtless 
spoken  figuratively.  Alford  says,  "this 
miracle  serves  a  most  important  pur- 
pose ;  that  of  clearly  distinguishing 
between  the  cases  of  the  possessed,  and 
the  merely  diseased  and  deformed.^'  Put 
his  hand,  &c.     See  N.  on  Matt.  9:18. 

33.  He  took  him  aside,  probably  for 
the  same  reason,  that  he  put  the  people 
out,  when  he  healed  the  ruler's  daugh- 


456 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


into  his  ears,  and  "  he  spit,  and 
touched  his  tongue ; 

34  And  ^'  looking  up  to  heaven, 
'  he  sighed,  and  saith  unto  him, 
Ephphatha,  that  is.  Be  opened. 

35  "■  And  straightway  his  ears 
were  opened,  and  the  string  of 
his  tongue  was  loosed,  and  he 
spake  plain. 

36  And  "  he  charged  them  that 

p  Jn.  11 :  41,  &  17  : 1.    q  Jn.  11 :  33,  88. 

ter  (seeK  on  Matt.  9 :  25).  Trench  finds 
the  reason  in  the  man  himself,  who,  in 
comparative  solitude  and  silence,  might 
be  more  recipient  of  deep  and  lasting 
impressions.  His  disciples  were  doubt- 
less with  him,  when  the  miracle  was 
performed,  but  the  multitude  so 
crowded  upon  him,  that  he  chose  not 
to  perform  the  cure  in  their  presence. 
Put  his  fingers,  &c.  Our  Lord's  mira- 
cles were  usually  accompanied  by  some 
external  manifestation.  It  was  done  in 
this  case,  to  give  the  man  palpable  evi- 
dence, that  his  cure  was  wrought  by 
Jesus.  He  spit  on  his  finger,  and  with 
that  touched  his  tonc/ue. 

34.  Looking  up  to  heaven,  in  prayer 
and  communion  with  his  Father. 
See  John  11  :  41  ;  17  :  1.  Re  sighed 
(literally  groaned)  in  view  of  the 
calamity  with  which  this  man  had  been 
visited,  or  he  may  have  taken,  in  this 
moment  of  communion  with  his  Father, 
euch  a  vivid  and  enlarged  view  of  hu- 
man suffering,  physical  and  spiritual, 
that  it  drew  from  him  a  groan  of  sym- 
pathy and  commiseration.  Ephphatha. 
An  Aranijean  word  in  the  imperative, 
signifying,  be  opened,  referring  espe- 
cially to  his  deafness,  although  virtually 
addressed  to  his  tongue,  in  the  sense, 
be  loosed.  This  word  is  used  in  Isa.  35  : 
5,  in  the  prediction,  spiritually  consi- 
dered, of  this  very  blessing  of  the 
Messianic  reign. 

35.  The  string  of  his  tongue,  &c. 
Spoken  metaphorically.  His  impedi- 
ment of  speech,  from  whatever  source 
it  arose,  was  now  removed.  He  spake 
plain  ;  literally,  rightly,  distinctly.  This 


they  should  tell  no  man  :  but  the 
more  he  charged  them,  so  much 
the  more  a  great  deal  they  pub- 
lished it ; 

37  And  were  beyond  measure 
astonished,  saying,  He  hath  done 
all  things  well :  he  maketh  both 
the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to 
speak. 

r  Is.  85  :  5,  6 ;  Mt.  11 :  5.     s  Ch.  5  :  43. 

seems  to  evince  not  entire  dumbness, 
but  only  indistinctness  of  utterance. 

36.  He  charged  them  (i.  e.  the  man 
and  his  friends  who  stood  by)  that  they 
should  tell  no  man,  i.  e.  should  not 
blazon  it  abroad,  so  as  to  provoke  the 
jealousy  of  his  enemies.  Butthemore, 
&c.  His  modesty  and  freedom  from 
ostentation,  in  wishing  no  publicity  to 
be  given  to  his  extraordinary  works, 
furnished  an  additional  incitement  to 
noising  them  abroad.  In  the  original  a 
double  comparative  is  employed  for 
the  sake  of  emphasis,  which  our  trans- 
lators have  rendered,  so  much  the  more 
a  great  deal. 

37.  Beyond  measure.  This  word  is 
also  highly  emphatic,  and  shows  how 
deeply  the  minds  of  the  people  were 
aftected  with  his  wondei-ful  works.  He 
hath  done,  &c.  He  has  performed  a 
most  remarkable  cure.  The  man  is 
thoroughly  restored  to  the  sense  of 
hearing  and  power  of  speech.  There 
can  be  no  improvement  on  this  miracle. 
Such  seems  to  be  the  simple  and  natu- 
ral sense  of  this  passage,  which  some 
expositors  have  strained  to  signify  the 
same  as  Gen.  1  :  31,  supposing  the 
people  to  compare  this  work  with  the 
first  creation,  which  God  himself  pro- 
nounced to  be  very  good.  Such  a  com- 
parison might  be  made  by  those,  who, 
in  the  light  of  the  gospel,  have  attained 
to  higher  and  clearer  views  of  the  na- 
ture of  Christ,  but  would  scarcely 
comport  with  the  ideas  entertained  of 
him  by  the  multitudes  in  his  day,  whose 
notions  of  the  Messiah  were  so  confused 
and  erroneous. 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


457 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

IN  those  days  "  the  multitude 
being  very  great,  aud  having 
nothing  to  eat,  Jesus  called  his 
disciples  unto  him,  and  saith  unto 
them, 

2  I  have  compassion  on  the 
multitude,  because  they  have  now 
been  with  me  three  days,  and  have 
nothing  to  eat : 

3  And  if  I  send  them  away 
fasting  to  their  own  houses,  they 
will  faint  by  the  way:  for  divers 
of  them  came  from  far. 

4  And  his  disciples  answered 
him.  From  whence  can  a  man 
satisfy  these  men  with  bread  here 
in  the  wilderness  ? 

5  *  And  he  asked  them.  How 
many  loaves  have  ye  ?  And  they 
said,  Seven. 

6  And  he  commanded  the  peo- 
ple to  sit  down  on  the  ground  : 
and  he  took  the  seven  loaves,  and 
gave  thanks,  and  brake,  and  gave 

a  Mt.  15 :  32.    b  Mat.  15 :  34 ;  see  Ch.  6 :  .38. 

CHAP.  VIII. 

1-9.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  15:  32-38.  The 
accounts  of  the  two  Evangelists  agree 
ahuost  verbatim. 

3.  Divers  of  them;  literally,  some  of 
them.  From  far,  and  could  not  reach 
home,  if  at  all,  without  great  suffering. 

5.  And  they  said,  Seven.  Matthew 
adds,  "and  a  few  little  fishes,"  which 
Mark  inserts  in  v.  7.  These  he  is  there 
said  to  have  blessed,  which  does  not 
imply  the  double  performance  of  this 
service,  once  over  the  bread  (v.  6),  and 
again  over  the  fishes  (v.  7).  But  as 
Mark  introduces  the  notice  of  the  fishes 
out  of  its  proper  place,  he  repeats  the 
words  he  blessed,  to  show  that  the  fishes 
also  were  included  in  the  act  of  blessing 
spoken  of  in  v.  6. 

9.  About  four  thousand.  Neither 
here  nor  in  the  feeding  of  the  five 
Vol.  I.— 20 


to  his  disciples  to  set  before  them; 
and  they  did  set  them  before  the 
people. 

7  And  they  had  a  few  small 
fishes  :  and  '  he  blessed,  and  com- 
manded to  set  them  also  before 
them. 

8  So  they  did  eat,  and  were 
filled  :  and  they  took  up  of  the 
broken  meat  that  was  left  seven 
baskets. 

9  And  they  that  had  eaten  were 
about  four  thousand  :  and  he  sent 
them  away. 

10  ^  And  ''straightway  he  en- 
tered into  a  ship  with  his  disci- 
ples, and  came  into  the  parts  of 
Dalmanutha. 

11  'And  the  Pharisees  came 
forth,  and  began  to  question  with 
him,  seeking  of  him  a  sign  from 
heaven,  tempting  him. 

12  And  he  sighed  deeply  in  his 
spirit,  and  saith,  Why  doth  this 
generation    seek    after    a    sign  ? 

c  Mat.  14  :  19  ;  Ch.  6  :  41.    d  Mat.  15 :  39. 
e  Mat.  12  :  38  ;  Jn.  6 :  30. 

thousand  (6  :  44),  does  Mark  include  the 
women  and  children.     See  Matt.  15  :  38. 

10.  Dalmanutha.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
15  :  39. 

11-13.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  16:1-4. 
Sighed  deeply  (v.  12).  As  we  say, 
f etching  a  deep  sigh.  In  his  spirit. 
Bloomfield  :  '^from  his  very  heart." 
Spirit  is  here  taken  as  the  seat  of  the 
emotions,  passions,  affections,  and  not, 
as  some  think,  of  the  higher  spiritual 
nature  of  Jesus.  Why  doth  this  gene- 
ration, &c.  The  question  denotes  sur- 
prise, that  amidst  so  many  proofs  of  his 
Messiahship  (Matt.  16  :  3),  they  should 
still  be  requiring  a  further  sign.  There 
.ihall  no  sign  be  given  ;  literally,  if  there 
shall  be  any  sign  given,  a  Hebraistic 
form  of  imprecation,  the  words,  "may 
I  not  live,"  or  some  such  preceding 
phrase,  being  omitted,  but  well  under- 


458 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


verily,   I   say  unto    you,   There  I 
shall  no  sign  be  given  unto  this 
generation. 

13  And  he  left  them,  and  enter- 
ing into  the  ship  again  departed 
to  the  other  side. 

14  l"'Now  the  disciples  had  for- 
gotten to  take  bread,  neither  had 
they  in  the  ship  with  them  more 
than  one  loaf. 

15  ^  And  he  charged  them,  say- 
ing, Take  heed,  beware  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  and  of 
the  leaven  of  Herod. 

16  And  they  reasoned  among 
themselves,  saying.  It  is  *  because 
we  have  no  bread. 

17  And  when  Jesus  knew  it,  he 
saith  unto  them.  Why  reason  ye, 
because  ye  have  no  bread  ?  '  per- 

/Mat.  16:5.    ^  Mat.  16:  6.     AMat.  16:T. 
i  Ch.  6  :  52. 

stood  in  conversation.  There  shall  be 
no  sign,  such  as  they  seek  after.  This 
harmonizes  Mark  with  Matthew,  who 
adds,  "  but  the  sign  of  the  prophet 
Jonas." 

13.  To  the  other  side,  i.  e.  to  the 
northern  Bfthsaida,  or  Bethsaida-Julias. 

14-21.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  16  :  5-12. 

15.  Beware  of;  hterally,  look  away 
from,  a  varied  expression  of  have  your- 
selves away  from,  in  the  parallel  passage 
of  Matthew  IG  :  6.  See  Matt.  24  :  4. 
37(c  leave7i  of  Herod.  This  is  not  to  be 
understood  of  doctrine  so  much  as  tlie 
irreligion,  impiety,  sensuality,  and  cor- 
rupt practices  of  those  who  belonged 
to  the  court  of  Herod,  and  were  aspir- 
ing to  liis  favor.  Some,  however,  from 
the  parallel  passage  in  Matthew,  refer 
it  to  the  leaven  of  the  Sadducees,  since 
Herod  and  his  followers  belonged  to 
that  sect.  But  this  is  unnatural  and 
far-fetched. 

17.  Why  reason  ye,  &c.  The  sur- 
prise of  our  Lord  at  their  dulhipss  of 
comprehension,  is  more  full  and  em- 
phatic in  Mark,  than  in  the  parallel 
passage  of  Matthew.     Because  ye  have 


ceive  ye  not  yet,  neither  under- 
stand ?  have  ye  your  heart  yet 
hardened  ? 

18  Having  eyes,  see  ye  not  ? 
and  having  ears,  hear  ye  not  ?  and 
do  ye  not  remember  ? 

19  *  When  I  brake  the  five  loaves 
among  five  thousand,  how  many 
baskets  full  of  fragments  took 
ye  up  ?  They  say  unto  him, 
Twelve. 

20  And  '  when  the  seven  among 
four  thousand,  how  many  baskets 
full  of  fragments  took  ye  up  ?  And 
they  said,  Seven. 

21  And  he  said  unto  them. 
How  is  it  that '"  ye  do  not  under- 
stand ? 

22  "IF  And  he  cometh  to  Beth- 
saida ;    and    they   bring   a   blind 


/fcMat.U:20;Jn.  6:1-3. 
m  Ch.  6  :  52 


I  Mat.  15  :  3T ;  ver.  8. 
;  ver.  IT. 


no  bread?  As  though  that  were  the 
reason,  why  you  should  beware  of  the 
Pharisaic  leaven  ?  Perceive  ye  not  ? 
This  refers  to  moral  or  mental  percep- 
tion. The  following  word  understand, 
literally  signifies  to  briny  toyether  in  the 
mind,  to  comprehend,  understand,  and  is 
an  advance  on  the  idea  of  the  preceding 
verb.     Hardened.     See  N.  on  6  :  52. 

18.  Having  eyes,  &c.  This  refers  to 
the  great  miracles  mentioned  in  vs.  19- 
21,  which  were  so  palpable  to  their 
senses,  especially  to  their  sight.  Do 
ye  not  remember?  Had  they  borne 
these  great  miracles  in  mind,  they  would 
have  felt  little  concern  about  the  sup- 
ply of  their  physical  wants,  while  in  the 
company  of  a  person  clothed  with  such 
extraordinary  power.  Xor  would  they 
have  supposed,  that  he  would  dwell  on 
things  of  such  comparative  unimport- 
ance, as  the  food  which  perisheth  (John 
6  ;  27). 

22.  The  healing  of  the  blind  man  of 
Bethsaida  is  found  only  in  Mark.  He 
cometh,  &c.  See  N.  on  v.  13.  It  was 
on  the  passage  across  the  lake  to  this 
town,  or  just    as  they  landed  on  the 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIIT. 


man  unto  him,  and  besought  him 
to  touch  him. 

23  And  he  took  the  blind  man 
by  the  hand,  and  led  him  out  of 
the  town  ;  and  when  "  he  had  spit 
on  his  eyes,  and  put  his  hands  up- 

w  Ch.  7 :  33. 

shore,  that  the  preceding  conversation 
(vs.  14—21)  took  place.  They  bring  a 
blind  man,  &c.  This  must  have  been 
done  shortly  after  he  entered  the  town, 
as  he  evidently  did  not  tarry  long  in  the 
place.  To  touch  him,  i.  e.  to  lay  his 
hands  upon  him,  according  to  his  usual 
custom,  when  performing  a  miraculous 
cure.     See  N.  on  Matt.  8  :  3. 

23.  Led  him  out  of  the  town.  Various 
are  the  conjectures  why  this  was  done. 
Two  only  are  worthy  of  mention.  The 
first  is  that  which  refers  it  to  some  un- 
worthiness  of  the  place,  that  a  work  of 
this  sort  should  be  done  in  it.  This 
finds  confirmation  in  v.  26,  where  the 
man  is  commanded,  "neither  to  go 
into  the  town,  nor  tell  it  to  any  in  the 
town."  The  second  refers  it  to  his 
desire  to  give  no  occasion  to  his  ene- 
mies, who  were  now  becoming  watch- 
ful and  rancorous,  by  the  collection  of 
such  a  crowd,  as  the  public  performance 
of  this  miracle  would  have  brought  to- 
gether. It  was  to  avoid  the  machina- 
tions of  his  enemies,  and  allay  the 
rising  jealousy  of  the  civil  authorities, 
that  he  was  now  on  his  way  to  the  dis- 
tant town  of  Cagsarea  Philippi.  Wheti 
he  had  spit,  &c.  The  healing  of  this 
blind  man  had  the  remarkable  feature 
of  being,  as  it  were,  a  double  miracle, 
the  first  application  restoring  him  only 
partially  to  sight.  The  reason  for  this 
is  not  given,  but  we  may  assume,  that 
it  was  to  show  the  full  and  absolute 
power  of  our  Lord,  which  did  not 
restrict  itself  to  any  mode  of  operation. 
The  conjecture  of  Dr.  Burton — that 
the  first  miracle  opened  his  eyes,  but 
he  not  knowing  one  object  from  ano- 
ther, having  never  before  seen  them, 
a  second  miracle  was  required  to  open 
hisinind  a.\so,  so  that  he  could  compre- 
hend what  he  saw — is  fanciful  and  un- 


459 
he  asked  him  if  he  saw 


on  him 
aught. 

24  And  he  looked  up,  and  said, 
I  see  men  as  trees  walking. 

25  After  that,  he  put  his  hands 
again  upon  his    eyes,   and    made 


tenable.  The  application  of  spittle 
was  in  both  instances  to  his  eyes,  and 
if  the  eflect  in  the  one  instance  was 
physical,  it  must  have  been  so  in  the 
other.  Besides  it  assumes  that  the  man 
was  born  blind,  but  that  he  was  not,  is 
evident  from  his  knowing  how  trees 
looked  (v.  24),  and  if  he  had  been  born 
in  this  condition,  he  did  not  on  that 
account  require  a  double  healing,  any 
more  than  the  man  blind  from  his  birth 
in  John  9:1.  Trench  quotes  Chrysos- 
tom  and  others,  as  finding  the  reason 
of  this  progressive  or  double  miracle, 
in  the  imperfection  of  this  blind  man's 
faith,  who,  instead  of  coming  to  Jesus, 
and  crying  for  aid,  as  others  in  like  cir- 
cumstances did,  was  brought  to  him  by 
others,  himself  perhaps  scarcely  ex- 
pecting a  benefit.  Our  Lord  graciously 
gives  him  a  foretaste  of  the  full  and 
complete  blessing  of  sight,  in  order  to 
awaken  and  call  forth  that  faith,  of 
which  in  the  outset  he  had  almost  been 
wholly  destitute. 

24.  J  see  men  as  trees,  &c.  The  order 
is  :  /  see  men  walking  as  (it  were)  trees. 
This  knowledge  of  the  npjiearance  of 
trees  shows  that  he  was  not  born  blind, 
but  had  become  so  from  disease.  His 
vision,  on  the  first  laying  on  of  Christ's 
hands,  was  yet  so  indistinct,  that  he 
could  only  distinguish  men  from  trees, 
by  their  height  and  motion. 

25.  Made  him  look  up,  i.  e.  directed 
him  to  raise  his  eyes,  and  look  forth 
upon  surrounding  objects.  He  was 
restored  fully  to  sight.  Clearly;  lite- 
rally, radiantly,  conspicuously,  i.  e.  ob- 
jects far  and  near  were  seen  in  all  their 
distinctness  of  outline  and  color. 
Evangelical  commentators  have  gene- 
rally remarked  on  the  analogy  between 
this  recovery  of  the  blind  man  of  Beth- 
saida,   and  the  process  by  which  a  sin- 


460 


MARK. 


[A  D.  32. 


him  look  up ;  and  he  was  restor- 
ed, and  saw  every  man  clearly. 

26  And  he  sent  him  away  to  his 
house,  saying,  Neither  go  into  the 
town,  "  nor  tell  it  to  any  in  the 
town. 

27  «^  p  And  Jesus  went  out,  and 
his  disciples,  into  the  towns  of 
Caesarea  Philippi :  and  by  the  way 
he  asked  his  disciples,  saying  un- 
to them,  Whom  do  men  say  that 
I  am  ? 

28  And  they  answered,  ^  John 
the  Baptist :  but  some  say,  Elias ; 
and  others,  One  of  the  prophets. 

29  And  he  saith  unto  them. 
But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  And 
Peter  answereth  and  saith  unto 
him,  ''  Thou  art  the  Christ. 

30  '  And  he  charged  them  that 
they  should  tell  no  man  of  him. 

31  And  '  he   began   to    teach 

oMt.8:4;  Ch.5:43.  pMt.  16: 13;  Lu.  9  :  IS. 
q  Mt.  14  :  2.     r  Mt.  16  :  6;  Jn.  6  :  69,  &  11 :  27. 

ner  is  usually  brought  out  of  nature's 
darkness  into  God's  marvellous  light. 
The  introduction  of  spiritual  light  into 
the  soul  is  generally  gradual.  The 
great  truths  of  religion  at  first  appear 
dim  and  indistinct.  But  the  power  of 
spiritual  discernment  becomes  stronger, 
as  the  soul  receives  repeated  accessions 
of  grace,  until  it  enjoys,  in  full  degree, 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ  (2  Cor.  4  :  6). 

2G.  Neither  go  into  the  town,  &c.  The 
question  arises  in  some  minds,  how  he 
could  tell  it  to  any  one  in  the  town,  if 
he  did  not  enter  into  it,  according  to 
the  first  clause  of  the  command.  But 
this  difficulty  arises  from  overlooking 
the  Greek  idiom,  which  answers  here  to 
the  idea,  go  not  into  the  town  and  tell  it 
to  any  there.  The  word  town  is  re- 
peated for  the  sake  of  emphasis. 

27-30.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  16  :  13-20, 
and  Luke  9  :  18-21.  The  account  of 
Petei's  profession  of  faith  is  related 
with   but  little  variation   by  the  Evan- 


them,  that  the  Son  of  man  must 
suifer  many  things  and  be  reject- 
ed of  the  elders,  and  of  the  chief 
priests,  and  scribes,  and  be  killed, 
and  after  three  days  rise  again. 

32  And  he  spake  that  saying 
openly.  And  Peter  took  him, 
and  began  to  rebuke  him. 

33  But  when  he  had  turned 
about  and  looked  on  his  disciples, 
he  rebuked  Peter,  saying.  Get 
thee  behind  me,  Satan  :  for  thou 
savourest  not  the  things  that  be 
of  God,  but  the  things  that  be  of 
men. 

34  ^  And  when  he  had  called  the 
people  unto  him  with  his  disciples 
also,  he  said  unto  them,  "  Whoso- 
ever will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me. 

35  For  ^  whosoever  will    save 

«Mt.l6:20.    Olt.  16:21;  Lu.  9:22. 
wMt.  10:33.    a;  Jn.  12:25. 

gelists.  Luke  prefaces  it  by  stating, 
that  it  took  place  when  our  Lord  was 
alone  with  his  disciples  praying  ;  and 
Mark  and  Luke  Vjoth  omit  the  praise 
bestowed  upon  Peter  in  Matthew  (vs. 
17-19).  Towns  of  Ccesarea  Philippi 
(v.  27),  i.  e.  the  villages  lying  around 
or  dependent  upon  it. 

31-38.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  16  :  21-27  ; 
Luke  9  :  22-26. 

32,  33.  He  spake  that  saying  (see  v. 
31)  openly,  i.  e.  without  reserve  or  am- 
biguity. He  may  have  hinted  it  to 
them  before,  but  now  he  announces  it 
in  plain  language.  Btit  when  he  had 
turned,  &c.  In  the  original,  but  having 
turned  and  looked  on  his  disciples.  Per- 
haps he  saw  that  they  entertained  the 
same  sentiments  as  Peter,  and  by  this 
act  included  them  in  his  rebuke. 

34,  35.  And  when  he  had  called,  &c. 
There  is  no  contradiction  between 
Mark's  account,  and  that  of  Matthew 
and  Luke,  in  which  Jesus  is  said  to 
have  addressed  these  words  to  his  dis- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


461 


his  life,  shall  lose  it ;  but  whoso- 
ever shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake 
and  the  gospel's,  the  same  shall 
save  it. 

36  For  what  shall  it  profit  a 
man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? 

37  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  soul  ? 

38  ^  Whosoever  therefore  ^  shall 
be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 
words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sin- 
ful generation ;  of  him  also  shall 
the  Sou  of  man  be  ashamed,  when 
he  Cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father  with  the  holy  angels. 


y  Mt.  10 :  33. 


z  See  Eo.  1  :  16 ;  2  Ti.  1 :  S. 
oMt.  16:  2S. 


ciples.  In  every  place  the  common 
people,  in  greater  or  less  nmnbers, 
gathered  around  him,  and  these  as  well 
as  his  disciples  he  now  called  to  him, 
to  hear  the  important  truth  which  he 
was  about  to  announce  to  them.  For 
my  sake  and  the  gospeFs.  No  difference 
in  sense  is  to  be  sought  in  these  terms, 
which  are  only  combined  to  give  em- 
phasis to  the  idea,  that  the  cause  of 
Christ  and  his  gospel  are  one  and  the 
same. 

38.  Whosoever  therefore^  &c.  The 
lowly  condition  and  sufferings  of  Jesus 
were  now  fully  disclosed.  If  his  fol- 
lowers should  yield  to  a  feeling  of 
shame,  at  his  rejection  by  the  great  and 
honorable  of  earth,  and  should  fear  to 
profess  their  attachment  to  him,  of 
them  would  he  also  be  ashamed  in  the 
day  of  his  power  and  exaltation.  My 
words,  i.  e.  doctrine,  gospel.  Adulte- 
rous, i.  e.  faithless,  apostate  from  God. 
No  special  reference  is  made  here  to 
the  sin  of  adultery,  as  being  prevalent  to 
an  unusual  degree  at  that  time,  but  the 
word  is  used  figuratively,  to  designate 
those  who  have  forsaken  God  and  his 
true  worship,  as  the  adulteress  forsakes 
her  husband.  In  the  Old  Testament 
prophets,  this  was  a  very  common 
mode  of  expressing  the  sin  of  idolatry, 


CHAPTER   IX. 

AND  he  said  unto  them,  "  Veri- 
ly, I  say  unto  you.  That  there 
be  some  of  them  that  stand  here 
which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till 
they  have  seen  *  the  kingdom  of 
God  come  with  power. 

2  %  '  And  after  six  days,  Jesus 
taketh  with  him  Peter,  and  James, 
and  John,  and  leadeth  them  up 
into  an  high  mountain  apart  by 
themselves :  and  he  was  trans- 
figured before  them. 

3  And  his  raiment  became  shi- 
ning, exceeding  ''white  as  snow  ;  so 


&Mt.  24:.30.     c  isrt.  17  : 1 ;  Lu.  9  :  2S. 
c?  Da.  7  :  9 ;  Mt.  28  : 3. 


into  which  God's  chosen  people  had 
fallen.  In  the  glory,  &c.  This  refers 
to  the  day  of  judgment,  when  our  Lord 
will  appear  in  divine  glory,  the  same  as 
that  which  belongs  to  the  Father.  In 
Luke,  his  glory  at  his  coming  is  said  to 
be  threefold,  his  own,  the  Fat]ier''s,  and 
the  holy  angels',  a  very  comprehensive 
expression  to  denote  that  there  is  no 
glory  in  the  universe,  which  slmll  not 
encircle  and  irradiate  him,  as  he  comes 
to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  final  judgment. 
With  the  holy  angels.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
25  :  31. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

1.  See  N.  on  Matt.  16  :  28  ;  Luke  9: 
2Y.  Tlie  kingdom  of  God,  &c.  In 
Matthew,  "the  Son  of  man  coming  in 
his  kingdom."  The  kingdom  of  God  is 
the  Messianic  reign,  and  hence  these 
are  but  varied  expressions  for  the  same 
thing. 

2-13.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  17:1-13; 
Luke  9  :  28-36.  In  this  account  of 
the  Transfiguration,  Matthew  and  Mark 
agree  closely,  but  are  less  full  than 
Luke. 

3.  Shining;  literally,  glittering,  of 
dazzling  whiteness.  Fuller.  Anciently 
the  fuller  not  only  dressed  new  cloth, 
but  washed  and  scoured  that  which  was 
soiled. 


462 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  82. 


as  no  fuller  on  earth  can  white 
them. 

4  And  there  appeared  unto 
them  Elias  with  Moses  :  and  they 
■were  talking  with  Jesus. 

5  And  Peter  answered  and  said 
to  Jesus,  Master,  it  is  good  for  us 
to  be  here  :  and  let  us  make  three 
tabernacles  ;  one  for  thee,  and  one 
for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias. 

6  For  he  wist  not  what  to  say ; 
for  they  were  sore  afraid. 

7  And  there  was  a  cloud  that 
overshadowed  them  :  and  a  voice 
came  out  of  the  cloud,  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Sou :  hear 
him. 

8  And  suddenly,  when  they  had 
looked  round  about,  they  saw  no 
man  any  more,  save  Jesus  only 
with  themselves. 

e  Mt.  17 ;  9.      /'Mai.  4:5;  Mt.  17 :  10. 
g  Ps.  22  :  0  ;   Is.  53 :  2,  A;c. ;  Da.  9  :  26. 


4.  Ellas,  with  Biases.  In  Mattliow 
and  Luke,  "Moses  and  Elias."  llieij 
were  talking  with  Jesus.  It  appears 
from  this  as  well  as  from  Matthew  and 
Luke,  that  when  first  seen  by  the  dis- 
ciples, they  were  conversing  with  Jesus. 
How  or  when  they  came  was  not  seen, 
or  at  least  has  not  been  reported  to  us. 
The  subject  of  their  conversation  is 
given  in  Luke  9  :  31. 

6.  Sore  afraid;  literally,  frightened 
out  of  their  senses,  beside  themselves 
through  fear.  This  shows  the  over- 
powering splendor  of  the  scene.  Tliis 
is  mil  beloved  Son.  Matthew  adds,  "  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased,"  words  spoken, 
when  this  voice  from  heaven  was  first 
heard  at  the  baptism  of  Jesus. 

10.  Kept  that  .tailing,  i.  e.  kept  it 
secret.  Rising  from  the  dead  is  not 
here  the  resurrection  in  a  general  sense, 
for  in  that  the  Jews  (with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Sadducees)  believed.  The 
apostles  well  understood  it  as  referring 
to  Christ's  resurrection,  connected  with 
his  death  just  foretold.     That  the  Mes- 


9  '  And  as  they  came  down 
from  the  mountain,  he  charged 
them  that  they  should  tell  no  man 
what  things  they  had  seen,  till  the 
Son  of  man  were  risen  from  the 
dead. 

10  And  they  kept  that  saying 
with  themselves,  questioning  one 
with  another  what  the  rising  from 
the  dead  should  mean. 

11  ^  And  they  asked  him,  say- 
ing. Why  say  the  scribes  '  that 
Elias  must  first  come  ? 

12  And  he  answered  and  told 
them,  Elias  verily  cometh  first, 
and  restoreth  all  things ;  and 
''  how  it  is  written  of  the  Son  of 
man,  that  he  must  sufi'er  many 
things,  and  ^  be  set  at  nought. 

18  But  I  say  unto  you,  That 
'  Elias  is  indeed  come,  and  they 

h  Lu.  23  :  11  ;  Phi.  2:7.     i  Mt.  11 :  14. 

siah  should  be  slain,  and  then  arise 
from  the  dead,  was  to  them  wholly 
inexplicable.  They  did  not  understand 
it  until  after  his  resurrection,  and  hence 
when  he  died  on  the  cross,  all  their 
hopes  died  with  him. 

11,  12.  Why  say,  &c.  The  original 
is,  that  say  the  scribes,  where  must  be 
supplied  the  ellipsis,  found  not  unfre- 
quently  in  such  indirect  questions: 
(why  is  it)  that  the  scribes  say,  &c. 
Mias  verily  cometh  first.  Our  Lord  re- 
plies by  affirming  the  truth  of  what  the 
scribes  taught,  and  then  proposes  in  his 
turn  a  question  :  And  hoio  is  if  (also) 
written  of  the  Son  of  man,  that  he  must 
suffer  many  things  and  be  set  at  nought  ? 
By  taking' these  words  as  an  interroga- 
tion, which  in  the  original  is  admis- 
sible, the  way  is  prepared  for  the  con- 
clusion in  V.  1.3,  that  Elias  has  indeed 
come  and  suffered,  as  was  prophesied 
of  him  ;  and  in  like  manner  also  will 
prophecy  be  fulfilled,  as  to  the  suffer- 
ings and  death  of  the  Son  of  man. 
Thus  the  parts  of  our  Lord's  reply  are 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


4G3 


have  done  unto  him  whatsoever 
they  listed,  as  it  is  written  of 
him. 

14  ^  '''  And  when  he  came  to  his 
disciples,  he  saw  a  great  multitude 
about  them,  and  the  scribes  ques- 
tioning with  them. 

15  And  straightway  all  the 
people,  when  they  beheld  him, 
were  greatly  amazed,  and  running 
to  him  saluted  him. 

16  And  he  asked  the  scribes, 

k  Mt.  IT  :  14. 


made  to  cohere  and  correspond.     Set  at 
nought,  i.  e.  made  nothing  of,  despised. 

14-29.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  17  :  14-21 ; 
Luke  9  :  37-43.  Mark  is  much  fuller 
in  his  account  of  the  healing  of  this 
demoniac,  than  either  Matthew  or 
Luke. 

'  14.  Questioning  with  them.  Puzzling 
them  with  sophistical  arguments  and 
captious  questions  respecting  the  Mes- 
siahship  of  Jesus.  They  were  also, 
doubtless,  boasting  over  the  failure  of 
the  disciples  to  cure  the  demoniac,  and 
arguing  from  that,  the  inability  of  their 
Master  to  do  this.  Stier  remarks,  that 
"  hardly  such  another  contrast  can  be 
found  in  the  gospel  as  this,  between 
the  open  heaven  and  sons  of  glory  on 
the  mount,  and  the  valley  of  tears, 
with  its  terrible  forms  of  misery,  pain, 
and  unbelief." 

15.  Were  greatlg  amazed.  This  word 
implies  admiration,  as  well  as  aive  and 
veneration.  Trench  and  others  think 
that  our  Lord's  countenance  retained 
traces  of  his  glory  on  the  mount  (Ex. 
34  :  29,  30),  otherwise  so  strong  a  term 
would  not  have  been  used  to  express 
their  surprise  at  his  sudden  approach. 
However  this  may  be,  there  was  doubt- 
less a  dignity  of  manner,  and  a  calm  and 
heavenly  expression  of  countenance, 
that  inspired  them  with  involuntary 
awe  and  admiration.  Rujining  to  him, 
i.  e.  running  to  meet  him. 

17.  One  of  the  multitude,  &c.  The 
question  had  been  addressed  to  the 
scribes,  but  they  either  were  too  con- 


What    question    ye    with    thein  ? 

17  And  'one  of  the  multitude 
answered  and  said,  Master,  I  have 
brought  unto  thee  my  son,  which 
hath  a  dumb  spirit ; 

18  And  wheresoever  he  taketh 
him,  he  teareth  him  ;  and  he 
foameth,  and  gnasheth  with  his 
teeth,  and  pineth  away  :  and  I 
spake  to  thy  disciples  that  they 
should  cast  him  out  ;  and  they 
could  not. 

^  Alt.  17:14;  Lu.  9:38. 

founded  at  his  appearance  to  reply,  or 
the  agony  of  the  father  prevented  them. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  17  :  14.  /  have 
brought  (literally,  /  brought)  unto  thee. 
He  expresses  his  intention,  not  being 
awai'e  of  Jesus'  absence.  A  du7nb 
spirit,  i.  e.  one  causing  dumbness,  or 
obstinate  silence.  It  appears  also  that 
the  demoniac  was  subject  to  fits  of 
epilepsy,  and  from  v.  25,  that  he  was 
deaf  also. 

18.  HetaTceth  him,  or  more  literally, 
seizeth  him,  the  idea  of  a  fierce  and 
sudden  attack  lying  in  the  original  verb. 
Some  refer  this  to  the  disease,  and 
render,  "  it  attacketh  him,"  but  the 
subject  of  the  verb  is  evidently  to  be 
understood  from  the  antecedent,  of  the 
demon  in  the  sense  of,  wherever  he 
seizeth  or  taketh  possession  of  him.  He 
teareth;  literally,  breaks  him  to  pieces, 
shivers,  or  shatters  him.  The  word  is 
sometimes  used  of  a  wrestler,  who 
dashes  his  antagonist  violently  to  the 
ground.  To  tear  down  or  fing  to  the 
ground,  is  doubtless  the  meaning  here 
(see  Luke  9 :  42).  ffe  foameth  (i.  e. 
froths  at  the  mouth).  The  subject 
here  changes  from  the  demon  to  the 
man  possessed.  Gnasheth  with  his 
teeth,  i.  e.  grinds  or  grates  them  toge- 
ther, as  one  in  great  rage  or  distress. 
Pineth  away,  wastes  away  through 
these  violent  attacks  of  the  demon.  / 
spake,  &c.  Finding  Jesus  aljsent,  the 
father  applied  for  relief  to  his  disciples. 

20.  And  ivhen  he  saw,  &c.  At  sight 
of  Jesus,  the  demon  was  aroused  to  the 


464 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


19  He  answereth  him,  and  saith, 
0  iaithless  generatiou,  how  long 
shall  I  be  with  you  ?  how  long 
shall  I  suffer  you  ?  Bring  him 
unto  me. 

20  And  they  brought  him  unto 
him  :  and  '"  when  he  saw  him, 
straightway  the  spirit  tare  him  ; 
and  he  fell  on  the  ground,  and 
"wallowed  foaming. 

21  And  he  asked  his  father, 
How  long  is  it  ago  since  this  came 
unto  him  ?  And  he  said,  Of  a 
child. 

m  Ch.  1:26;   Lu.  9 :  42. 

most  violent  and  malignant  efforts  to 
destroy  his  victim.  He  fell  on  the 
ground,  thrown  down  by  the  demon. 
See  N.  on  V.  18.  Wallowed,  i.  e.  rolled 
about  on  the  ground. 

21.  He  asked  his  father.  Jesus  de- 
ferred the  cure  for  a  moment,  in  order 
by  these  inquiries  to  make  trial  of  the 
fither's  faith.  Of  a  child,  i.  e.  since 
his  childhood.  It  was  a  long  standing, 
as  well  as  obstinate  possession. 

22.  Ofttimes  it  hath  cast,  &c.  This 
shows  that  the  demon  was  one  of  the 
most  malignant  kind.  Lito  the  fire ; 
literally,  into  fire,  i.  e.  not  merely  fire  on 
the  hearth,  as  might  be  understood 
had  the  article  been  used,  but  fire, 
wherever  it  might  be  found.  In  the 
same  general  sense  water  is  to  be 
taken.  If  thou  canst,  &c.  This  does 
not  imply  entire  absence  of  faith,  but 
its  e.xistence  in  so  small  a  degree,  that  it 
almost  disappeared  in  the  greatness  of 
his  trial.  But  Jesus  saw  that  it  was 
there,  and  the  smoking  flax  he  did  not 
quench,  and  the  bruised  reed  he  did 
not  break.  He  kindly  reassured  him, 
and  inspired  him  with  such  an  increase 
of  faith,  that  the  miracle  was  no  longer 
delayed.  On  us.  Like  the  Syrophoe- 
nician  woman  (Matt.  15  :  25),  the  fa- 
ther regarded  his  son's  wretched  con- 
dition as  his  own. 

23.  Jesus  said  iinto  him.  As  this 
passage  is  now  edited  by  the  best  critics 
of   the    present    day,    the   translation 


22  And  ofttimes  it  hath  cast 
him  into  the  fire,  and  into  the 
waters,  to  destroy  him :  but  if 
thou  canst  do  any  thing,  have 
compassion  on  us,  and  help  us. 

23  Jesus  said  unto  him,  "  If 
thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are 
possible  to  him  +hat  believeth. 

24:  And  straightway  the  father 
of  the  child  cried  out,  and  said 
with  tears,  Lord,  I  believe ;  help 
thou  mine  unbelief. 

25  When  Jesus  saw  that  the 
people  came  running  together,  he 
11  Mt.  IT :  20 ;  Ch.  11 :  23 ;  Ln.  17:6;  Jn.  11 :  40. 

would  be :  Jesus  said  unto  him  this 
(saying),  if  thou  canst  believe,  &c.  Or, 
Jesus  gave  in  reply,  his  well  known 
answer  :  If  thou  canst  believe,  &c.  mak- 
ing it  a  saying,  which  he  had  uttered 
on  similar  occasions.  The  words  if 
thou  canst  believe,  are  evidently  anti- 
thetic to  the  words  of  the  father, 
if  thou  canst  do  any  thing,  and  make  the 
miracle  depend,  not  on  the  challenge  of 
power  in  our  Lord,  but  of  faith  in  the  fa- 
ther. Christ  will  not  have  his  power  to 
heal  either  physical  or  spiritual  mala- 
dies, questioned.  All  things  are  possible, 
&c.  These  words  of  encouragement 
are  added,  to  call  forth  and  strengthen 
the  feeble  faith  of  the  father.  Our 
Lord's  reply  may  be  seen  in  this  para- 
phrase :  If  thou  canst  believe  thy  son 
will  be  cured  for,  aU  things  are  pos- 
sible, &c. 

24.  Cried  out.  Made  an  open  de- 
claration of  his  faith.  The  presence 
of  cavilling  scribes  did  not  deter  him, 
from  an  open  utterance  of  his  belief  in 
Christ's  power  to  heal  his  son.  With 
tears,  those  of  a  penitent,  confiding 
heart.  Help  thou  mine  unbelief.  Par- 
don  the  weakness  of  my  faith,  supply  its 
deficiency,  and  give  it  the  power  requi- 
site to  secure  the  healing  of  my  son. 
"Nothing  can  be  more  touching  and 
living,  than  this  whole  most  masterly 
and  wonderful  narration."     Alford. 

25.  Came  running  together  (towards 
him),  as  was  natural,  when  such  a  mi- 


A.  D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


465 


rebuked  the  foul  spirit,  saying 
uuto  him,  Thou  dumb  and  deaf 
spirit,  I  cliarge  thee,  come  out  of 
him,  and  enter  no  more  into  him. 

26  And  ihe  spirit  cried,  and 
rent  him  sore,  and  came  out  of 
him :  and  he  was  as  one  dead  •  in- 
somuch that  many  said,  He  is 
dead. 

27  But  Jesus  took  him  by  the 
hand,  and  lifted  him  up ;  and  he 
arose. 

28  "  And  when  he  was  come 
into  the  house,  his  disciples  asked 
him  privately,  Why  could  not  we 
cast  him  out  ? 

29  And    he    said    unto    them, 

o  Mt.  17  :  19.    p  Mat.  IT  :  22 ;  Ln.  9  :  44. 

racle  was  about  to  be  performed. 
Some  think  that  this  conversation  took 
place,  when  the  people  met  Jesus  (v. 
15),  and  the  crowd  were  yet  at  a  dis- 
tance. But  it  is  said  that  all  the  peo- 
ple ran  to  meet  him ;  and  that  the 
scribes  had  also  joined  them,  is  evident 
from  V.  16.  The  running  together 
then,  in  this  verse,  must  refer  to  their 
crowding  around  him  in  order  to  wit- 
ness the  miracle.  /  charge  thee,  &c. 
This  command  addressed  to  the  evil 
spirit,  is  very  full  and  explicit.  It  gives 
emphasis  to  our  Lord's  power,  as  com- 
pared with  the  want  of  power  in  the 
disciples  to  cast  out  the  demon.  The 
words,  ami  enter  no  more  into  him^  are 
used  by  our  Lord  in  no  other  similar 
instance.  The  whole  narration  shows 
the  malignant  tenacity,  with  which  the 
demon  retained  possession  of  the  child. 
2(5.  The  spirit  cried,  &c.  It  was  a 
cry  of  rage,  uttered  through  the  organs 
of  the  man.  Rent  him  sore,  i.  e.  threw 
him  into  violent  spasms  or  convulsions. 
These  words  would  be  more  expressive, 
if  literally  rendered,  having  cried  out 
and  rent  him  sore,  (the  spirit)  ca7ne 
forth.  As  one  dead.  The  demon, 
which  had  filled  him  with  such  terrible 
agony,  having  left  him,  he  sank  down 
exhausted  and  apparently  without  life. 
Vol.  I.— 20* 


This  kind  can  come  forth  by 
nothing,  but  by  prayer  and  fast- 
ing. 

30  T  And  they  departed  thence, 
and  passed  through  Galilee  ;  and 
he  would  not  that  any  man  should 
know  if. 

31^' For  he  taught  his  disci- 
ples, and  said  unto  them.  The  Sou 
of  man  is  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  men,  and  they  shall  kill  him  ; 
and  after  that  he  is  killed,  he 
shall  rise  the  third  day. 

32  But  they  understood  not  that 
saying,  and  were  afraid  to  ask 
him. 

33  ^  ^  And  he  came   to  Caper- 

q  Mat.  18  : 1  ;  Lu.  9 :  46. 

21.  But  Jesus  took  him,  &c.  See 
Matt.  17  :  6,  8 ;  Eev.  1  :  17  ;  Dan.  10 : 
9,  10. 

29.  This  kind  can  come  forth  (i.  e. 
can  be  expelled,)  &c.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
17  :  21. 

30-32.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  17  :  22,  23  : 
Luke  9  :  43-45.  Hewo^dd  not  that  any 
man  (v.  30),  &c.  He  wished  to  travel  in 
a  private  way,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
jealousy  of  the  rulers.  It  appears  also 
from  (v.  31),  that  he  desired  oppoitu- 
nity  to  instruct  his  disciples  more  fully, 
in  the  great  fact  of  his  approaching 
death  and  resurrection. 

32.  They  understood  not,  &c.  They 
could  not  reconcile  these  predicted 
sufferings  of  Christ,  with  the  prophecies, 
which  spoke  of  him  as  a  conquering 
Messiah,  reigning  triumphant  over  all 
his  enemies.  Were  afraid  to  ask  him. 
There  was  a  solemnity  and  dignity  of 
manner  which  awed  them,  so  that  they 
dared  not  question  him  on  so  myste- 
rious a  subject. 

33-50.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  18:1-9; 
Luke  9  :  46-50.  Mark's  account  of  this 
discourse,  respecting  the  greatest  among 
them,  is  much  the  fullest. 

33-35.  In  the  house.  See  Matt.  17  : 
25.  By  the  vjay,  i.  e.  on  their  way  to 
Capernaum.      27icy    held    their  peace, 


466 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


nauin  :  and  being  in  the  house  he 
asked  them,  What  was  it  that  ye 
disputed  among  yourselves  by  the 
way  ? 

84  But  they  held  their  peace  : 
for  by  the  way  they  had  disputed 
amouo-  themselves,  who  should  he 
the  greatest. 

35  And  he  sat  down,  and  called 
the  twelve,  and  saith  unto  them, 
*■  If  any  man  desire  to  be  first,  the 
same  shall  be  last  of  all,  and  ser- 
vant of  all. 

36  And  '  he  took  a  child,  and 
set  him  in  the  midst  of  them  :  and 
when  he  had  taken  him  in  his 
arms,  he  said  unto  them, 

37  Whosoever  shall  receive  one 

r  Mat.  20 :  26,  27.    s  Mat.  18:2;  Ch.  10 :  16. 
t  Mat.  10  :  40  ;  Lu.  9  :  48. 


through  shame  at  the  subject  of  dispute. 
This  appears  froni  the  following  clause, 
which  denotes  the  reason  of  their  si- 
lence. He  sat  down.  He  took  the 
usual  sitting  posture  of  a  teacher. 
Called  the  twelve  around  him,  to  hear 
his  discourse.  To  be  first  in  dignity  and 
office  ;  to  hold  the  highest  rank  in  the 
Messianic  kingdom.  Last  of  all.  Ex- 
plained in  the  next  clause,  servant  of 
all.  His  rank  would  be  lowest  of  the 
whole,  and  his  relative  position,  the 
very  reverse  of  that  which  he  was  seek- 
ing to  obtain.  It  appears  from  v.  34, 
where  tvko  should  be  the  greatest,  may 
be  translated  who  was  the  greatest,  that 
the  disciples  were  disputing  about  their 
present  relative  rank,  which  they 
thought  would  remain  the  same,  when 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  be  fully  set 
up.  But  if  this  was  so,  the  dispute 
would  yet  be  virtually,  as  Luke  has  it, 
who  should  be  the  greatest. 

36,  37.  Had  taken  him,  &c.  Perhaps 
nothing  more  is  meant  than  had  em- 
braced him,  as  the  child  must  have  been 
some  ten  years  of  age.  Whosoever 
shall  receive,  i.  e.  admit  and  welcome,  as 
a  guest,  in  the  name  of  and  for  the  sake 
of  Jesus.  Rcceiveth  not  me  (only),  but 
him  that  sent  me.     The  service  rendered 


of  such  children  in  my  name, 
receiveth  me :  and  '  whosoever 
shall  receive  me,  receiveth  not 
me,  but  him  that  sent  me. 

38  "  And  John  answered  him, 
saying.  Master,  we  saw  one  cast- 
ing out  devils  in  thy  name,  and 
he  followeth  not  us  ;  and  we  for- 
bade him,  because  he  followeth 
not  us. 

39  But  Jesus  said.  Forbid  him 
not  :  ■^  for  there  is  no  man 
which  shall  do  a  miracle  in  my 
name,  that  can  lightly  speak  evil 
of  me. 

40  For  ^  he  that  is  not  against 
us  is  on  our  part. 

M  Nu.  11 :  28 ;  Jm.  9  :  49.    w  1  Co.  12 :  3. 
y  See  Mt.  12 :  30. 

to  the  lowest  and  humblest  of  our  race, 
if  done  with  proper  motive,  is  virtually 
rendered  to  the  supreme  Lord  of  the 
universe,  and  as  such  shall  be  rewarded 
with  life  everlasting.  See  Matt.  25 :  35,36. 

38.  This  verse  has  an  intimate  con- 
nexion with  what  our  Savior  had  just 
spoken.  It  is  as  if  John  had  said : 
Was  it  then  right  for  us  to  forbid  one 
to  cast  out  devils  in  the  authority  and 
use  of  thy  name,  when  the  receiving  of 
even  a  little  child  in  tliy  name,  is  the 
same  as  receiving  thee  ?  Followeth  not 
us,  I.  e.  is  not  one  of  thy  immediate 
disciples.  Because  he  followeth  not  us.  _ 
So  at  the  present  day,  are  found  those 
who  deny  the  right  to  perform  the 
functions  of  the  ministerial  office  to  all, 
who  have  not  received  it  by  virtue  of 
the  so-called  apostolic  succession. 

39.  For  there  is  no  man,  &c.  The 
sentiment  is,  that  no  one  who  performs 
a  miracle  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  will 
ever  speak  or  act  against  him.  The 
very  success  of  the  miracle,  if  it  did 
not  show  him  to  be  already  a  believer 
in  Christ,  would  awe  him  into  a  frame 
of  mind,  which  woidd  prevent  liim 
from  readily  speaking  {can  lightly  speak) 
evil  of  Christ. 

40.  He  thai  is  not,  &c.     This  makes 


A.  D.  a2.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


467 


41  '  For  whosoever  shall  give 
you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in 
my  name,  because  ye  belong  to 
Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he 
shall  not  lose  his  reward. 

42  "  And  whosoever  shall  offend 
one  of  ihese  little  ones  that  believe 
in  me,  it  is  better  for  him  that  a 
millstone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  he  were  cast  into  the 
sea. 

43  *And  if  thy  hand  offend 
thee,  cut  it  off :  it  is  better  for 
thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed, 
than  having  two  hands  to  go  into 
hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall 
be  quenched  : 

44  "  Where    their    worm    dieth 

s  Mat.  10  :  42.    a  Mat.  18 :  6  ;  Lu.  17 : 1. 


the  foregoing  truth  of  general  apphca- 
tion.  The  reference  is  to  outward  con- 
formity, and  does  not  conflict  with 
Matt.  12  :  30,  where  inward  unity  of 
purpose  and  co-operation  is  spoiien  of 
(Alford).  Those  who  labor  for  Christ, 
although  belonging  to  another  external 
organization  or  ecclesiastical  connection, 
are  to  be  regarded  as  friends  and  bre- 
thren, and  not  forbidden  to  do  any 
good  which  is  within  their  power.  Our 
Lord  uses  the  word  ws,  because  he  in- 
cludes his  disciples  as  belonging  to  hira 
(see  V.  41),  and  being  one  with  him. 

41.  This  verse  has  generally  been 
referred  back  to  v.  37,  but  it  is  better 
to  regard  it  as  a  continuation  of  v.  40. 
The  idea  is,  that  if  so  small  a  service, 
as  is  here  referred  to,  goes  not  unre- 
warded, much  more  will  the  ejection  of 
a  demon  in  his  name  be  approved  and 
rewarded  of  him.  In  my  name,  (i.  e.) 
because  ye  beloncf  to  Christ,  and  are  his 
ministers.  The  latter  member  explains 
the  former.  Belontj  to  Christ  is  a 
phrase  not  found  elsewhere  in  the  gos- 
pel, but  is  used  in  Rom.  8:9;  1  Cor. 
1:12;   3:4. 

42.  See  N.  on  Matt.  18  :  G. 

43.  And  if  thi/  hand,  &c.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  5  :  29,  30,  of  which  this  pas- 
sage is  a  solemn  and  emphatic  repeti- 


not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. 

45  And  if  thy  foot  offend  thee, 
cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to 
enter  halt  into  life,  than  having 
two  feet  to  be  cast  into  hell,  into 
the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quench- 
ed : 

46  Where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenchetl. 

47  And  if  thine  eye  offend  thee, 
pluck  it  out :  it  is  better  for  thee 
to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
with    one    eye,   than   having  two- 
eyes,  to  be  cast  into  hell  fire  : 

48  Where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. 

49  For  every  one  shall  be  salted 

3  Be.  IS:  6;  Mat.  5  :  29.    c  Is.  66  :  24. 

tion.  Into  the  fire,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  3  :  12.  These  words  are  added 
to  show  that  the  preceding  gehenna, 
hell,  is  not  the  literal  valley  of  Hinnom 
(see  N.  on  Matt.  5  :  22),  but  the  place 
of  future  and  endless  punishment. 

44.  Where  their  ivorin,  &c.  Further 
evidence  is  here  furnished,  that  the 
literal  gehenna  is  not  here  referred  to, 
but  a  place  of  punishment,  where  an 
undying  worm  shall  feed  upon  the 
wicked,  and  unquenchable  fire  shall 
consume  them.  The  imagery  of  the 
worm  and  fire,  is  drawn  from  carcasses 
thrown  into  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  upon 
which  worms  feed,  when  not  consumed 
at  once  with  fire.  The  words  are  a  quo- 
tation from  Isa.  66  :  24,  and  are  thrice 
repeated  by  our  Lord,  as  a  solemn  and 
emphatic  declaration  of  the  awful  doom 
of  God's  enemies.  There  is  no  neces- 
sity of  supposing  a  literal  worm  or 
literal  fire,  in  the  spiritual  Gehenna. 
Indeed  there  are  are  insuperable  objec- 
tions to  that  view.  But  there  will  be 
the  gnawings  of  remorse,  the  stings 
of  a  guilty  conscience,  the  fire  of 
God's  wrath,  more  terrible  than  it  is  pos- 
sible for  any  imagery,  drawn  from 
sources  of  physical  suffering,  to  fully 
set  forth. 

49.  For  every  one  shall  be  salted  with 


468 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  32. 


with  "^  fire,  and  every  sacrifice  shall    salt  have  lost  its  saltness,  where- 
with  will   ye    season   it  ?  •''  Have 


be  salted  with  salt. 

50  '  Salt  is  good  :  but   if  the 

d  Le.  2  :  13 ;  Ez.  4-3 :  24.    e  Mat.  5:13. 


fre.  This  verse  has  furnished  much  trou- 
ble to  commentators,  mainly  from  their 
referring  it,  as  most  do,  to  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  in  the  world  to  come. 
This  has  resulted  from  the  use  of  the 
word  fire,  which  has  just  been  three  times 
repeated,  as  an  element  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  lost.  But  it  is  evident  that 
the  words  every  one  (literally,  all),  refer 
to  the  class  of  persons  represented  by 
thee  in  the  preceding  context,  that  is,  to 
the  disciples,  and  also  to  believers  in 
every  age.  The  verse  then  contains 
the  reason,  why  God's  children  are  to 
reach  heaven  by  such  a  self-denying 
and  trying  process,  as  (if  we  keep  up 
the  figure)  causes  them  to  enter  life 
maimed,  and  halt,  and  having  but  one 
eye.  It  was  in  accordance  with  the 
divine  plan,  that  they  were  to  be  tested 
and  purified  by  these  fiery  trials.  The 
context  requires,  therefore,  from  this 
highly  figurative  passage,  a  sense  appli- 
cable only  to  believers.  This  the  words 
readily  yield.  Every  one  (i.  e.  every 
believer)  shall  be  salted  (i.  e.  seasoned 
and  rendered  meet  for  everlasting  life) 
with  fire,  i.  e.  by  such  trials,  sufferings, 
and  self-denials,  as  cleanse  and  purify 
the  soul,  like  metals  purged  of  base 
alloy  by  fire.  This  sense,  which  is 
drawn  fairly  from  the  words,  and  an- 
swers the  demand  of  the  context,  is 
undoubtedly  the  true  one.  Alford  re- 
fers every  one,  to  all  men  both  good  and 
bad.  To  the  former,  God  is  a  pzcrify- 
ing,  to  the  latter,  a  consuming  fire. 
This  is  in  itself  true,  but  the  passage 
seems  to  refer  to  a  testing  or  purifying, 
and  not  to  a  destroying  process.  And 
every  sacrifice,  &c.  Those  who  regard 
this  as  a  co-ordinate,  independent  sen- 
tence, explain  it  thus  :  and  every  sacri- 
fice (i.  e.  every  one  who  consecrates 
himself  a  living  sacrifice  to  God.  Rom. 
12:  1)  shall  be  salted  with  salt,  i.  e. 
with  the  salt  of  heavenly  wisdom.  But 
the  discourse  here  is  not  upon  the  be- 
stowal of  wisdom,  or  spiritual  illumina' 


/Ep.  4:29;  Col.  4  :  6. 


tion,  but  upon  the  trials  and  self-renun- 
ciation, by  which  every  thing  impure 
and  earthly  was  to  be,  as  it  were,  burnt 
out  of  the  Christian,  previously  to  his 
entering  into  the  life  spoken  of  in  the 
preceding  verses.  It  is  better  there- 
fore to  make  this  sentence  subordinate 
to  the  preceding,  by  giving  to  the  con- 
junction and,  the  sense  of  as  or  just  as, 
a  sense  which,  in  the  original,  it  often 
has.  The  meaning  would  then  be,  just 
as  every  sacrifice  shall  be  (i.  e.  is  to  be) 
salted  with  salt  (Levit.  2  :  13),  an  em- 
blem of  incorruption,  and  of  the  per- 
petuity of  God's  covenant  with  believ- 
ers. The  sense  of  the  whole  passage 
then  is  :  every  believer  shall  be  salted 
with  fire  (and  thus  thoroughly  tried 
and  purified),  just  as  every  sacrifice  is 
to  be  salted,  before  it  can  be  ofiered  ac- 
ceptably to  God. 

50.  Salt  is  good,  i.  e.  when  properly 
applied  to  fit  substances,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  useful  and  preserving  agencies  of 
nature.  £ut  if  the  salt  have  lost,  &c.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  5:13.  Some  think  that 
salt  is  here  employed,  in  the  figurative 
sense  of  the  salt  of  wisdom,  others,  the 
salt  of  friendship,  but  neither  of  these 
views  accords  with  the  demand  of  the 
context.  This  fiery  salting,  this  burn- 
ing, purifying  process,  is  of  no  avail, 
when  there  is  no  grace  in  the  soul,  to 
which  it  is  applied.  The  salt,  in  this 
case,  has  virtually  lost  its  savor.  It  has 
no  purifying,  preserving  influence.  The 
fire  will  consume,  but  not  cleanse  and 
save.  Wherewith  will  ye  seasori  it  ? 
How  will  it  recover  its  properties,  thus 
rendered  worthless  by  the  unsuitable 
state  of  the  subject  to  which  it  is  ap- 
plied ?  How  will  the  purifying  fires 
take  effect  in  the  soul,  void  of  grace, 
and  in  a  state  of  spiritual  corruption  ? 
The  salt  is  powerless,  and  will  remain 
so,  until  the  grace  of  God  change  and 
renew  the  heart.  This  sense  is  de- 
manded by  the  train  of  thought,  which 
is   here  remarkably  close  and   logical, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


469 


salt  in  yourselves,  and  ^  have  peace 
oue  with  one  another. 

CHAPTER  X. 
ND  "  he  arose  from  thence, 
and  Cometh  into  the  coasts  of 
Judea  by  the  farther  side  of  Jor- 
dan :  and  the  people  resort  unto 
him  again ;  and,  as  he  was  wont, 
he  taught  them  again. 

2  "![  *  And  the  Pharisees  came 
to  him,  and  asked  him.  Is  it  law- 
ful for  a  man  to  put  away  his 
wife  ?  tempting  him. 

3  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them.  What  did  Moses  com- 
mand you  ? 

4  And  they  said,  "  Moses  suffer- 
ed to  write  a  bill  of  divorcement, 
and  to  put  her  away. 

5  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,   For  the  hardness  of 

g  Pvo.  12 :  18;  2  Co.  1.3  :  11 ;  He.  12  :  14.  a  Mat. 
19:1.     ?;  Mat.  19:3.     c  De.  24: 1 ;  Mat.  5:31. 

besides  being  highly  figurative  and  con- 
cise. Have  salt  in  yourselves.  See  to 
it,  that  you  have  this  renewing,  sanctify- 
ing grace,  which  will  render  efficacious 
this  salting  with  fire,  by  which  you  are 
to  be  tested  and  purified.  And  have 
■peace.,  &c.  This  is  said  in  reference  to 
the  dispute  as  to  preeminence,  which 
gave  rise  to  the  discourse. 

CHAPTER  X. 

1.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  19  :  1,  2. 

2-12.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  19  :  3-12.  In 
this  discussion  of  the  subject  of  divorce, 
the  Evaagelists  strictly  harmonize,  al- 
though there  is  such  diversity  of  ar- 
rangement, as  to  show  that  they  are 
independent  writers. 

3.  Wliat  did  Moses  command  you  ? 
His  adversaries  expected  a  direct  reply 
to  their  question,  and  that  some  ground 
of  accusation  would  be  furnished  there- 
by. But  he  refers  them  to  what  Moses 
had  said  on  the  subject,  and  thus  takes 
occasion  to  expose  their  erroneous  no- 
tions respecting  the  law  of  divorce. 


your  heart  he  wrote  you  this  pre- 
cept : 

6  But  from  the  beginning  of 
the  creation  ''  God  made  them 
male  and  female. 

7  '  For  this  cause  shall  a  man 
leave  his  father  and  mother,  and 
cleave  to  his  wife  ; 

8  And  they  twain  shall  be  one 
flesh  :  so  then  they  are  no  more 
twain,  but  one  flesh. 

9  What  therefore  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  no  man  put 
asunder. 

10  And  in  the  house  his  disci- 
ples asked  him  again  of  the  same 
matter. 

11  And  be  saith  unto  them, 
■^  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his 
wife,  and  marry  another,  com- 
mitteth  adultery  against  her. 

12  And  if  a  woman  shall  put 

««Ge.  1:27.     eGe.  2:  24;  1  Co.  6:16;Ep.5: 
31.    /  Mat.  5  :  32  ;  Ro.  T  :  3 ;  1  Co.  7  :  10,  11. 


4,  5.  Moses  snff'ered,  &c.  See  Deut. 
24:  1.  And  Jesus  ansivered,  &c.  Ac- 
cording to  Matthew  (v.  7),  they  inquired 
why  Moses  gave  this  command  respect- 
ing the  bill  of  divorcement.  This 
question  is  therefore  to  be  mentally 
supplied  in  Mark,  to  preserve  the  train 
of  thought. 

10-12.  These  words  in  Matthew  are 
addressed  to  the  Pharisees.  It  is  not 
improbable,  that  they  were  repeated  to 
the  disciples  in  the  house,  in  order  to 
render  so  important  a  subject  clear  and 
emphatic.  In  the  house,  which  he  occu- 
pied as  his  private  lodging.  Whoso- 
ever shall  put  away,  &c.  Supply  from 
Matthew,  "  except  it  be  for  fornica- 
tion." Against  her,  i.  e.  to  the  injury 
of  the  wife  thus  repudiated.  Some 
refer  it  to  the  newly  married  wife,  in 
the  sense  of,  in  his  connection  with  her. 
This  is  less  natural  and  apposite.  And 
if  a  woma7i,  &c.  As  the  woman  had  no 
right,  under  the  Mosaic  law,  to  divorce 
her  husband,  this  precept  must  be  con- 
sidered, as  spoken  by  way  of  anticipa- 


470 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


away  her  husband,  and  be  married 
to  another,  she  committeth  adul- 
tery. 

13  ^  ^  And  they  brought  young 
childreu  to  hmi,  that  he  should 
touch  them  ;  and  his  disciples  re- 
buked those  that  brought  them. 

14  But  when  Jesus  saw  it,  he 
was  much  displeased,  and  said 
unto  them,  Suffer  the  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not :  for  ^  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

15  Verily  I  say  unto  you, '  Who- 
soever shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  little  child,  he 
shall  not  enter  therein. 

16  And  he  took  them  up  in  his 
arms,  put  his  hands  upon  them, 
and  blessed  them. 

0  Mat.  19  :  13  ;  Lii.  18  :  15.    hi  Co.  14  :  20  ; 
1  Pe.  2 :  2. 


tion  of  those  times  and  countries,  in 
wliich  the  woman  would  possess  this 
right.  The  words  shall  put  away  her 
husband,  mean,  however,  nothing  more 
in  Jewish  usage,  than  desertion,  tlie 
knguage  being  shaped  to  preserve  the 
antithesis  between  the  clauses.  It 
should  be  noticed,  that  this  verse  cor- 
responds to  the  latter  clause  of  v.  9  in 
Matthew,  the  expression  being  varied 
in  form,  but  not  in  sense. 

13-16.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  19:  13-15: 
Luke  18:  1 5-17. 

14.  Was  much  displeased  with  the 
disciples.  It  was  a  case  of  improper 
interference  on  their  part,  and  hindered 
him  from  giving  expression  to  his  affec- 
tion for  little  children.  For  the  rea- 
sons which  influenced  the  disciples  in 
doing  this,  see  N.  on  Matthew  19:  13. 
Unto  them,  i.  e.  his  disciples. 

15,  16.  As  a  little  child,  i.  e.  with 
childlike  trust,  humility,  sincerity,  and 
love.  7hok  them  up,  &c.  They  were 
little  children  (Matt.  v.  13),  and  could 
be  easily  taken  into  his  arms,  as  he  laid 
his  hand  upon  them  to  impart  his 
blessing. 


17  ^  *  And  when  he  was  gone 
forth  into  the  way,  there  came  one 
running,  and  kneeled  to  him,  and 
asked  him.  Good  Master,  what 
shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eter- 
nal life  ? 

18  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Why  callest  thou  me  good  ?  there 
is  none  good,  but  one,  that  is 
God. 

19  Thou  knowest  the  command- 
ments, '  Do  not  commit  adultery, 
Do  not  kill,  Do  not  steal.  Do  not 
bear  false  witness,  Defraud  not, 
Honour  thy  father  and  mother. 

20  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  him.  Master,  all  these  have 
I  observed  from  my  youth. 

21  Then  Jesus  beholding  him 
loved    him,    and  said   unto    him, 

i  Mat.  18  :  3.     k  Mat.  19  :  16  ;  Lu.  18  :  18. 
I  Ex.  20  ;  Eo.  13  :  9. 


17-31.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  19:  IG- 
35;  Luke  18:  18-30. 

17.  Into  the  way  towards  Jerusalem, 
whither  he  was  now  going  for  the  last 
time,  befoi'e  his  crucifixion.  Runnijig. 
This  shows  his  eager  desire  to  inquire  of 
Jesus  the  way  to  obtain  eternal  life. 
Kneeled  to  him,  as  a  token  of  respect 
to  him  as  a  religious,  teacher.  Pros- 
tration was  common  among  the  Orien- 
tals, when  an  inferior  came  into  the 
presence  of  a  superior.  Asked  Mm. 
See  N.   on  7  :  17. 

19.  77iotc  knowest  the  commandments. 
The  enumeration  is  the  same  as  in 
Matthew  and  in  Luke,  the  words  defraud 
not,  being  added,  and  probably  stand- 
ing for  the  tenth  commandment.  Mat- 
thew sums  up  the  spirit  and  essence  of 
the  laws  of  the  second  table  in  the 
words,  "  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
as  thyself,"  which  Mark  and  Luke  have 
omitted.  This  shows  that  the  evange- 
lists are  not  copyists  one  from  auotlier. 

21.  Loi'edhiin.  Nothing  more  th;m 
a  kindly  feeling  of  regard  for  such  cor- 
rect deportment,  is  implied  in  this  ex- 
pression. Our  Lord  felt  a  hvely  interest 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


471 


One  thing  thou  lackest :  go  thy 
way,  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast, 
and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  '"  treasure  in  heaven  ; 
and  come,  take  up  the  cross,  and 
follow  me. 

22  And  he  was  sad  at  that  say- 
ing, and  went  away  grieved  :  for 
he  had  great  possessions. 

2o  *f[  "  And  Jesus  looked  round 
about,  and  saith  unto  his  disci- 
ples. How  hardly  shall  they  that 
have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God  ! 

24  And  the  disciples  were  as- 
tonished at  his  words.  But  Jesus 
answereth  again,  and  saith  unto 
them.  Children,  how  hard  is  it 
for  them  °  that  trust  in  riches  to 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ! 

25  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to 

mMat.  6 :  19,  20.     n  Mat.  19  :  23  ;  Ln.  IS  :  24 
o  Job  31 :  2i  ;  Ps.  52  :  7 ;  1  Ti.  6 :  IT. 

in  him,  as  one  of  remarkably  correct 
habits,  and  whose  opportunity  for  use- 
fulness was  great,  if  he  acted  from  the 
high  motives  of  the  gospel.  These 
words  are  omitted  in  Matthew  and 
Luke.  One  thing  thou  lackest  to  be 
perfect,  as  far  as  perfection  can  be 
found  in  human  beings.  So  Matthew ; 
"  if  thou  wilt  be  perfect."  Take  up  the 
cross  (see  N.  on  Matt.  10 :  38).  This 
also  is  wanting  in  Matthew  and  Luke. 
Mark  is  usually  quite  circumstantial. 

23.  Looked  round  aboid,  as  though 
amazed  at  the  infatuation  of  the  young 
man,  in  being  unwilling  to  part  with 
his  earthly  possessions,  to  obtain  eter- 
nal life.     See  N.  on  3 :  5. 

24.  Were  astonished,  &c.  They  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  believing,  that  the 
rich  and  powerful  would  most  assuredly 
share  in  the  glory  and  emoluments  of 
the  Messianic  kingdom,  the  spiritual 
nature  of  which  they  had  not  yet  fully 
apprehended.  For  them  that  trust,  &c. 
This  explains  the  whole  matter.  It 
was  their   trust  in  riches,  their  devo- 


go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle, 
than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

26  And  they  were  astonished 
out  of  measure,  saying  among 
themselves,  Who  then  can  be 
saved  ? 

27  And  Jesus  looking  upon 
them,  saith,  With  men  it  is  im- 
possible, but  not  with  God  :  for 
^'  with  God  all  things  are  possible. 

28  '  Then  Peter  began  to  say 
unto  him,  Lo,  we  have  left  all, 
and  have  followed  thee. 

29  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  There 
is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or 
brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or 
mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or 
lands,  for  my  sake,  and  the  gos- 
pel's, 

p  Je.  32  :  17  ;  Mat.  19  :  26.     q  Mat.  19  :  27. 


tion  to  wealth,  and  their  absorbing 
desire  to  increase  their  possessions, 
which  made  it  easier  for  a  camel  to 
pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than 
for  one  of  them  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God.  The  difficulty  lay  not  in 
the  want  of  provision  for  their  salva- 
tion, on  the  part  of  God,  but  in  putting 
their  trust  in  riches.  This  should  not 
only  fill  with  alarm  those,  who  are  pos- 
sessed of  wealth  hoarded  up  for  their 
own  selfish  purposes,  but  those  who 
are  eagerly  seeking  riches,  as  their 
ultimate  and  greatest  good,  for  this 
class  also  are  included  in  the  mighty 
sweep  of  our  Lord's  solenm  assertion. 
Perhaps  this  may  account  for  the 
astonishment,  with  which  the  disciples 
inquired  among  themselves,  who  then 
(literally,  and  who  then)  can  be  saved? 
To  this  our  Lord  makes  no  direct  reply, 
but  refers  the  removal  of  this  great 
obstacle  to  the  grace  and  power  of  God. 
Were  astonished  out  of  measure.  This 
is  even  more  emphatic  than  Matt.  19: 
25,  on  which  see  Note. 


472 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


30  ""But  he  shall  receive  a 
hundredfold  now  in  this  time, 
houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters, 
and  mothers,  and  children,  and 
lands,  with  persecutions ;  and  in 
the  world  to  come   eternal  life. 

31 'But  many  ihat  are  first 
shall  be  last ;  and  the  last  first. 

32  ^  '  And  they  were  in  the 
way  going  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  and 
Jesus  went  before  them  :  and  they 
were  amazed ;  and  as  they  follow- 
ed, they  were  afraid.  "And  he 
took  again  the  twelve,  and  began 
to  tell  them  what  things  should 
happen  unto  him, 

33  Saying,  Behold,  we  go  up 

/•  2  Ch.  25 :  9 ;  Lu.  18  :  30.      sMat,  19  :  30. 

30.  Noiv  in  this  time,  i.  e.  during  the 
present  life.  The  temporal  blessings 
here  enumerated  are  not  to  be  taken 
in  a  literal  sense,  as  is  evident  from  the 
plural  mothers,  nature  having  given  but 
one  to  each  person.  They  are  employ- 
ed to  correspond  to  the  temporal  sacri- 
fices spoken  of  in  the  preceding  verse, 
but  are  intended  to  designate  spiritual 
blessings,  which  shall  far  exceed  the 
earthly  losses  and  privations,  endured 
for  the  cause  of  Christ.  Alford  refers 
the  omission  of  father,  in  this  enumera- 
tion, to  the  fact  of  our  high  and  absorb- 
ing relation  to  our  Father  in  heaven. 
But  this  is  rather  fonciful,  inasmuch  as 
the  word  wives  is  also  omitted  in  Mark, 
while  both  wife  and  father  are  found  in 
the  parallel  passage  in  Matthew.  With 
persecutions,  i.  e.  even  amidst  persecu- 
tions. This  also  shows  that  the  blessings 
referred  to,  are  of  a  spiritual  nature,  and 
not  dependent  upon  the  favor  of  man, 
inasmuch  as  persecution  itself  cannot 
take  them  away.  It  is  true,  however, 
that  oftentimes  the  children  of  God  can 
trace  the  possession  of  temporal  bless- 
ings, to  the  open  and  faithful  profes- 
sion of  Jesus  Christ,  and  find  that  even 
in  the  present  Hfe,  "  in  keeping  his  com- 
mandments there  is  great  reward." 

32-34.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  20:  17-19; 
Luke  18 :  31-34. 


to  Jerusalem;  and  the  Son  of  man 
shall  be  delivered  unto  the  chief 
priests,  and  unto  the  scribes  ;  and 
they  shall  condemn  him  to  death, 
and  they  shall  deliver  him  to  the 
Gentiles  : 

3-i  And  they  shall  mock  him, 
and  shall  scourge  him,  and  shall 
spit  upon  him,  and  shall  kill  him  ; 
and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise 
again. 

35  ^  ^  And  James  and  John, 
the  sons  of  Zebedee,  come  unto 
him,  saying,  Master,  we  would 
that  thou  shouldest  do  for  us 
whatsoever  we  shall  desire. 

36  And   he    said   unto    them, 

t  Mat.  20:  IT.    m  Lu.  9  :  22.    ic  Mat.  20:20. 

32.  In  the  way  leading  to  Jerusalem. 
See  N.  on  v.  17.  Jesus  went  before 
them.  He  led  the  way  with  more  than 
usual  ardor,  although  he  was  going  now 
to  the  scene  of  his  suffering  and  death. 
They  were  amazed.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
20:  17,  where  this  is  explained.  Were 
afraid  of  the  consequences  of  his  seem- 
ing rashness,  in  venturing  at  this  time 
to  go  to  Jerusalem,  into  the  midst  of 
his  malignant  and  deadly  enemies. 
Perhaps  mingled  with  this  presenti- 
ment of  evil,  was  a  certain  indefinable 
awe,  inspired  by  the  air  of  majesty  and 
authority,  with  which  he  was  invested, 
as  his  hour  drew  near.  He  took  again, 
&c.  He  had  before  spoken  to  them  of 
his  future  sufferings  and  death  (Matt. 
16  :  21  ;  17  :  23  ;  Mark  9  :  31),  but  not 
in  such  full  and  unequivocal  terms. 

34.  They  shall  mock  him,  &c.  This 
refers  to  the  Gentiles,  as  is  evident 
from  Matt.  20:  19.  Shall  spit  upon 
him.  This  indignity  is  omitted  in  Mat- 
thew, but  is  found  in  Luke. 

35-45.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  20 :  20- 
28.  There  is  scarcely  a  single  particu- 
lar, in  the  account  of  this  request  of 
the  sons  of  Zebedee,  made  through 
their  mother,  in  which  Mark  differs 
from  Matthew.  There  are  slight  verbal 
variations,  which  show,  however,  that 
the  one  was  not  a  copyist  of  the  other. 


A.  D.  S.3.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


473 


What  would  ye  that  I  should  do 
foi-  you  ? 

37  They  said  unto  him,  Grant 
unto  us  that  we  may  sit,  one  on 
thy  right  hand,  and  the  other  on 
thy  left  hand,  in  thy  glory. 

88  But  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask :  can  ye 
drink  of  the  cup  that  I  drink  of  ? 
and  be  baptized  with  the  baptism 
that  I  am  baptized  with  ? 

39  And  they  said  unto  him, 
"We  can.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
them.  Ye  shall  indeed  drink  of 
the  cup  that  I  drink  of;  and  with 
the  baptism  that  T  am  baptized 
withal  shall  ye  be  baptized  : 

40  But  to  sit  on  my  right  hand 
and  on  my  left  hand,  is  not  mine 
to  give ;  but  it  shall  be  given  to 
them  for  whom  it  is  prepared. 

41  •"  And  when  the  ten  heard  it, 
they  began  to  be  much  displeased 
with  James  and  John. 

42  But  Jesus  called  them  to 
him,  and  saith  unto  them,  ■  Ye 
know  that  they  which  are  account- 
ed to  rule  over  the  Gentiles,  ex- 
ercise lordship  over  them ;  and 
their  great  ones  exercise  authority 
upon  them. 

43  "  But  so  shall  it  not  be 
among  you  :  but   whosoever  will 

y  Mat.  20  :  24.    z  Lu.  22 :  25.  a  Mat.  20 :  26,  28 ; 
Lu.  9 :  48. 


46-52.  See  Ns.  on  Matthew  20 :  29- 
84;  Luke  18:  35-43:  19:  1.  For  the 
reconciliation  of  Matthew  with  Marlv 
and  Luke,  who  speak  of  only  one  per- 
son healed,  see  Notes  on  Matt.  8  :  28  ; 
20  :  30. 

46.  Bartimeus.  A  patronymic  for 
S071  of  Timeus.  Such  also  are  the 
names  Bartholomew  (3:  18),  and  Bar- 
jesus  (Acts  13:  6).  Begging  of  the 
passers  by.  Sitting  is  the  usual  posture 
of  blind    men,   when   asking  alms,  as 


be  great  among  you,  shall  be  your 
minister  : 

44  And  whosoever  of  you  will 
be  the  chiefest,  shall  be  servant 
of  all. 

45  For  even  '  the  Son  of  man 
came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
but  to  minister,  and  '  to  give  his 
life  a  ransom  for  many. 

46  ^  '^  And  they  came  to  Jeri- 
cho :  and  as  he  went  out  of  Jeri- 
cho with  his  disciples  and  a  great 
number  of  people,  blind  Bartimeus, 
the  son  of  Timeus,  sat  by  the 
highway  side  begging. 

47  And  when  he  heard  that  it 
was  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he  began 
to  cry  out,  and  say,  Jesus,  thou 
son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me. 

48  And  many  charged  him  that 
be  should  hold  his  peace  :  but  he 
cried  the  more  a  great  deal,  Thou 
son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me. 

49  And  Jesus  stood  still,  and 
commanded  him  to  be  called.  And 
they  call  the  blind  man,  saying 
unto  him,  Be  of  good  comfort,  rise; 
he  calleth  thee. 

50  And  he,  casting  away  his  gar- 
ment, rose,  and  came  to  Jesus. 

51  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  him.  What  wilt  thou 
that  I  should  do  unto  thee  ?    The 

b  Jn.  13  :  14  ;  Phi.  2  :  T.    c  Mt.  20:  28  ;  1  Ti.  2: 
6  ;  Tit.  2 :  14.     d  Mt.  20  :  29  ;  Lu.  18:  36. 


their  blindness  prevents  their  going 
from  door  to  door. 

49.  Be  of  good  comfort,  &c.  The  ori- 
ginal is  highly  spirited  and  graphic : 
cheer  up,  rise,  (he)  calleth  thee.  He 
had  almost  began  to  despair  of  making 
his  cries  heard,  but  now  he  is  called 
into  Jesus'  presence,  and  with  haste 
and  overflowing  joy,  he  casts  off  his 
garment  (see  N.  on  Matt.  20 :  32),  and 
proceeds  to  meet  his  Lovd. 

52.   Go  thy  way.  In  Matthew,  "  Jesus 


474 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


blind  man   said   unto  him,  Lord, 
that  I  migiit  receive  my  sight. 

52  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Go  thy  way  ;  '  thy  faith  hath 
]nade  thee  whole.  And  immedi- 
ately he  received  his  sight,  and  fol- 
lowed Jesus  in  the  way. 

CHAPTER  XL 

AND  "when  they  came  nigh  to 
Jerusalem,  unto  Bethphage 
and  Bethany,  at  the  mount  of 
Olives,  he  sendeth  forth  two  of 
his  disciples, 

2  Aud  saith  unto  them,  Go  your 
way  into  the  village  over  against 
you  :  and  as  soon  as  ye  be  entered 
into  it,  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied, 
whereon  never  man  sat ;  loose  him, 
and  bring  him. 

3  And  if  any  man  say  unto  you. 
Why  do  ye  this  ?  say  ye  that  the 
Lord  hath  need  of  him :  and 
straightway  he  will  send  him 
hither. 

eMt.9:22;  Ch.  5  :  34.  aMt.  21: 1;  Jn.  12: 14. 


touched  their  eyes."  This  incident  is 
not  denied,  but  only  omitted,  by  Mark 
and  Luive.  Thy  faith,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  20 :  34.  In  the  way  to  Jerusa- 
lem. The  hosannas  which  greeted  our 
Lord's  public  entrance  into  Jerusalem, 
were  shouted  forth,  we  may  imagine, 
by  no  one  in  louder  and  more  sincere 
and  grateful  tones,  than  by  this  poor 
blind  beggar  and  his  companion  (Matt. 
20 :  34),  thus  restored  to  sight,  and 
permitted  to  follow  in  the  train  of  the 
one,  to  whom  they  were  indebted  for 
their  wonderful  cure. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

1-11.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21  :  1-11  ; 
Luke  19:  29-44. 

2.  Whereon  never  man  sat.  Alford 
refers  to  Luke  23  :  53,  and  remarks 
that  "  our  Lord's  birth,  triumph,  and 
burial   were  to  be  in  this  alike."     He 


4  And  they  went  their  way, 
and  found  the  colt  tied  by  the 
door  without  in  a  place  where 
two  ways  met ;  and  they  loose 
him. 

5  And  certain  of  them  that 
stood  there  said  unto  them,  AVhat 
do  ye,  loosing  the  colt  ? 

6  And  they  said  unto  them  even 
as  Jesus  had  commanded :  and 
they  let  them  go. 

7  And  they  brought  the  colt  to 
Jesus,  and  cast  their  garments  on 
him  ;  and  he  sat  upon  him. 

8  *  And  many  spread  their  gar- 
ments in  the  way  :  and  others  cut 
down  branches  off  the  trees,  and 
strewed  them  in  the  way. 

9  And  they  that  went  before, 
and  they  that  followed,  cried, 
saying,  '  Hosanna ;  Blessed  is  he 
that  Cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord : 

10  Blessed  be  the  kingdom  of 
our  father  David,  that  cometh  m 

b  Mt.  21 :  8.    c  Ps.  118  :  26. 

will  send  him  (v.  3) ;  literally,  he  se7ids 
him,  the  present  being  used  for  a  fu- 
ture of  undoubted  certainty.  By  the 
interpolation  of  a  word,  signifying 
back  in  the  original,  some  of  the  more 
ancient  interpreters  referred  this  to  our 
Lord,  and  rendered:  "the  Lord  hath 
need  of  him,  and  will  immediateli/  send 
him  back."  But  this  rests  on  a  reading 
of  slender  authority,  and  is  at  least 
weakened,  if  not  controverted  wholly, 
by  the  latter  clause  in  v.  6. 

4,  5.  In  a  place  vhere  two  ways  met ; 
literally,  in  a  way  leading  around  a  place, 
i.  e.  a  street  of  the  town.  What  do  ye, 
&c.  For  what  purpose,  or  at  whose 
direction,  are  ye  thus  loosing  the  colt? 

10.  Blessed  be  the  kingdom,  kc.  The 
people  thought  that  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom was  now  to  be  set  up,  and  tlie 
throne  of  David  restored.  Hence,  in 
their  hosannas  to  Jesus,  they  congratu- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


475 


the  name  of  the  Lord :  ''  Hosanna 
ia  the  highest. 

1 1  '  And  Jesus  entered  into 
Jerusalem,  and  into  the  temple  : 
and  when  he  had  looked  round 
about  upon  all  things,  and  now 
the  eventide  was  come,  he  went 
out  unto  Bethany  with  the 
twelve. 

12  '•[[  And  on  the  morrow,  when 
they  were  come  from  Bethany,  he 
was  hungry. 

13  '-^  And  seeing  a  fig  tree  afar 
off  having  leaves,  he  came,  if 
haply  he  might  find  any  thing 
thereon  :  and  when  he  came  to  it, 
he  found  nothing  but  leaves  :  for 
the  time  of  figs  was  not  yet. 

14  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  it,  No  man  eat  fruit  of 

rfPs.  148:1.     eMt.21:12.     /Mt.  21:18. 
g  Mt.  21 :  19.    A  Mt.  21 :  12  ;  Jn.  2 :  14. 


lated  themselves  on  the  redemption  of 
Israel  from  temporal  oppression,  and 
the  restoration  of  the  nation  to  its 
glory,  under  the  reign  of  David. 

11.  And  had  looked  round  about ,  &c. 
This  was  not  done  through  vain  curios- 
ity, but  in  order  to  ascertain,  by  per- 
sonal inspection,  what  abuses  had  crept 
into  the  temple  worship,  and  what  por- 
tions of  the  sacred  house  and  its  courts 
had  been  profaned  by  money  changers, 
and  others  of  similar  stamp.  Why  he 
deferred  driving  out  the  money  chang- 
ers until  the  next  day,  we  are  not  in- 
formed. Perhaps  it  was  not  the  hour 
of  the  day,  when  they  were  gathered  in 
full  number  around  their  tables ;  or  he 
administered  a  rebuke,  which,  not  prov- 
ing effectual,  was  followed  on  the  next 
day  by  their  expulsion,  as  here  related. 
Eventide,  i.  e.  late  evening.  Out  to 
Bethany.     See  N.  on  Matt.  21 :  17. 

12-19.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21 :  18-22. 

12,  13.  Were  come  from  Bethany,  on 
their  way  to  the  city.  Afar  off.  This 
shows  his  excessive  hunger,  that  his 
eye  rested  on  this  fig  tree  afar  off,  in 
hopes  of  finding  fruit  thereon.  Having 
leaves,  and  thus  giving  promise  of  hav- 


thee  hereafter  for  ever.  And  his 
disciples  heard  it. 

15  1^ ''  And  they  come  to  Jeru- 
salem :  and  Jesus  went  into  the 
temple,  and  began  to  cast  out 
them  that  sold  and  bought  in  the 
temple,  and  overthrew  the  tables 
of  the  money  changers,  and  the 
seats  of  them  that  sold  doves  ; 

16  And  would  not  suiFer  that 
any  man  should  carry  any  vessels 
through  the  temple. 

17  And  he  taught,  saying  unto 
them.  Is  it  not  written,  '  My  house 
shall  be  called  of  all  nations  the 
house  of  prayer  ?  but ''  ye  have 
made  it  a  den  of  thieves. 

18  And  '  the  scribes  and  chief 
priests  heard  it,  and  sought  how 
they  might  destroy  him  :  for  they 

i  Is.  56 :  7.    ^  Je.  7  :  11.     I  Mt.  21 :  45,  46. 
Lu.  19 :  47. 

ing  fruit  on  its  branches.  For  the  time 
of  figs  ^vas  not  yet ;  literally,  for  the  sea- 
son was  not  (that)  of  Jigs,  i.  e.  it  was  not 
yet  the  season  for  figs.  The  tree  was 
clothed  with  leaves,  but  had  upon  it  no 
fruit,  either  that  which  was  about  to 
ripen,  or  the  winter  figs,  which  remain- 
ed on  it  from  the  previous  autumn.  On 
the  harvest  of  figs,  see  N.  on  Matt. 
21:  18. 

14.  JVo  man  eat  fruit ,  &c.  In  Mat- 
thew, "let  no  fruit  grow,"  &c.  The 
sentiment  is  the  same. 

15-19.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21  :  12,  13; 
Luke  19:  45-48. 

16,  17.  Should  carry  any  vessel  used 
for  common  or  secular  purposes. 
Through  the  temple,  i.  e.  the  outer 
court,  or  court  of  the  Gentiles,  which 
had  been  converted  by  these  profane 
traders  into  a  secular  thoroughfare. 
Of  all  nations.  Compare  Isa.  56 :  8. 
The  temple  was  a  type  of  that  spiritual 
temple,  to  which  all  nations,  under 
Messiah's  reign,  were  to  resort  as  a 
house  of  prayer.  It  was  not,  there- 
fore, to  be  polluted  by  secular  affairs. 

18.  Heard  it,  i.  e.  how  he  had  purged 
the    temple.     And    sought,    &c.     The 


476 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


feared  him,  because  '"  all  the  peo- 
ple was  astouished  at  his  doctrine. 

19  And  when  even  was  come, 
he  went  out  of  the  city. 

20  ^  "  And  in  the  morning,  as 
they  passed  by,  they  saw  the  fig 
tree  dried  up  from  the  roots. 

21  And  Peter  calling  to  re- 
membrance saith  unto  him.  Mas- 
ter, behold,  the  fig  tree  which  thou 
cursedst  is  withered  away. 

22  And  Jesus  answering,  saith 
unto  them,  Have  faith  in  Grod. 

23  For  "  verily  I  say  unto  you. 
That  whosoever  shall  say  unto 
this  mountain.  Be  thou  removed, 
and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea ;  and 
shall  not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but 
shall  believe  that  those  things 
which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass ; 
he  shall  have  whatsoever  he  saith. 

24  Therefore  I  say  unto  you, 
P  What  things  soever  ye  desire 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye 
receive  them^  and  ye  shall  have 
them. 

25  And  when  ye  stand  praying, 
'forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against 

in  Mt.  7 :  23.    n  Mt.  21  :  19.     o  Mt.  17  :  20  ; 
Lu.  17:6.     p  Mt.  7:7;  Ju.  14  :  13  ;  Ja.  1 : 5,  6. 


authority,  which  he  assumed  in  expel- 
hng  the  traders,  and  its  implied  censure 
of  their  remissness  in  protecting  the 
sacred  place  from  such  pollution,  exas- 
perated afresh  the  scribes  and  priests, 
and  they  sought  how  they  might  de- 
stroy him.  For  the n  feared  him.  This 
is  added  to  explain  why  they  were 
obliged  to  resort  to  insidious  measures, 
rather  than  to  open  violence.  Were 
astonished,  &c.  See  N.  on  Matt.  7 : 
28,  29. 

20-26.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21 :  20-22. 

22.  Have  faith  in  God.  Some  inter- 
pret, faith  v)hich  God  requires.  The 
original  is  literally  to  be  rendered,  have 
faith  of  God,  which  is  susceptible  of  va- 
rious shades  of  sense,  but  our  common 


any  ;  that  your  Father  also  which 
is  in  heaven  may  forgive  you  your 
trespasses. 

26  But  "■  if  ye  do  not  forgive, 
neither  will  your  Father  which  is 
in  heaven  forgive  your  trespasses. 

27  1"  And  they  come  again  to 
Jerusalem  :  '  and  as  he  was  walk- 
ing in  the  temple,  there  came  to 
him  the  chief  priests,  and  the 
scribes,  and  the  elders, 

28  And  say  unto  him.  By  what 
authority  doest  thou  these  things? 
and  who  gave  thee  this  authority 
to  do  these  things  ? 

29  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  I  will  also  ask  of 
you  one  question,  and  answer  me, 
and  I  will  tell  you  by  what  au- 
thority I  do  these  things. 

30  The  baptism  of  John,  was 
it  from  heaven,  or  of  men  ?  answer 
me. 

31  And  they  reasoned  with 
themselves,  saying.  If  we  shall 
say.  From  heaven ;  he  will  say. 
Why  then  did  ye  not  believe 
him  ? 

Q  Mt.  6  :  14  ;  Col.  3: 13. .  r  Mt.  IS :  35. 
sMt.  21:23;  Lu.20:l. 

translation  seems  to  be  the  correct  one. 

23,  24.  hi  his  heart,  i.  e.  in  his 
mind.  This  is  strengthened  by  the 
affirmative  expression  of  the  same  idea 
in  the  next  clause.  What  things  soever 
ye  desire,  &c.  On  the  promise  here 
given  to  prayer,  seeN.  on  Matt.  21 :  22. 

25.  When  ye  stand  praying,  i.  e.  when 
you  engage  in  prayer.  Xo  direction  is 
here  given,  as  to  the  posture  of  one  who 
prays.  On  the  duty  of  forgiveness, 
laid  down  in  this  and  the  following 
verse,  see  N.  on  Matt.  6:  12,  15. 

27-33.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21 :  23-32 ; 
Luke  20 :  1-8.  The  agreement  of  the 
Evangelists  is  here  quite  close,  except 
that  Luke  has  a  few  unimportant  ad- 
ditions. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


477 


32  But  if  we  shall  say,  Of  men ; 
they  feared  the  people :  for  '  all 
men  counted  John,  that  he  was  a 
prophet  indeed. 

33  And  they  answered  and  said 
unto  Jesus,  We  cannot  tell.  And 
Jesus  answering  saith  unto  them, 
Neither  do  I  tell  you  by  what 
authority  I  do  these  things. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

AND  "  he  began  to  speak  unto 
them  by  parables.  A  certain 
man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  set 
an  hedge  about  it,  and  digged  a 
place  for  the  winefat,  and  built 
a  tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husband- 
men, and  went  into  a  far  country. 

2  And  at  the  season  he  sent  to 
the  husbandmen  a  servant,  that 
he  might  receive  from  the  hus- 
bandmen of  the  fruit  of  the  vine- 
yard. 

3  And  they  caught  him,  and 
beat  him,  and  sent  him  away 
empty. 

4  And  again  he  sent  unto 
them  another  servant  ;  and  at 
him  they  cast  stones,  and  wound- 
ed  him  in    the    head,    and    sent 

< Mt.  3  : 5.     a Mt. 21 :  33;  Lii.  22  :  9. 


32.  77ie^  feared  the  people.  In  Mat- 
thew, "  we  fear  the  people."  Mark 
expresses  the  same  in  sense,  but  in  the 
narrative  form.  This  habit  of  passing 
from  the  direct  to  the  indirect  narra- 
tion, is  very  common  with  all  the  an- 
cient writers.  Some  think  that  this  is 
Mark's  own  reason,  why  they  did  not 
charge  John  with  deriving  his  doctrine 
from  men,  and  that  they  felt  a  fear  of 
the  consequences  of  such  an  assertion, 
but  did  not  openly  admit  this,  even  to 
one  another.  But  Luke  gives  the  very 
words  which  they  spake  among  them- 
selves, "  all  the  people  will  stone  us," 
which  shows  that  they  did  not  attempt 


him    away    shamefully    handled. 

5  And  again  he  sent  another  ; 
and  him  they  killed,  and  many 
others  ;  beating  some,  and  killing 
some. 

6  Having  yet  therefore  one  son, 
his  well  beloved,  he  sent  him  also 
last  unto  them,  saying.  They  will 
reverence  my  son. 

7  But  those  husbandmen  said 
among  themselves.  This  is  the 
heir ;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and 
the  inheritance  shall  be  ours. 

8  And  they  took  him,  and  kill- 
ed him,  and  cast  him  out  of  the 
vineyard. 

9  What  shall  therefore  the  lord 
of  the  vineyard  do  ?  He  will 
come  and  destroy  the  husband- 
men, and  will  give  the  vineyard 
unto  others. 

10  And  have  ye  not  read  this 
scripture  ;  *  The  stone  which  the 
builders  rejected  is  become  the 
head  of  the  corner  : 

11  This  was  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes  ? 

12  "And  they  sought  to  lay  hold 
on  him,  but  feared  the  people  ; 
for  they  knew  that  he  had  spoken 

b  Ps.  118  :  22.     c  Mt.  21 :  45,  46. 

to   conceal  their  fear  of  consequences 
from  one  another. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

1-12.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21  :  33-46  ; 
Luke  20  :  9-19. 

9.  Jle  will  come  anddestroy.  On  the 
apparent  discrepancy  between  this  an- 
swer, put  by  Mark  into  the  mouth  of 
our  Lord,  but  by  Matthew,  into  that  of 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  see  N.  on 
Matt.  21  :  41. 

12.  But  feared;  literally,  and  feared, 
the  antithesis  being  more  strongly 
marked  by  this  use  of  the  copulative. 
It  is  as  though  it  had  been  said,  and  yet 


478 


MARK. 


[A.D.  33. 


the   parable   against   them   :  and 
they  left  him,  and  went  their  way. 

13  1^  "^  And  they  send  unto  him 
certain  of  the  Pharisees  and  of 
the  Herodians,  to  catch  him  in  his 
words. 

14  And  when  they  were  come, 
they  say  unto  him,  Master,  we 
know  that  thou  art  true,  and 
carest  for  no  man :  for  thou  re- 
gar  dest  not  the  person  of  men, 
but  teachest  the  way  of  Grod  in 
truth  :  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute 
to  Cesar,  or  not  ? 

15  Shall  we  give,  or  shall  we 
not  give  ?  But  he,  knowing  their 
hypocrisy,  said  unto  them,  Why 
tempt  ye  me  ?  bring  me  a  penny, 
that  I  may  see  it. 

16  And  they  brought  it.  And 
he  saith  unto  them.  Whose  is  this 
imago  and  superscription  ?  And 
they  said  unto  him,  Cesar's. 

17  And  Jesus  answering  said 
unto  them,  Render  to  Cesar  the 
things  that  are  Cesar's,  and  to 
God  the  things  that  are  God's. 
And  they  marvelled  at  him. 

18  *1[  '  Then  come  unto  him  the 
Sadducces,  •'"which  say  there  is 
no  resurrection ;  and  they  asked 
him,  saying, 

19  Master,  ''  Moses  wrote  unto 

a  Mt.  22 :  15  ;  Lu.  20  :  20.     e  Mt.  22  :  23. 
/Ac.  23  : 8. 


(great  as  was  their  desire  to  apprehend 
him)  theif  stood  in  such  fear  of  the  peo- 
ple, that  they  dared  not  resort  to  vio- 
lence. Rich  shades  of  thought  are  fre- 
quently furnished,  by  a  careful  and  skil- 
ful interpretation  of  the  particles  and 
connectives  of  the  Greek  language. 

13-17.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  22  :  16-22  ; 
Luke  20 :  20-26. 

18-27.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  22  :  23-33  ; 
Luke   20   :   27-40.      These   narratives 


us,  If  a  man's  brother  die,  and 
leave  his  wife  behind  him,  and 
leave  no  children,  that  his  brother 
should  take  his  wife,  and  raise  up 
seed  unto  his  brother. 

20  Now  there  were  seven  breth- 
ren :  and  the  first  took  a  wife,  and 
dying  left  no  seed. 

21  And  the  second  took  her, 
and  died,  neither  left  he  any  seed  : 
and  the  third  likewise. 

22  And  the  seven  had  her,  and 
left  no  seed :  last  of  all  the  wo- 
man died  also. 

23  In  the  resurrection  therefore, 
when  they  shall  rise,  whose  wife 
shall  she  be  of  them  ?  for  the 
seven  had  her  to  wife. 

24  And  Jesus  answering  said 
unto  them,  Do  ye  not  therefore 
err,  because  ye  know  not  the 
scriptures,  neither  the  power  of 
God? 

25  For  when  they  shall  rise 
from  the  dead,  they  neither  marry, 
nor  are  given  in  marriage ;    but 

*  are  as  the  angels  which  are  in 
heaven. 

26  And  as  touching  the  dead, 
that  they  rise ;  have  ye  not  read 
in  the  book  of  Moses,  how  in  the 
bush  God  spake  unto  him,  saying, 

*  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and 

g  De.  25  : 5.    M  Co.  15  :  42, 49, 52. 
i  Ex.  3 :  6. 

have  the  most  entire  agreement  in 
sense,  but  vary  somewhat  in  language. 
Luke's  account  is  the  fullest,  especially 
in  vs.  34-36. 

26.  In  the  busk,  i.  e.  in  the  passage 
or  section,  which  speaks  of  the  burning 
bush.  Oftentimes  an  incident  is  thus 
put  by  way  of  reference,  for  the  chap- 
ter or  place,  where  the  incident  is  re- 
lated. Homer  is  often  cited  thus  by 
ancient  writers  and  critics. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


479 


the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob  ? 

27  He  is  not  the  God  of  the 
dead,  but  the  God  of  the  living  : 
ye  therefore  do  greatly  err. 

28  And  one  of  the  scribes 
came,  and  having  heard  them  rea- 
soning together,  and  perceiving 
that  he  had  answered  them  well, 
asked  him.  Which  is  the  first 
commandment  of  all  ? 

29  And  Jesus  answered  him. 
The  first  of  all  the  commandments 
is,  '  Hear,  0  Israel ;  The  Lord 
our  God  is  one  Lord  : 

30  And  thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy     mind,     and     with    all    thy 

AMat.  22  :  35.     IDe.  6  :  4;  Lu.  10:  27. 


27.  Ye  therefore  do  greatly  err  in  such 
views,  as  you  entertain  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. In  tlie  liglit  of  tliis  reply  of  our 
Lord,  we  are  taught  the  duty  of  ob- 
taining correct  views  respecting  the  re- 
surrection, so  far  as  that  event  is 
revealed  to  us  in  God's  word.  It  is  no 
excuse  for  loose  and  unscriptural  views, 
that  we  are  unable  to  solve  some  diffi- 
culties, which  attend  this  subject.  The 
great  doctrine  that  the  dead  are  to  be 
raised,  that  the  soul  and  body  are 
again  to  be  united,  that  the  physical 
connections  and  relations  of  this  life 
will  cease  to  exist,  and  that  a  new,  spir- 
itual, endless  state  of  being  is  to  be 
entered  upon,  should  be  as  much  the 
object  of  our  belief,  when  found,  as 
it  is,  in  the  word  of  God,  as  any 
other  doctrine  to  which  our  assent  is 
demanded. 

28-34.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  22  :  34-40. 

28.  Had  answered  them  well.  Our 
Lord's  reply  was  so  plain,  convincing, 
and  scriptural,  that  the  scribe  was  de- 
sirous of  getting  his  opinion  on  the 
question,  which  had  always  given  rise 
to  great  discussion,  as  to  which  was  the 


strength  :  this  is  the  first  com- 
mandment. 

31  And  the  second  is  like, 
namely  tiiis,  '"  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.  There  is 
none  other  commandment  greater 
than  these. 

32  And  the  scribe  said  unto 
him.  Well,  Master,  thou  hast  said 
the  truth :  for  there  is  one  God ; 
"  and  there  is  none  other  but  he : 

33  And  to  love  him  with  all 
the  heart,  and  with  all  the  under- 
standing, and  with  all  the  soul, 
and  with  all  the  strength,  and  to 
love  his  neighbour  as  himself,  "  is 
more  than  all  whole  burnt  ofi"er- 
ings  and  sacrifices. 

34  And  when  Jesus  saw  that 

m  Le.  19  :  18 ;  Mat.  22 :  89 ;  Eo.  1-3  : 9;  Ga.  5 ; 
14 ;  Ja.  2  :  8.  w  De.  4 :  .39  ;  Is.  45 :  6, 14.  o  1  Sa. 
15:22;  Ho.  6  :  6;  Mi.  6:6,  7,  8. 

first  or  greatest  commandment.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  22  :  36  ;  compare  also  Tit. 
3  :  9. 

29.  Hear,  0  Israel,  &c.  Compare 
Deut.  6  :  4.  This  prefaced  the  epitome 
of  the  law,  because  it  is  the  foundation 
of  all  right  and  obligation.  No  one  can 
obey  this  law,  who  believes  in  a  plural- 
ity of  gods.  Mark  adds  to  the  enu- 
meration of  Matthew,  xinth  all  thy 
strength,  on  which  see  N.  on  Matt. 
22  :  37. 

32-34.  This  reply  of  the  scribe,  and 
our  Lord's  words  of  approbation,  are 
omitted  in  Matthew.  Well,  Master, 
thou  hast  said  the  tr^ith,  i.  e.  thou  hast 
spoken  the  truth  beautifully  and  con- 
cisely. Some  translate  :  Of  a  truth. 
Master,  thou  hast  spoken  well.  And  to 
love  him  (v.  33).  This  is  to  be  joined 
to  the  preceding  clause,  as  an  additional 
reason,  why  the  scribe  regarded  Jesus 
as  having  answered  well.  Understanding 
corresponds  to  mind  in  v.  30.  Whole 
burnt  offerings.  In  the  whole  burnt 
offering  or  holocaust,  the  entire  victim 
was  burned.  This  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  acceptable  offerings,  and 


480 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  83. 


he  answered  discreetly,  he  said 
unto  him,  Thou  art  not  far  from 
the  kingdom  of  God.  ''  And  no 
man  after  that  durst  ask  him  any 
question. 

35  ^  '^  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said,  while  he  taught  in  the  tem- 
ple. How  say  the  scribes  that 
Christ  is  the  son  of  David  ? 

36  For  David  himself  said  "■  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  '  The  Lord  said 
unto   my   Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my 

2>  Mat.  22:  46.    ^  Mat.  22  :  41.    r-2Sa.  23:2. 

hence  is  here  and  elsewhere  inclusive 
of  every  kind  of  burnt  offerings.  Sacri- 
fices. This  refers  to  the  sacrificial  vic- 
tims, and  is  added  to  the  preceding 
word,  to  give  completeness  and  empha- 
sis to  the  idea.  Of  the  flesh  of  victims 
thus  sacrificed,  a  part  was  burned  on 
the  altar,  and  a  part  given  to  the 
priests.     See  Levit.  chaps.  II.,  III. 

34.  Discreetly,  i.  e.  xoisely.  Tliou  art 
not  far,  &c.  He  had  seized  upon  and 
entered  into  the  spirit  of  our  Lord's  re- 
ply. His  views  of  the  law  were  so  cor- 
rect, that  he  was  in  a  state  of  readiness 
to  receive  the  gospel,  and  in  this  sense 
he  was  not  far  from  the  kingdom  ot 
God.  Of  this  man  we  hear  nothing  fur- 
ther, but  we  may  hope  that  he  was 
brought  to  the  exercise  of  faith  in 
Christ,  without  which  he  might  be  found 
at  the  door  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  but 
not  within  it.  We  learn  from  this  in- 
teresting incident,  that  correct  views 
of  truth  bring  a  man  nearer  to  the  door 
of  salvation,  than  false  doctrines,  or  the 
distorted  views  of  truth,  upon  which 
the  formalist  reposes,  in  hope  of  salva- 
tion beyond  the  grave.  No  man  after 
that,  &c.     See  N.  on  Matt.  22  :  40. 

35-37.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  22  :  41-46  ; 
Luke  20  :  41-44. 

37.  Tfie  common  people,  &c.  The  in^ 
structions  of  the  Pharisees  only  tend- 
ed to  distress  and  perplex  them,  by 
vain  distinctions  in  reference  to  points 
of  the  moral  and  ceremonial  law,  and 
by  loading  them  with  cumbrous   rites 


right  hand,  till  I  make  thine  ene- 
mies thy  footstool. 

37  David  therefore  himself 
calleth  him  Lord ;  and  whence  is 
he  then  his  son  ?  And  the  com- 
mon people  heard  him  gladly. 

38  1^  And  '  he  said  unto  them 
in  his  doctrine,  "Beware  of  the 
scribes,  which  love  to  go  in  long 
clothing,  and  ^  love  salutations  in 
the  market-places, 

39  And  the  chief  seats  in  the 

sPs.  110:1.    <Ch.  4:2.     «  Mat.  23  : 1,  &c. ; 
Lu.  20:46.     ajLu.  11:43. 


and  ceremonies.  Our  Lord  swept  away 
all  these  vain  and  burdensome  tradi- 
tions, and  bringing  them  back  to  the 
spirituality  of  the  divine  law,  taught 
them  that  love  to  God  and  their  fellow 
men  was  the  cardinal  duty  of  Hfe. 
Hence  the  common  people  heard  him 
with  gladness,  and  testified  their  love 
of  truth  by  following  him  in  throngs,  as 
he  passed  from  place  to  place  through 
the  land.  What  was  true  then  is  so 
also  now.  From  the  common  people 
the  church  of  Christ  receives  most  of 
its  members.  Thus  most  likely  will  it 
be  to  the  end  of  time.  Compare  1  Cor. 
1  :  26-29. 

38,  39.  See  Luke  20  :  45,  46.  These 
verses  are  not  found  in  Matthew,  but 
constitute  a  sort  of  abridgment  or 
epitome  of  Matt.  23:  1-12,  on  which 
see  Notes.  In  his  doctrine,  i.  e.  as  he 
was  teaching.  In  tony  clothing.  In 
long  flowing  robes,  such  as  were  worn 
by  persons  of  distinction.  It  is  not,  to 
say  the  least,  a  very  good  sign  for  any 
religionists  or  class  of  men,  to  adopt  a 
form  or  style  of  dress  different  from 
their  fellow  men,  to  indicate  their  su- 
perior sanctity,  or  show  that  they 
belong  to  a  class  or  profession  by  them- 
selves. Our  Lord  himself  was  plainly 
clad,  but  in  the  same  style  of  costume, 
as  that  in  which  his  countrymen  were 
usually  arrayed.  There  was  nothing 
singular  in  his  dress  or  habits  of  life. 
See  Matt.  11  :  19  ;  John  19:  23.  His 
example  in  this,  as  in  other  things,  is 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


481 


synagogues,   and   the    uppermost 
rooms  at  feasts  : 

40  ''Which  devour  widows' 
houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make 
long  prayers  :  these  shall  receive 
greater  damnation. 

41  ^  'And  Jesus  sat  over 
against  the  treasury,  and  beheld 
how  the  people  cast  money  *  into 
the  treasury :  and  many  that  were 
rich  cast  in  much. 

y  Mat.  23 :  14.       s  Lu.  21 : 1. 


worthy  of  our  close  imitation.  Saluta- 
tions. Luke  :  greetings.  The  same 
word  in  the  original.  The  scribes  were 
fond  of  being  addressed  in  terms  of 
great  respect,  and  of  being  saluted  as 
men  of  high  distinction.  In  the  mar- 
ket places,  where  men  assembled  in 
gi'eat  numbers.  Chief  seats.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  23  :  6,  where  the  words  up- 
permost rooms,  are  also  explained. 

40.  See  N.  on  Matt.  23  :  14 ;  also 
Luke  20  :  47. 

41-44.  Compare  Luke  21  :  1-4. 

41.  Over  against,  i.  e.  opposite  to,  in 
full  sight  of.  Treasury.  This  is  sup- 
posed to  refer  to  the  thirteen  chests  of 
the  form  of  trumpets,  which,  according 
to  the  Rabbins,  stood  in  the  court  of 
the  women,  into  which  the  Jews  cast 
their  offerings.  But  the  use  of  the  sin- 
gular number  is  not  thus  satisfactorily 
accounted  for,  and  it  is  better  therefore 
to  seek  for  its  explanation  in  2  Kings 
12  :  9.  Alford  refers  it  to  a  building, 
and  quotes  Joseph.  Antiq.  XIX.  6,  §  1. 
But  the  incident  could  hardly  have 
fallen  under  the  eye  of  our  Lord,  as  it 
evidently  did,  if  a  building  by  itself  is 
referred  to,  into  which  the  widow  en- 
tered to  deposit  her  offering.  The 
reference  is  beyond  all  question  to  a 
box  or  chest,  placed  in  some  apart- 
ment or  court  of  the  temple,  where  the 
depositor  would  be  seen  by  all  around. 
Many  that  were  rich  ;  literally,  many 
rich  persons.  As  this  was  the  week 
preceding  the  passover,  many  rich  Jews 
were  gathered  into  the  city  from  all 
parts  of  the  land,  to  celebrate  the  feast, 
and  deposit  their  offerings. 

42.  Two  mites.      A    mite   was  the 
Vol.  I.— 21 


42  And  there  came  a  certain 
poor  widow,  and  she  threw  in 
two  mites,  which  make  a  farthing. 

43  And  he  called  unto  him  his 
disciples,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  '  this 
poor  widow  hath  cast  more  in, 
than  all  they  which  have  cast  into 
the  treasury  : 

44  For  all  they  did  cast  in  of 
their  abundance ;  but  she  of  her 

a  2  Ki.  12  :  9.      &  2  Co.  8  :  12. 

smallest  of  Jewish  coins,  about  the 
value  of  one-fifth  of  a  cent.  It  took 
its  name  from  its  extreme  smallness, 
being  derived  from  an  adjective,  signi- 
fying thin,  subtle,  and  appHed,  among 
other  things,  to  that  which  consists  of 
fine  particles,  as  dust,  sand,  and  meta- 
phorically, to  gentle  breezes,  whisper- 
ing, murmuring  sounds,  &c.  Bengel 
remarks  that  two  mites  are  noticed  as 
being  deposited,  because  she  might 
have  kept  back  one.  A  farthing.  See 
N.  on  Matt.  5  :  26. 

43.  This  poor  widow;  literally,  the 
widow  there,  that  poor  one.  There  is 
great  beauty  and  emphasis  in  the  origi- 
nal. More  in  proportion  to  her  meiins ; 
more  in  the  estimation  of  God.  Than 
all  they  (have  cast  in),  which  have  cast 
into  the  treasury.  They  were  many  and 
rich,  yet  their  combined  offerings  had 
not  as  much  value,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
as  the  two  mites  of  this  poor  widow. 

44.  For  all  they,  &c.  This  shows  the 
reason  why  her  offering  was  of  such 
transcendent  value.  Theirs  cost  them 
nothing  ;  hers  constituted  all  that  she 
possessed.  Their  offerings  were  the 
overflowings  of  (the  cup  of  )  their  abitn- 
dance  [such  is  the  force  of  the  original 
Greek],  but  her  gift  was  of  her  tvant  or 
deficiency  of  means,  and  might  be  said 
to  have  drained  the  last  drop  from  the 
bottom  of  her  vessel.  There  is  not  a 
more  beautiful,  striking,  and  instructive 
incident  in  our  Lord's  ministry  than 
this,  or  one  designed  to  make  a  more 
lasting  impression  upon  the  church,  in 
respect  to  what  constitutes  the  real 
value  of  an  offering  made  to  God. 
Thousands  of  hearts   have  been   com- 


482 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had, 
'  even  all  her  living. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

AND  "as  he  went  out  of  the 
temple,  one  of  his  disciples 
saith  unto  him,  Master,  see  what 
manner  of  stones,  and  what  build- 
ings are  here ! 

2  And  Jesus  answering  said 
unto  him,  Seest  thou  these  great 
buildings  ?  *  there  shall  not  be 
left  one  stone  upon  another,  that 
shall  not  be  thrown  down. 

3  And  as  he  sat  upon  the  mount 
of  Olives,  over  against  the  temple, 
Peter  and  James  and  John  and 
Andrew  asked  him  privately, 

4  '  Tell  us,  when  shall  these 
things  be  ?  and  what  shall  he  the 
sign  when  all  these  things  shall  be 
fulfilled  ? 

c  De.  24  :  6 ;  1  Jn.  3 :  17.    a  Mat.  24 : 1 ;  Lu.  21 : 
5.    h  Lu.  19 :  44.    c  Mat.  24  :  3 ;  Lu.  21 :  7. 

forted  and  encouraged,  the  small- 
ness  of  whose  benevolent  contributions 
seemed,  in  a  human  point  of  view,  to 
render  them  ahnost  worthless,  and 
whose  extreme  poverty  seemed  to  cry 
out  against  their  giving  even  two  mites. 
The  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  more  than 
thcfi  all  (Luke),  have  recurred  to  them 
with  such  sweetness  and  power,  while  in 
despondency  at  the  feebleness  of  their 
means  of  usefulness,  that  they  have 
cheerfully  and  thankfully  given  all 
they  possessed  for  the  promotion  of  his 
cause.  Rich  Christians,  too,  in  the 
light  of  this  example,  have  seen  that 
the  divine  standard  of  estimating  the 
value  of  an  oiVering,  is  not  one  which 
regards  its  amount,  but  the  heart  with 
which  it  is  given,  and  the  self-denial 
which  it  costs.  In  this  aspect,  two 
mites  from  a  rich  man  is  a  far  different 
offering,  than  two  mites  from  a  poor 
widow,  which  constitutes  her  whole  liv- 
ing; and  even  when  the  rich  man,  from 
his  abundance  and  with  true  love  to  his 


5  And  Jesus  answering  them, 
began  to  say,  "^  Take  heed  lest  any 
man  deceive  you : 

6  For  many  shall  come  in  my 
name,  saying,  I  am  Chr'ist ;  and 
shall  deceive  many. 

7  And  when  ye  shall  hear  of 
wars  and  rumours  of  wars,  be  ye 
not  troubled :  for  such  things 
must  needs  be  ;  but  the  end  shall 
not  he  yet. 

8  For  nation  shall  rise  against 
nation,  and  kingdom  against  king- 
dom :  and  there  shall  be  earth- 
quakes in  divers  places,  and  there 
shall  be  famines  and  troubles: 
'  these  are  the  beginning  of  sor- 
rows. 

9  1^  But  ■''take  heed  to  your- 
selves :  for  they  shall  deliver  you 
up  to  councils ;  and  in  the  syna- 
gogues ye  shall  be  beaten :  and  ye 

(Z  Je.  29:8;  Ep.  5:6;lTh.  2:3.    e  Mat.  24: 8. 
/Mat.  10  :  17  ;  Ke.  2 :  10. 


Redeemer,  casts  a  large  offering  into  the 
treasury,  it  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  the 
case,  reach  the  self-denial  of  one  who 
gives  his  whole  hving,  like  the  poor 
widow.  He  only  makes  an  acceptable 
offering,  whose  love  to  God  is  such,  that 
he  would  make  it,  if  it  cost  him  the  ex- 
tremest  self-denial  to  do  thus.  There 
is  no  duty  which,  in  the  light  of  this 
passage  and  Matt.  6 :  1-4,  requires  more 
searching  self-examination,  and  more 
prayer  for  the  spirit  and  self-denial  of 
this  poor  widow,  than  that  of  alms- 
giving and  contribution  to  the  objects 
of  Christian  benevolence. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

1-13.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  24:  1-14; 
Luke  21  :  5-19. 

4.  The  question  is  here  and  in  Luke 
twofold.  In  Matthew  it  is  threefold. 
There  is  no  discrepancy,  the  second 
in  Mark  and  Luke  embracing  the  se- 
cond and  third  in  Matthew. 

9-13.  These  verses  are  explained  ia 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


488 


shall  be  brought  before  rulers  and 
kings  for  my  sake,  for  a  testimony 
against  them. 

10  And  ''the  gospel  must  first 
be  published  among  all  nations. 

11  But  when  they  shall  lead 
you^  and  deliver  you  up,  take  no 
thought  beforehand  what  ye  shall 
speak,  neither  do  ye  premeditate  : 
but  whatsoever  shall  be  given  you 
in  that  hour,  that  speak  ye :  for 
it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  '  but  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

12  Now  *  the  brother  shall  be- 
tray the  brother  to  death,  and 
the  father  the  son ;  and  children 
shall  rise  up  against  their  parents, 
and  shall  cause  them  to  be  put  to 
death. 

13  'And  ye  shall  be  hated  of 
all  men  for  my  name's  sake  :  but 
"■  he  that  shall  endure  unto  the 
end,  the  same  shall  be  saved. 

14  "But  when  ye  shall  see 
the  abomination  of  desolation,"spo- 
ken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet, 
standing  where  it  ought  not,  (let 
him  that  readeth  understand,) 
then  P  let  them  that  be  in  Judea 
flee  to  the  mountains  : 

0  Mat.  24  :  14.  h  Mat.  10  :  19.  i  Ac.  2  :  4. 
&  Mi.  7 :  6 ;  Mat.  10  :  21 ;  Lu.  21 :  16.  I  Mat.  24 : 
9  ;  Lu.  21  :  17.  m  Da.  12  :  12 ;  Mat.  10  :  22  ; 
Ke.  2  :  10.    n  Mat.  24  :  15. 

Notes  on  Matt.  10  :  17-22.  Take  heed 
to  yourselves  (v.  9).  They  were  not  to 
expose  themselves  to  unnecessary  dan- 
ger. They  were  to  use  all  proper 
means  to  preserve  their  lives,  unless  by 
so  doing,  some  great  truth  would  be  sa- 
crificed, or  duty  remain  undone.  They, 
i.  e.  the  persecutors  of  the  church. 
Councils.  See  N.  on  Matt.  10  :  17.  In 
the  synaffopues.  The  full  construction 
in  the  Greek  is :  ye  shall  be  dragged  into 
the,  sipiagogues  and  there  beaten.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  10:  16. 

10.  And  this  gospel,  &c.  See  N.  on 
Matt.  13  :  14. 


15  And  let  him  that  is  on  the 
housetop  not  go  down  into  the 
house,  neither  enter  therein,  to 
take  any  thing  out  of  his  house  : 

16  And  let  him  that  is  in  the 
field  not  turn  back  again  for  to 
take  up  his  garment. 

17  *  But  woe  to  them  that  are 
with  child,  and  to  them  that  give 
suck  in  those  days  ! 

18  And  pray  ye  that  your  flight 
be  not  in  the  winter. 

19  '  For  in  those  days  shall  be 
afiliction,  such  as  was  not  from 
the  beginning  of  the  creation  which 
Grod  created  unto  this  time,  neither 
shall  be. 

20  And  except  that  the  Lord 
had  shortened  those  days,  no  flesh 
should  be  saved  :  but  for  the  elect's 
sake,  whom  he  hath  chosen,  he 
hath  shortened  the  days. 

21  '  And  then  if  any  man  shall 
say  to  you,  Lo,  here  is  Christ ;  or 
lo,  he  is  there ;  believe  him  not. 

22  For  false  Christs,  and  false 
prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  shew 
signs  and  wonders,  to  seduce,  if 
it  were  possible,  even  the  elect. 

23  But  '  take  ye  heed  :  behold, 

o  Da.  9  :  27.  p  Lu.  21  :  21.  q  Lu.  21 :  2.3, 29. 
r  Da.  9 :  26  ;  Joel  2:2;  Mat.  24 :  21.  s  Mat.  24 : 
23;  Lu.  17:23.    <2Pe.  3:17. 


14-37.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  24  :  15-42  ; 
Luke  21 :  20-36. 

14,  15.  \V7iere  it  ought  not,  i.  e.  in 
the  holy  place.  See  N.  on  Matt.  24  : 
15.  iVb^  go  down  into  the  house,  neither 
enter  therein.  The  last  clause,  which, 
as  it  stands  in  our  translation,  seems  to 
be  a  repetition  of  the  preceding  one, 
is  rather  to  be  taken  as  a  command, 
not  to  enter  the  house  either  from  the 
housetop,  or  from  any  other  place, 
where  the  person  may  happen  to  be, 
when  he  first  descries  the  abomination 
here  spoken  of.  The  words  may  be 
paraphrased  :    nor  enter  into  the  house 


484 


MARK. 


[A.  D,  33. 


I   have    foretold   you   all  things. 

24  "  But  in  those  days,  after 
that  tribulation,  the  sun  shall  be 
darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not 
give  her  light, 

25  And  the  stars  of  heaven 
shall  fall,  and  the  powers  that  are 
in  heaven  shall  be  shaken. 

26  '  And  then  shall  they  see 
the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the 
clouds  with  great  power  and 
glory. 

27  And  then  shall  he  send  his 
angels,  and  shall  gather  together 
his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from 
the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth 
to  the  uttermost  part  of  heaven. 

28  "  Now  learn  a  parable  of  the 
fig  tree  :  When  her  branch  is  yet 
tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves, 
ye  know  that  summer  is  near  : 

u  Da.  7  :  10  ;  Zeph.  1:15;  Mat.  24  :  29. 

05  Da.  7  :  13,  U ;  Mat.  10  :  27  ;  Ac.  1:11;  1  Th. 

4:16;  2  Tli.  1  :  7,  10  ;    Re.  1 :  7. 


from  any  quarter,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  something  therefrom. 

18.  The  words,  "neither  on  the  sab- 
bath-day," found  in  the  parallel  passage 
in  Matthew,  are  here  omitted,  for  the 
reason,  as  some  think,  that  Mark 
wrote  for  Gentile  readers,  and  did  not 
deem  it  necessary  to  report  this. 

32.  Neither  the  Son.  This  passage 
has  always  proved  a  stumbling-block  to 
those  expositors  and  critics,  who  forget 
that  Jesus  had  a  human  as  well  as  di- 
vine nature,  and  that  his  humanity  was 
complete,  or  in  other  words,  that  his 
human  nature  was  limited  like  ours,  in 
its  mental  capacities  and  attainments. 
In  this  view,  the  ignorance  of  the  Son 
here  referred  to,  involves  no  greater 
difficulty  than  what  is  said  by  Luke  (2  ; 
52),  that  he  "increased  in  wisdom,  and 
in  favor  with  God  and  man,"  which  cer- 
tainly could  not  be  predicated  of  his 
divine  nature.  The  fact  that  our  Lord 
possessed  two  natures,  the  divine  and 
human,  each  complete,  and  neither  of 
the   two  interfering  with  or  modifying 


29  So  ye  in  like  manner,  when 
ye  shall  see  these  things  come  to 
pass,  know  that  it  is  nigh,  even  at 
the  doors. 

30  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That 
this  generation  shall  not  pass,  till 
all  these  things  be  done. 

31  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away  :  but  '  my  words  shall  not 
pass  away. 

32  But  of  that  day  and  that 
hour  knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the 
angels  which  are  in  heaven,  neither 
the  Son,  but  the  Father. 

33  "  Take  ye  heed,  watch  and 
pray  :  for  ye  know  not  when  the 
time  is. 

34  '  For  the  Son  of  7nan  is  as 
a  man  taking  a  far  journey,  who 
left  his  house,  and  gave  authority 
to  his  servants,  and  to  every  man 

y  Mat.  24  :  82  ;  Lu.  21 :  29,  &c.  s  Is.  40 :  8. 
a  Mat.  24  :  42  ;  Lu.  12  :  40 ;  Eo.  13  :  11 ;  1  Th. 
5:6.     b  Mat.  24  :-4o. 

essentially  the  attributes  of  the  other, 
is  distinctly  and  abundantly  revealed  in 
Scripture.  The  manner  of  their  co-ex- 
istence in  one  person,  in  such  distinct- 
ness and  yet  intimate  union,  is  of  course 
wholly  beyond  our  comprehension. 
Let  us  receive  the  great  truth  then,  as 
it  is  revealed,  and  believing  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  verily  God  and  man,  trust 
in  him  as  our  Almighty  Redeemer,  who 
is  both  willing  and  able  to  save  to  the 
uttermost  all,  who  come  to  God  through 
him.     See  N.  on  Matt.  24  :  36. 

33-37.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  24  :  42-51. 

33.  Take  ye  heed,  &c.  This  direction 
implies  the  most  intense  watchfulness 
and  prayer.  The  reason  is  given  in  the 
next  clause,  viz.  their  ignorance  of 
the  time  of  their  Lord's  coming. 

34.  For  the  Son  of  man  is.  These 
words  are  supplied  in  our  English  trans- 
lation. The  original  is  so  constructed, 
that  the  arrangement  made  by  the 
householder,  at  his  departure,  is  repre- 
sented by  participles,  while  his  last 
charge  to  the  porter  is  rendered   em- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


486 


his  work ;  and  commanded  the 
porter  to  watch. 

35  '  Watch  ye  therefore  :  for 
ye  know  not  when  the  master  of 
the  house  cometh,  at  even,  or  at 
midnight,  or  at  the  cockcrowing, 
or  in  the  morning  : 

36  Lest  coming  suddenly  he 
find  you  sleeping. 

^     37  And  what  I  say  unto  you 
I  say  unto  all,  Watch. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

AFTER "  two  days  was  the  feast 
of  the  passover,  and  of  un- 
leavened bread :  and  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes  sought  how 
they  might  take  him  by  craft,  and 
put  him  to  death. 

c  Mat.  24 :  42  :  44.     a  Mat.  26  :  2 ;  Jno.  11 :  55. 

phatlc  by  being  the  verb,.  The  literal 
rendering  is  :  as  a  man  about  to  journey, 
when  leavhig  his  house,  after  having  given 
authority  to  his  servants,  and  to  every 
man  his  work,  enjoins  upon  the  porter 
also  to  vjatch.  The  whole  point  of  the 
simile  lies  in  the  watchfulness  enjoined 
upon  the  porter.  It  was  his  duty  to 
see  that  no  improper  persons  were  ad- 
mitted, and  that  those  to  whom  the 
door  was  opened,  received  that  atten- 
tion, which  the  laws  of  hospitality  re- 
quired. As  this  was  a  post  of  great 
responsibility,  the  duty  of  watclifulness 
was  imposed  upon  him,  and  with  the 
emphasis,  which  always  attends  a  last 
command,  when  one  is  just  leaving  his 
house. 

35.  Watch  ye  therefore  as  the  door- 
porter,  who  obeyed  the  command  of 
his  absent  lord.  See  N.  on  Matt.  24  : 
42.  At  even,  or  at  midnight,  &c.  This 
refers  to  the  four  popular  divisions  into 
which  the  Jews  divided  the  night. 

36,  37.  He  find  you  sleeping.^  i.  e. 
remiss  in  duty,  inattentive  to  his  com- 
mands, and  in  a  state  of  worldly  minded- 
ness.  /  say  unto  all,  i.  e.  all  my  fol- 
lowers in  every  age  and  country.  Not 
only    were   the    Jewish   Christians    to 


2  But  they  said,  Not  on  the 
feast  day,  lest  there  be  an  uproar 
of  the  people. 

3  TF  '  And  being  in  Bethany,  in 
the  house  of  Simon  the  leper,  as 
he  sat  at  meat,  there  came  a  wo- 
man having  an  alabaster  box  of 
ointment  of  spikenard,  very  pre- 
cious ;  and  she  brake  the  box,  and 
poured  it  on  his  head. 

4  And  there  were  some  that 
had  indignation  within  themselves, 
and  said,  Why  was  this  waste  of 
the  ointment  made? 

5  For  it  might  have  been  sold 
for  more  than  three  hundred  pence, 
and  have  been  given  to  the  poor. 
And  they  murmured  against  her. 

6  And    Jesus    said,    Let    her 

b  Mat.  26  :  6 ;   Jn.  12  :  1,  .3. 


watch  the  sign  of  his  coming  to  destroy 
Jerusalem,  and  his  still  more  solemn 
coming  at  the  hour  of  death  and  at  the 
last  judgment,  but  also  all  who  would 
be  prepared  for  those  great  and  final 
events,  were  to  take  this  same  direction, 
as  addressed  with  emphatic  earnestness 
to  themselves. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

1-11.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26:  1-16; 
Luke  22  :  1-6. 

1.  Of  unleavened  bread.  The  seven 
days  immediately  following  the  pass- 
over,  were  called  days  of  unleavened 
bread,  because  during  that  time  the 
Jews  ate  that  kind  of  bread.  It  is  here 
connected  with  the  passover,  because 
the  eating  the  paschal  lamb  was  the 
commencement  of  the  days  of  un- 
leavened bread. 

3.  She  brake  the  box.  This  is  spoken 
of  the  neck  of  the  vase.  It  is  very 
absurd  to  suppose,  with  some,  that  she 
crushed  the  alabaster  box  in  the  hand, 
and  thus  anointed  his  head  Tvith  the 
ointment. 

5,  6.  Three  hundred  pence.  For  the 
value  of  this,  see  N.  on  Matt.  18  :  28. 
Murmured  against  her  for  this  prodigal 


486 


MARK. 


[A.  D,  33. 


alone ;  why  trouble  ye  her  ?  she 
hath  wrought  a  good  work  on  me. 

7  For  '  ye  have  the  poor  with 
you  always,  and  whensoever  ye 
will  ye  may  do  them  good :  but 
me  ye  have  not  always. 

8  She  hath  done  what  she 
could  :  she  is  come  aforehand  to 
anoint  my  body  to  the  burying, 

9  Verily  I  say  unto  you, Where- 
soever this  gospel  shall  be  preach- 
ed throughout  the  whole  world, 
this  also  that  she  hath  done  shall 
be  spoken  of,  for  a  memorial  of 
her. 

10  ^  ''And  Judas  Iscariot,  one 

c  Do.  15 :  11.      d  Mat.  20  :  14. 


waste.  Let  her  alone.  The  plural  form 
is  here  used,  although,  as  it  appears 
from  John,  the  person  particularly  ad- 
dressed was  Judas.  It  is  evident  that 
others  of  the  disciples  shared  in  the 
indignation  of  Judas  at  this  apparent 
waste,  although  not  from  the  same 
selfish  motive. 

8.  She  hath  done,  &c.  See  12  :  44, 
where  the  poor  widow  is  said  to  have 
made  an  offering  of  all  that  she  had. 
She  is  come  aforehand.  She  has  an- 
ticipated the  hour  of  my  decease, 
anointing  my  body  before  death,  and 
thus  preparing  it  for  burial.  It  is 
worthy  of  note,  that  this  was  all  the 
anointing,  which  our  Lord's  body  re- 
ceived from  the  hand  of  Mary  or  her 
female  friends,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
risen,  before  they  reached  the  sepulchre 
with  their  spices.  It  was  therefore  in 
verity  an  anointing  beforehand,  al- 
though she  was  not  aware  of  the  full 
import  of  her  act  of  love.  It  was 
prospective  love,  yet  not  as  Alford 
teaches,  "  grounded  on  the  deepest 
apprehension  of  the  reality  of  our 
Lord's  announcement  of  his  approach- 
ing death,"  for  neither  Mary  nor  the 
apostles  seem  to  have  realized  the  lite- 
ral import  of  the  painful  declaration 
made  by  him  of  that  event. 

11.    And    when    they  heard  it,    &c. 


of  the  twelve,  went  unto  the 
chief  priests,  to  betray  him  unto 
them. 

11  And  when  they  heard  it, 
they  were  glad,  and  promised  to 
give  aim  money.  And  he  sought 
how  he  might  conveniently  betray 
him. 

12  'And  the  first  day  of  un- 
leavened bread,  when  they  killed 
the  passover,  his  disciples  said 
unto  him,  Where  wilt  thou  that 
we  go  and  prepare  that  thou 
mayest  eat  the  passover  ? 

13  And  he  seudeth  forth  two  of 
his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them, 

e  Mat.  26:  17;  Lu.  22:7. 

This  refers  to  the  question,  which  he 
proposed,  as  to  what  reward  he  might 
expect  for  betraying  his  Master.  See 
Matt.  26  :  15.  Were  glad.  They  were 
now  unexpectedly  furnished  with  an 
opportunity  of  getting  him  in  their 
power,  and  they  joyfully  accepted  the 
proposal.  They  at  once  take  measures 
for  his  immediate  apprehension,  which, 
through  fear  of  the  tumult  which  would 
thereby  be  excited,  they  had  previously 
determined  to  defer  until  the  end  of 
the  feast.     See  Matt.  26  :  17-19. 

12-16.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26  :  17-19; 
Luke  22:  7-13. 

12.  Wlien  they  killed  the  passover. 
Luke  :  "  when  the  passover  must  be 
killed."  This  renders  it  quite  certain, 
that  it  was  the  usual  or  ordinary  day, 
when  our  Lord  ate  the  passover,  and 
that  he  did  not,  as  some  think,  antici- 
pate the  time. 

13.  Two  of  his  diiciples.  Peter  and 
John  (Luke).  If  Peter  superintended 
Mark's  gospel,  as  is  generally  supposed, 
a  reason  for  the  omission  of  the  names 
will  readily  be  found  in  his  modesty. 
A  man.  He  was  probably  one  of  the 
servants  or  domestics  of  the  goodnian 
spoken  of  in  the  next  verse.  Follow 
him.  Keep  sight  of  him,  and  go  to  the 
same  house,  which  he  shall  enter. 

14.  Goodman  of  the   house.     Tliis  is 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


487 


Go  ye  into  the  city,  and  there 
shall  meet  you  a  man  bearing  a 
pitcher  of  water  :  follow  him. 

14  And  wheresoever  he  shall 
go  in,  say  ye  to  the  goodman  of 
the  house,  The  Master  saith,Whei'e 
is  the  gues [chamber,  where  I  shall 
eat  the  passover  with  my  disci- 
ples ? 

15  And  he  will  shew  you  a 
large  upper  room  furnished  and 
prepared  :  there  make  ready  for 
us. 

16  And  his  disciples  went  forth, 
and  came  into  the  city,  and  found 
as  he  had  said  unto  them  :  and 
they  made  ready  the  passover. 

17  ■'^And  in  the  evening  he 
cometh  with  the  twelve. 

18  And  as  they  sat  and  did 
eat,  Jesus  said,  Verily  I  say  unto 
you.  One  of  you  which  eateth 
with  me  shall  betray  me. 

19  And  they  began  to  be  sor- 
rowful, and  to  say  unto  him  one 

/  Mat.  26  :  20,  &c.      g  Mat.  26  :  24 ;  Lu.  22  :  22. 

the  same  word,  which  is  translated, 
master  of  the  house  in  Matt.  It)  :  25  ; 
and  householder,  in  Matt.  13  :  2Y  ;  20  : 
1.  Guestchamber ;  literally,  a  halting 
or  lodging-place ;  an  inn.  Here  in  a 
more  limited  sense,  a  room  of  entertain- 
ment. 

15.  Large  tcpper  room.  The  upper 
room,  or  one  connected  with  the  roof, 
was  used  as  a  reception  room  or  parlor, 
and  oftentimes  as  a  dining  room.  Je- 
rusalem being  at  this  time  crowded 
with  persons,  who  had  come  up  from 
all  parts  to  keep  the  feast,  all  the  rooms 
of  the  houses  would  be  put  in  requisi- 
tion for  their  accommodation,  and 
hence  this  guestchamber  was  already 
furnished  and  prepared  with  beds, 
couches,  sofas,  and  every  thing  which 
constituted  the  furniture  of  an  Oriental 
room.  Make  readi/.  As  the  room  was 
already    prepared   and    furnished,    the 


by  one,  Zs  it  I  ?  and  another  said, 
Is  it  I? 

20  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  It  is  one  of  the  twelve 
that  dippeth  with  me  in  the 
dish. 

21  ^  The  Son  of  man  indeed 
goeth,  as  it  is  written  of  him  : 
but  woe  to  that  man  by  whom  the 
Son  of  man  is  betrayed !  good 
were  it  for  that  man  if  he  had 
never  been  born. 

22  *  And  as  they  did  eat, 
Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed, 
and  brake  it,  and  gave  to  them, 
and  said,  Take,  eat :  this  is  my 
body. 

23  And  he  took  the  cup,  and 
when  he  had  given  thanks  he  gave 
it  to  them  :  and  they  all  drank 
of  it. 

24  And  he  said  unto  them, 
This  is  my  blood  of  the  new  tes- 
tament, which  is  shed  for  many. 

25  Verily   I    say   unto  you,  I 

h  Mat.  26  :  26  ;  1  Co.  11 :  23. 


disciples  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  get 
ready  the  passover  itself. 

16.  We7it  forth  h'om  Bethany .  And 
found,  &c.  Another  proof  of  his  om- 
niscience. 

17-21.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  20  :  20-25; 
Luke  22  :  14-18;  21-23;  John  13  :  21- 
35.  In  Luke  we  have  a  more  full  ac- 
count of  his  eating  the  paschal  feast. 

18.  One  of  i/ou  which  eateth,  &c. 
This  is  a  repetition  of  the  citation, 
which  he  had  just  before  made  (John 
13  :  18)  from  Ps.  41  :  9.  Luke  varies 
the  announcement:  "the  hand  of  him 
that  betrayeth  me  is  with  me  on  the 
table." 

22-25.  See  Ks.  on  Matt.  20 :  26-29 ; 
Luke  22:  19,  20.  See  also  1  Cor.  11: 
23-25.  There  is  little  variety  in  these 
four  accounts,  except  that  Luke  and 
Paul  add  the  interesting  clause,  "this 
do  in  remembrance  of  me." 


488 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


will  drink  no  more  of  the  fruit  of 
the  vine,  until  that  day  that  I 
drink  it  new  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

26  •  And  when  they  had  sung 
an  hymn,  they  went  out  into  the 
mount  of  Olives. 

27  *  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
All  ye  shall  be  offended  because 
of  me  this  night :  for  it  is  writ- 
ten, '  I  will  smite  the  Shepherd, 
and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered. 

28  But  "  after  that  I  am  risen, 
I  will  go  before  you  into  Galilee. 

29  "  But  Peter  said  unto  him. 
Although  all  shall  be  offended, 
yet  will  not  I. 

30  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him. 
Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  That  this 
day,  even  in  this  night,  before  the 
cock  crow  twice,  thou  shalt  deny 
me  thrice. 

31  But  he  spake  the  more  ve- 
hemently. If  I  should  die  with 
thee,  I  will  not  deny  thee  in  any 
wise.  Likewise  also  said  they 
all. 

32  "  And  they  came  to  a  place 
which  was  named  Gethsemane  : 
and   he     saith    to    his   disciples, 

i  Mat.  26  :  30.  k  Mat.  26  :  31.  I  Zee.  13  :  7. 
m  Ch.  16 :  T.  n  Mat.  26  :  33,  34 ;  Jn.  13 :  37,  38. 
oMat.  26:  36;   Lu.  22:39. 


26-31.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26:  30-35. 
The  accounts  of  the  two  evangelists 
agree  here  almost  verbatim. 

31.  Ifore  vehementlif ;  literally,  be- 
yond measure  or  boutids.  In  the  light 
of  Peter's  example,  we  see  that  it  is 
not  one  who  makes  the  most  vehement 
protestations  of  steadfastness  and  fidel- 
ity, who  is  most  likely  to  stand  firm  in 
the  hour  of  trial,  but  he,  who  through 
a  sense  of  weakness,  throws  himself 
upon  the  covenant  faithfulness  of  God, 
and  trusts  in  him  for  grace  to  resist 
temptation. 


Sit  ye  here,   while   I  shall  pray. 

33  And  he  taketh  with  him 
Peter  and  James  and  John,  and 
began  to  be  sore  amazed,  and  to 
be  very  heavy ; 

34  And  saith  unto  them,  p  My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  unto 
death  ;  tarry  ye  here,  and  watch. 

35  And  he  went  forward  a 
little,  and  fell  on  the  ground,  and 
prayed  that,  if  it  were  possible, 
the  hour  might  pass  from  him. 

36  And  he  said,  *  Abba,  Father, 
'  all  things  are  possible  unto  thee ; 
take  away  this  cup  from  me : 
'  nevertheless,  not  what  I  will,  but 
what  thou  wilt. 

37  And  he  cometh,  and  findeth 
them  sleeping,  and  saith  unto 
Peter,  Simon,  sleepest  thou  ? 
couldest  not  thou  watch  one  hour  ? 

38  Watch  ye  and  pray,  lest  ye 
enter  into  temptation.  '  The  spi- 
rit truly  is  ready,  but  the  flesh  is 
weak. 

39  And  again  he  went  away, 
and  prayed,  and  spake  the  same 
words. 

40  And  when  he  returned,  he 
found  them  asleep  again,  (for  their 

pJn.  12:27.     $Ko.  8:15;    Ga.  4  :  6. 
r  He.  5:7.    s  Jn.  5  :  30. 
t  Ro.  7:  23;    Ga.  5 :  IT. 

32-42.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26  :  86-46 ; 
Luke  22:  39-46  ;  John  18:  1. 

36.  Abba,  i.  e.  father.  An  Aramaic 
word,  Uke  Ephphatha  (7  :  34),  and  Ta- 
litha  cumi  (5:41).  Alford  says  that 
Father  is  not  here  intended  as  the  in- 
terpretation of  Abba,  but  is  attached 
to  it,  as  a  phrase  or  form  of  address. 

40,  41.  Neither  tuist  they,  &c.  They 
were  too  confused  at  their  being  again 
found  sleeping,  during  this  hour  of 
their  Master's  distress,  to  make  any 
reply.  They  had  no  excuse  to  offer, 
and  remained  silent  under  his  reproof. 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


489 


eyes    were    heavy,)    neither  wist 
they  what  to  answer  him. 

41  And  he  cometh  the  third 
time,  and  saith  unto  them.  Sleep 
on  now,  and  take  your  rest :  it  is 
enough,  "  the  hour  is  come ;  be- 
hold, the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed 
into  the  hand  of  sinners. 

42  ""  Rise  up,  let  us  go ;  lo,  he 
that  betrayeth  me  is  at  hand. 

43  ^  And  immediately  while 
he  yet  spake,  cometh  Judas,  one 
of  the  twelve,  and  with  him  a 
great  multitude  with  swords  and 
staves,  from  the  chief  priests  and 
the  scribes  and  the  elders. 

44  And  he  that  betrayed  him, 
had  given  them  a  token,  saying. 
Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss,  that 
same  is  he ;  take  him,  and  lead 
him  away  safely. 

45  And  as  soon  as  he  was  come, 
he  goeth  straightway  to  him,  and 
saith,  Master,  Master;  and  kissed 
him. 

46  1"  And  they  laid  their  hands 
on  him,  and  took  him. 

u  -Jn.  1.3  : 1.  (B  Mat.  26  :  46 ;  Jn.  18 : 1,  2. 
y  Mat.  26  :  4T  ;  Jn.  IS  :  3.  a  Mat.  26  :  55  :  Lu. 
22 :  53. 


It  is  enough.  I  no  longer  stand  in  need 
of  your  vigils.  The  hour  of  my  be- 
trayal into  the  hands  of  my  enemies  is 
come.  This  appears  to  be  the  sense, 
although  some  expositors  refer  it  to  his 
relief  from  mental  distress. 

43-52.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26:  4'7-56; 
Luke  22 :  47-53  ;  John  18  :  10-12. 

43.  And  immediately  while  he  yet 
spake.  The  sudden  approach  of  Judas 
and  his  band,  gives  to  the  preceding 
words  of  Jesus  great  significancy. 
Their  abruptness  and  apparent  discon- 
nection are  not  to  be  attributed,  how- 
ever, to  any  perturbation  of  his  mind, 
for  he  has  now  become  calm  and  self- 
collected,  but  are  to  be  regarded  as 
words  of  incitement  addressed  to  his 
Vol.  I.— 21* 


47  And  one  of  them  that  stood 
by,  drew  a  sword,  and  smote  a 
servant  of  the  high  priest,  and 
cut  off  his  ear. 

48  '  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  them.  Are  ye  come  out, 
as  against  a  thief,  with  swords 
and  loith  staves  to  take  me  ? 

49  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the 
temple  teaching,  and  ye  took  me 
not :  but  "  the  scriptures  must  be 
fulfilled. 

50  *  And  they  all  forsook  him, 
and  fled. 

51  And  there  followed  him  a 
certain  young  man,  having  a  linen 
coat  cast  about  his  naked  body; 
and  the  young  men  laid  hold  on 
him. 

52  And  he  left  the  linen  cloth, 
and  fled  from  them  naked. 

531^"  And  they  led  Jesus  away 
to  the  high  priest :  and  with  him 
were  assembled  all  the  chief 
priests  and  the  elders  and  the 
scribes. 

54  And  Peter  followed  him  afar 

a  Ps.  22  :  6  ;   Is.  53  :  7,  &c.      &  Ps.  83  :  8  ; 
ver.  27.     c  Mat.  26  :  57 ;  Jn.  18  :  13. 

followers,  worn  down  and  dispirited  by 
watchfulness,  anxiety,  and  terror  at 
the  impending  calamity. 

44.  Lead  him  away  safely.  "  ITold 
him  fast "  (Matthew).  Perhaps  Judas 
was  apprehensive  that  our  Lord,  as  on 
former  occasions  (Luke  4  :  30  ;  John  lu : 
39),  would  in  some  way  escape  from 
them,  and  he  would  lose  the  wages  of 
his  treachery.  Hence  he  strictly  charges 
those  who  led  him  away,  to  hold  him 
fast,  and  lead  him  away  safely. 

61.  See  N.  on  Matt.  2(i :  56.  A  linen 
cloth  about  his  body.  It  was  thrown 
hastily  around  him,  as  hearing  the 
tumult  he  ran  from  his  house  to  learn 
the  cause.  27ie  young  men.,  i.  e.  the 
soldiers.     And   he  left;   literally,  and 


490 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


oflF,  even  into  the  palace  of  the 
high  priest :  and  he  sat  with  the 
servants,  and  warmed  himself  at 
the  fire. 

55  "^  And  the  chief  priests  and 
all  the  council,  sought  for  witness 
against  Jesus  to  put  him  to  death ; 
and  found  none. 

5()  For  many  bare  false  witness 
against  him,  but  their  witness 
agreed  not  together. 

57  And  there  arose  certam,  and 
bare  false  witness  against  him, 
saying, 

58  We  heard  him  say,  '  I  will 
destroy  this  temple  that  is  made 
with  hands,  and  within  three  days 
I  will  build  another  made  without 
hands. 

59  But  neither  so  did  their  wit- 
ness agree  together. 

60  -^  And  the  high  priest  stood 
up  in  the  midst,  and  asked  Jesus, 
saying,  Answerest  thou  nothing  ? 
what  is  it  which  these  witness 
against  thee  ? 

d  Mat.  26 :  59.    e  Ch.  15 :  29 ;  Jn.  2  :  19. 
/Mat.  26 :  62. 


having  left.  In  attempting  to  lay  hold 
on  him,  they  grasped  only  the  loose 
folds  of  the  linen  cloth.  Letting  this 
remain  with  them,  he  fled  away  and 
escaped,  either  not  being  pursued,  or 
taking  advantage  of  his  knowledge  of 
the  place,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night 
to  elude  his  pursuers. 

53-65.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26  :  57-68  ; 
Luke  22:  54,  63-65;  John  18:  13-18; 
25-27. 

56.  Agreed  not  together,  i.  e.  was  not 
consistent  with  one  another.  No  legal 
conviction  could  be  obtained,  unless  on 
the  concurrent  testimony  of  two  wit- 
nesses.    Compare  Deut.  17  :  6. 

58,  59.  Tliat  is  made  with  hands. 
These  words  were  not  spoken  by  our 
Lord,  but  were  falsely  attributed  to 
him,  in  order  to  put  it  beyond  question, 


61  But  ^he  held  his  peace,  and 
answered  nothing.  *  Again  the 
high  priest  asked  him,  and  said 
unto  him.  Art  thou  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  Blessed  ? 

62  And  Jesus  said,  I  am :  'and 
ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sit- 
ting on  the  right  hand  of  power, 
and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  hea- 
ven. 

63  Then  the  high  priest  rent 
his  clothes,  and  saith.  What  need 
we  any  further  witnesses  ? 

64  Ye  have  heard  the  blasphe- 
my :  what  think  ye  ?  And  they 
all  condemned  him  to  be  guilty  of 
death. 

65  And  some  began  to  spit  on 
him,  and  to  cover  his  face,  and  to 
buffet  him,  and  to  say  unto  him, 
Prophesy :  and  the  servants  did 
strike  him  with  the  palms  of  their 
hands. 

66  ^  *  And  as  Peter  was  be- 
neath in  the  palace,  there  cometh 


^  Is.  53:7.    A  Mat.  26:6.3.    t  Mat.  24:80; 
Lu.  22 :  69.    it  Mat.  26  :  58,  59  ;  Jn.  18  :  16. 

that  he  referred  to  the  temple.  JBut 
neither  so  (in  this  false  assertion)  did 
their  witness  agree  together.  There 
were  essential  points  of  difference, 
which  showed  that  they  had  perjured 
themselves. 

61.  The  Blessed.  An  ordinary  He- 
brew expression  for  the  Deity.  See 
Luke  1  :  68  ;  Rom.  1 :  25. 

65.  Frophesg.  In  Matthew  and  Luke 
the  explanatory  words  are  added,  who 
smote  thee.  Did  strike  him  tvith  the 
palms  of  their  hands ;  literally,  cast  at 
him  with  slaps,  the  idea  seeming  to  be 
blows  applied  violently  with  the  open 
hand. 

66-74.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  26 :  69-75 ; 
Luke  22:  55-61  ;  John  18  :  15-27. 

66.  Beneath.  The  room  in  which 
Jesus  was  examined,  was  slightly  ele- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XY. 


491. 


one   of  the    maids   of    the   high 
priest  : 

67  And  when  she  saw  Peter 
warming  himself,  she  looked  upon 
him,  and  said,  And  thou  also  wast 
with  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

68  But  he  denied,  saying,  I 
know  not,  neither  understand  I 
what  thou  sayest.  And  he  went 
out  into  the  porch  ;  and  the  cock 
crew. 

69  '  And  a  maid  saw  him  again, 
and  began  to  say  to  them  that 
stood  by.  This  is  one  of  them. 

70  And  he  denied  it  again. 
'"  And  a  little  after,  they  that 
stood  by  said  again  to  Peter, 
Surely  thou  art  one  of  them  : 
"  for  thou  art  a  Galilean,  and  thy 
speech  agreeth  thereto. 

I  Mat.  26  :  71 ;  Jn.  18  :  25.    m  Mt.  26  :  73  ;  Lu. 
22  :  59.    n  Ac.  2  :  7. 

vated   above    the    open   court    where 
Peter  was. 

68.  I  know  not  the  man.  See  Matt. 
26:  72,  74,  where  this  constitutes  his 
second  and  third  denial.  It  appears 
from  Marlv,  that  his  first  denial  em- 
braced also  all  knowledge  of  his  Mas- 
ter. Thus  his  denials,  from  beginning 
to  end,  went  beyond  what  was  neces- 
sary for  his  exculpation,  for  he  was 
only  charged  with  being  a  follower  of 
Je^ius,  whereas  he  denied  that  he  ever 
knew  him.  Neither  understand  /,  &c. 
lie  professed  such  profound  ignorance 
of  Jesus,  that  he  declares  himself  un- 
able to  enter  at  all  into  the  meaning  of 
her  charge. 

69.  A  maid;  literally,  the  maid,  i.  e. 
the  one  who  had  made  the  previous 
charge.  For  the  harmonizing  of  this 
statement  with  that  of  Matthew,  see  N. 
on  Matt.  26:  71. 

70.  For  thou  art  a  Galilean.  His 
broad  dialect  betrayed  him.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  Peter  failed  to  convince  these 
persons  of  his  not  belonging  to  the 
party  of  Jesus,  and  that,  in  their  esti- 
mation he  was  guilty  of  falsehood.     It 


71  But  he  began  to  curse  and 
to  swear,  saying,  I  know  not  this 
man  of  whom  ye  speak. 

72  "  And  the  second  time  the 
cock  ci-ew.  And  Peter  called  to 
mind  the  word  that  Jesus  said 
unto  him.  Before  the  cock  crow 
twice,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice. 
And  when  he  thought  thereon,  he 
wept. 

CHAPTER  XT. 

AND  "  straightway  in  the  morn- 
ing the  chief  priests  held  a 
consultation  with  the  elders  and 
scribes  and  the  whole  council,  and 
bound  Jesus,  and  carried  him 
away,  and  delivered  him,  to  Pi- 
late. 

2  ^  And  Pilate  asked  him,  Art 

o  Mat.  26  :  75.    a  Ps.  2  :  2  ;  Mt.  27:1;  Lu.  22 : 
66 ;  Ac.  3  :  13.    h  Mat.  27  :  11. 

is  hardly  supposable  that  he  did  not 
show  signs  of  conscious  gilt,  when  thus 
repeatedly  charged  with  being  one 
of  Jesus'  followers. 

72.  When  he  thought  thereon.  The 
explanation  of  this  is  somewhat  doubt- 
ful. The  Greek  verb  literally  signifies, 
to  cast  upon,  which  has  given  rise  to 
the  various  interpretations:  \,  canting 
(his  mantle)  upon  or  over  his  head, 
through  grief  and  shame  ;  2,  casting  (his 
eyes)  iipon  Jesus ;  3,  casting  himself 
out  of  the  house.  But  our  common 
translation  is  far  preferable,  castiyig  (his 
mind)  upon  the  past,  i.  e.  reflecting  on 
the  warnings  he  had  received  from  his 
Lord,  his  own  vain  and  boastful  confi- 
dence, and  above  all  his  repeated  de- 
nials of  Jesus,  and  that  too  within 
sight  of  him. 

CHAP.  XV. 
1-5.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27:  1-15; 
Luke  23  :  1-5  ;  John  18  :  28-38.  John's 
account  is  here  much  the  fullest,  and 
is  referred  to  in  the  Notes  on  Matthew, 
so  far  as  is  necessary  to  keep  the  chain 
of  events  unbroken. 


492 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?  And 
he  answering,  said  unto  him,  Thou 
sayest  it. 

3  And  the  chief  priests  accused 
him  of  many  things ;  but  he  an- 
swered nothing. 

4  '  And  Pilate  asked  him  again, 
saying,  Answerest  thou  nothing  ? 
behold  how  many  things  they  wit- 
ness against  thee. 

5  "^  But  Jesus  yet  answered  no- 
thing; so  that  Pilate  marvelled. 

6  Now  '  at  that  feast  he  re- 
leased unto  them  one  prisoner, 
whomsoever  they  desired. 

7  And  there  was  one  named 
Barabbas,  loliich  lay  bound  with 
them  that  had  made  insurrection 
with  him,  who  had  committed 
murder  in  the  insurrection. 

8  And  the  multitude  crying 
aloud  began  to  desire  him  to  do 
as  he  had  ever  done  unto  them. 

9  But  Pilate  answered  them, 
saying,  Will  ye  that  I  release  un 

c Mat.  27:13.    <f  Is.  53  :  7;  Jno.  19  :  9. 
6  Mat.  27  :  15  :  Jno.  IS  :  39. 


6-15.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27:  15-26; 
Luke  23  :  17-25 ;  John  18  :  39-40. 

7,  8.  Bound  with  them,  &c.  This 
shows  that  he  belonged  to  a  band  of 
murderers,  of  whom  he  was  most  Ukely 
the  leader.  The  multitude  crying  aloud. 
This  is  omitted  in  Matthew,  where  Pilate 
first  proposes  to  them  the  choice  be- 
tween Jesus  and  this  robber  (on  which 
see  Note). 

9.  Will  ye  that  I  release.  Mark 
agrees  with  Matthew  in  sense,  but  in 
words,  more  strictly  with  John.  We 
have  evidence  on  every  page,  that  the 
evangelists  were  not  copyists  of  one 
another.  The  King  of  the  Jews.  In  Mat- 
thew :  "  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ." 
The  expressions  are  synonymous. 

11.  Moved  the  people ;  more  literally, 
excited,  instigated.  An  active  and  ur- 
gent influence  is  denoted  by  the  word. 

13,  14.  Again    refers    only    to    the 


to  you    the  King  of  the  Jews  ? 

10  For  he  knew  that  the  chief 
priests  had  delivered  him  for 
envy. 

11  But  ^  the  chief  priests  moved 
the  people,  that  he  should  rather 
release  Barabbas  unto  them. 

12  And  Pilate  answered  and 
said  again  unto  them,  What  Avill 
ye  then  that  I  shall  do  unto  him 
whom  ye  call  the  King  of  the 
Jews  ? 

13  And  they  cried  out  again, 
Crucify  him. 

14  Then  Pilate  said  unto  them, 
Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done  ? 
And  they  cried  out  the  more  ex- 
ceedingly, Crucify  him. 

15  ^  ^  And  so  Pilate,  willing 
to  content  the  people,  released 
Barabbas  unto  them,  and  deliver- 
ed Jesus,  when  he  had  scourged 
him,  to  be  crucified. 

16  *  And  the  soldiers  led  him 
away  into  the   hall,   called    Pre- 

/Mat.  27 :  20  ;  Ac.  3:14.    (j  Mat.  27  :  26. 
h  xMat.  27  :  27. 

words  cried  out,  as  now  for  the  first 
time  they  demand  his  crucifixion,  urged 
on  thereto  by  the  priests  and  rulers. 
W^y,  what  evil,  &c.  Literally,  for 
what  evil,  &c.  Such  forms  are  elliptical. 
Fully :  why  shall  I  crucify  him,  for 
\uhat  evil,  &c. 

15.  2'o  content ;  literaWj,  to  satisfy, 
i.  e.  to  remove  all  grounds  of  complaint, 
and  render  himself  popular  with  the 
people.  In  this  whole  transaction, 
Pilate  sacrificed  every  principle  of  jus- 
tice and  humanity  to  his  self-interest. 

10-19.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27  :  27-30; 
John  19  :  1-9.  This  portion  is  omitted 
by  Luke. 

16.  Pretorium.  This  name  was  given 
to  the  general's  tent  or  quarters  in  the 
camp,  but  came  in  time  to  be  applied 
to  tlie  palace  of  any  provincial  gov- 
ernor. The  Procurators  of  Judea  had 
their    head-quarters    at  Caesarea,    but 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


493 


torium  ;  and  they  called  together 
the  whole  band. 

17  And  they  clothed  him  with 
purple,  and  platted  a  crown  of 
thorns,  and  put  it  about  his  head, 

18  And  began  to  salute  him, 
Hail,  King  of  the  Jews  ! 

19  And  they  smote  him  on  the 
head  with  a  reed,  and  spit  upon 
him,  and  bowing  iheir  knees  wor- 
shipped him. 

20  And  when  they  had  mocked 
him,  they  took  off  the  purple  from 
him,  and  put  his  own  clothes  on 

i  Mat.  27 :  32 ;  Lu.  2-3  :  26.     k  Mat.  2T :  33 : 
Lu.23:33. 


when  they  visited  Jerusalem,  took  up 
their  quarters  in  Herod's  palace,  situ- 
ated on  the  northern  part  of  the  upper 
city  Zion,  and  overlooking,  from  the 
west,  the  temple.  For  this  reason, 
the  palace  was  called,  after  Roman 
usage,  the  Pretorium.  As  used  here 
by  Mark,  it  signifies  the  open  court  or 
guard-room,  where  the  procurator's 
guard  had  their  station. 

17.  Purple.  Various  shades  of  red 
are  comprised  under  this  term.  Here 
it  has  the  sense  of  purple-red,  or  crim- 
son. See  N.  on  Matt.  27 :  28.  Put  it 
about.  The  same  word  is  used  by  Mat- 
thew, of  their  arraying  him  in  a  scarlet 
robe. 

20-23.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27  :  31-34 ; 
Luke  23  :  26-33  ;  John  19  :  16,  17. 

21,  23.  Coming  out  of  the  country, 
for  the  purpose,  probably,  of  celebrat- 
ing the  festival.  Myrrh.  In  Matthew 
(27  :  34)  gall,  on  which  see  Note. 

24-28.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27  :  35-38  ; 
Luke  23  :  33,  34,  38  ;  John  19  :  18-24. 

24.  And  when  they  had  crucified. 
Our  common  translation  would  lead  one 
to  suppose,  by  a  comparison  with  the 
following  verse,  that  they  twice  cruci- 
fied Jesus.  Either  we  must  translate 
V.  25,  "  it  was  the  third  hour  when  they 
had  crucified  him,"  a  tense  which  the 
original  will  permit ;  or  in  the  passage 
before  us,  the  aorist  must  be  considered 


him,  and  led  him   out   to  crucify 
him. 

2 1  '  And  they  compel  one  Simon 
a  Cyrenian,  who  passed  by,  com- 
ing out  of  the  country,  the  father 
of  Alexander  and  Rufus,  to  bear 
his  cross. 

22  *  And  they  bring  him  unto 
the  place  Golgotha,  which  is,  being 
interpreted.  The  place  of  a  skull. 

23  '  And  they  gave  him  to 
drink,  wine  mingled  with  myrrh  : 
but  he  received  it  not. 

2-1  And  when  they  had  crucified 

I  Mat.  27  :  34.      m  Ps.  22  :  18 ;  Lu.  23 :  34. 


as  having  reference  to  the  beginning  of 
the  act  of  crucifixion,  regarded  as  com- 
posed of  successive  parts,  viz.  the  strip- 
ping of  our  Lord,  the  nailing  of  him  to 
the  cross,  its  elevation,  &c.  We  may 
then  render  it,  having  proceeded  to  cru- 
cify, or  on  crucifying.  In  this  way  the 
statements  are  rendered  congruous  and 
natural.  TJie  third  hour.  In  John  19: 
14,  when  Pilate  brought  Jesus  forth, 
and  sat  down  in  the  judgment  seat,  it 
is  said  to  have  been  about  the  sixth 
hour.  This  has  been  seized  upon  by 
some,  as  an  irreconcilable  discrepancy 
between  Mark  and  John.  But  it  should 
be  remembered,  that  this  lias  relation 
purely  to  time,  and  does  not  affect  the 
integrity  or  truthfulness  of  their  re- 
spective accounts  of  the  crucifixion,  in 
which  there  is  a  remarkable  agreement 
in  all  the  evangelists.  Unless  some 
error  of  number  has  crept  into  the 
MSS.,  we  must  suppose  John  to  have 
had  some  different  mode  of  reckoning 
time  from  Mark.  The  designation  of 
numbers  by  the  Greek  letters  of  the 
alphabet,  rendered  it  a  fruitful  source 
of  mistakes  by  copyists  and  tran- 
scribers. The  letter  denoting  three, 
third,  is  7,  Gamma  ;  that  used  for  .sza;, 
sixth,  T,  Sti  or  Stigma.  The  old  form 
of  these  letters  was  f,  r,  which  ren- 
dered them  easily  mistaken,  the  one 
for   the  other.     It    is    the  unanimous 


494 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


liira,  "'  they  parted  his  garments, 
casting  lots  upon  them,  what 
every  man  should  take. 

25  And  "  it  was  the  third  hour, 
and  they  crucified  him. 

26  And  "  the  superscription  of 
his  accusation  was  written  over, 
THE  KING  OF  THE  JEWS. 

27  And  P  with  him  they  crucify 
two  thieves ;  the  one  on  his  right 
hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left. 

28  And  the  scripture  was  ful- 
filled, which  saith,  ">  And  he  was 
numbered  with  the  transgressors. 

29  And  *■  they  that  passed  by 
railed  on  him,  wagging  their  heads, 
and  saying,  Ah,  '  thou  that  de- 
stroyest  the  temple,  and  buildest 
it  in  three  days, 

30  Save  thyself,  and  come  down 
from  the  cross. 

31  Likewise  also  the  chief 
priests  mocking  said  among  them- 
selves with  the  scribes.  He  saved 
others ;  himself  he  cannot  save. 

32  Let    Christ    the   King   of 

m  Vs.  22  :  18 ;  Lu.  25  :  34.  to  Sec  Mat.  2T : 
45 ;  Jno.  19:14.  o  Mat.  2T :  37.  p  Mat.  27 : 
33.    q  Is.  53  :  12.    r  Ps.  22 :  7.    s  Jno.  2  :  19. 


opinion  of  all  commentators,  that 
Mark's  designation  of  time  is  here  the 
true  one. 

28  And  the  scriphire  was  fuljilled, 
&c.  The  quotation  is  from  Isa.  53  :  12. 
The  prophecy  and  its  literal  fulfilment, 
must  strike  all  as  very  remarkable. 
Any  one  who  should  have  declared  on 
his  own  authority,  that  the  Messiah  of 
the  Jews  was  to  be  reckoned  with 
malefactors,  and  counted  as  one  of 
them  before  the  legal  tribunal  of  his 
nation,  would  have  been  rightly  re- 
garded, as  making  one  of  the  wildest 
and  most  extravagant  assertions,  and 
would  have  been  called  a  fool  or  mad- 
man. But  the  prophecy  here  referred 
to,  was  uttered  more  than  700  years 
before   its  fulfilment,  and  not  only  de- 


Israel  descend  now  from  the 
cross,  that  we  may  see  and  believe. 
And  '  they  that  were  crucified 
with  him  reviled  him. 

38  And  "  when  the  sixth  hour 
was  come,  there  was  darkness 
over  the  whole  land,  until  the 
ninth  hour. 

34  And  at  the  ninth  hour  Jesus 
cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying, 
"  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani  ? 
which  is,  being  interpreted.  My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ? 

35  And  some  of  them  that 
stood  by,  when  they  heard  it,  said, 
Behold,  he  calleth  Elias. 

36  And  ■"  one  ran  and  filled  a 
sponge  full  of  vinegar,  and  put  it 
on  a  reed,  and  '  gave  him  to  drink, 
saying.  Let  alone  ;  let  us  see  whe- 
ther Elias  will  come  to  take  him 
down. 

37  "  And  Jesus  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  and  gave  up  the 
ghost. 

t  Mat.  27 :  44.  u  Mat  27  :  45 ;  Lu.  23  :  44. 
as  Ps.  22  : 1 ;  Mt  27  :  46.  v  Mat.  27 :  48  ;  Jn. 
19  :  29.  s  Ps.  69 :  21.  a  Mat.  27 :  50  ;  Jn.  19  :  30. 

clares  that  this  obloquy  was  to  be 
heaped  upon  the  Messiah,  but  adds  also 
other  circumstances  of  shame  and  suf- 
fering, all  of  which  were  so  literally  ful- 
filled in  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  that 
they  constitute  an  evidence  of  his  true 
Messiahship,  which  no  Jew,  down  to  the 
present  time,  has  been  able  to  meet  or 
refute. 

29-32.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  21  :  39 
-44. 

29,  31.  Ah;  more  literally,  aha,  an 
expression  of  derision,  although  some- 
times used  by  the  Romans  to  express 
admiration.  Said  among  themselves. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  27  :  41. 

33-37.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27:  45-50; 
Luke  23:  44-46;  John  19:  28-30. 

37.   Cried   with;     literally,     having 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


495 


38  And  *  the  vail  of  the  temple 
was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to 
the  bottom. 

39  ^  And  '  when  the  centurion, 
which  stood  over  against  him,  saw 
that  he  so  cried  out,  and  gave  up 
the  ghost,  he  said,  Truly  this  man 
was  the  Son  of  God. 

40  "^  There  were  also  women 
looking  on  '  afar  off :  among  whom 
was  Mary  Magdalene,  and  Mary 
the  mother  of  James  the  less  and 
of  Joses,  and  Salome ; 

41  Who  also,  when  he  was  in 
Galilee,  ^  followed  him,  and  minis- 

&  Mat.  27  :  51.    c  Mat.  27  :  54 ;  Ln.  23  :  47. 
d  Mat  27 :  55  ;  Lu.  23 :  49.    e  Ps.  38  :  11. 

sent  forth.  The  expression  is  used 
both  of  an  articulate  and  inarticulate 
cry.     Here  the  latter. 

39-41.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  27  :  SI- 
SB  ;  Luke  23 :  45,  47-49. 

39.  Which  stood  over  against  him,  i.  e. 
in  full  sight  of  him  ;  the  natural  position 
of  one  presiding  over  such  an  execu- 
tion. This  is  added  to  show,  that  all 
the  circumstances  of  the  crucifixion  took 
place  full  in  his  sight,  and  that  his  testi- 
mony in  favor  of  Jesus  was  the  result 
of  what  he  himself  had  seen.  Saw  that 
he  so  cried  out,  &c.  This  refers 
to  the  words  pronounced  in  v.  34, 
and  his  sudden  release  from  suf- 
ferings by  death.  Some  erroneously 
refer  it  to  his  last  cry  of  expiring 
agony.  But  there  could  have  been 
nothing  uncommon  in  that,  unless  that 
one  having  yet  strength  to  utter  so 
loud  a  cry,  should  die  so  suddenly. 

40.  James  the  less.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
10  :  3.  Salome.  Probably  the  same  as 
"  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children," 
in  the  parallel  passage  in  Matt.  27  :  56. 

42-47.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  27  :  57-61 ; 
Luke  23:  50-56  ;  John  19  :  38-41. 

42.  Because  it  was  the  preparation. 
The  larter  part  of  the  day  preceding 
the  Jewish  sabbath,  was  devoted,  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent,  in  making  pre- 
paration in  the  way  of  food,  fuel,  and 
other  necessary  things  for  the  wants  of 


tered  unto  him ;  and  many  other 
women  which  came  up  with  him 
unto  Jerusalem. 

42  IF ''  And  now,  when  the  even 
was  come,  because  it  was  the 
preparation,  that  is,  the  day  be- 
fore the  sabbath, 

43  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  an 
honorable  counsellor,  which  also 
*  waited  for  the  kingdom  of  God, 
came,  and  went  in  boldly  unto 
Pilate,  and  craved  the  body  of 
Jesus. 

44  And  Pilate  marvelled  if  he 
were   already  dead  :    and    calling 

/Lu.  8 :  2, 3.     g  Mat.  27 :  57 ;  Lu.  23 :  60. 
ALu.  2:25:38. 

the  day.  It  was,  therefore,  known  as 
the  jyreparation  hour,  an  appellation 
given  eventually  to  the  whole  of  the 
preceding  day.  On  the  present  occa- 
sion, it  was  of  more  than  ordinary  im- 
portance, because  the  sabbath  fell  upon 
the  second  day  of  the  feast. 

43.  An  honorable  counsellor,  &c. 
These  words  are  explained  in  N.  on 
Matt.  27  :  57,  although  omitted  by  that 
evangelist.  Which  also  waited.  He 
was  a  disciple  of  Jesus  (John  19:  38), 
but  secretly  through  fear  of  the  Jews. 
It  was  to  show  how  different  was  the 
present  state  of  his  mind  from  his 
former  timidity,  that  he  is  said  to  have 
gone  boldly  to  Pilate.  Craved  the  body, 
&c.  It  appears  from  John  19  :  31,  that 
the  Jews  had  requested  Pilate  to  give 
orders,  to  have  the  criminals  dispatched 
in  the  usual  way  by  breaking  their  legs, 
so  that  their  bodies  could  be  taken 
down.  While  this  was  being  put  into 
execution,  Joseph  probably  signified  to 
the  soldiers  his  intention  of  taking  tlie 
body  of  Jesus,  and  therefore,  as  he 
went  directly  to  Pilate  to  obtain  per- 
mission thus  to  do,  they  left  the  body 
for  him  to  take  down.  In  the  light  of 
this  necessary  haste  of  Joseph,  we  may 
give  to  the  word  translated  boldly,  the 
additional  idea,  in  an  unannounced 
manner  to  Pilate. 

44.  Marvelled  if  he  were  already  dead. 


496 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


unto  him  the  centurioD,  he  asked 
him  whether  he  had  been  any 
while  dead. 

45  Aud  when  he  knew  it  of 
the  centurion,  he  gave  the  body 
to  Joseph. 

46  '  And  he  bought  fine  linen, 
and  took  him  down,  and  wrapped 
him  in  the  linen,  and  laid  him  in 
a  sepulchre  which  was  hewn  out 
of  a  rock,  and  rolled  a  stone  unto 
the  door  of  the  sepulchre. 

i  Mat.  27  :  59, 60 ;  Jn.  19  :  40.    a  Mat.  28 : 1. 


See  N.  on  Matt.  27 :  58.  The  word 
rendered  if,  in  the  original  does  not 
necessarily  imply  doubt.  Our  idiom  is 
similar  in  the  common  phrases,  "I 
wonder  at  this  thing;"  or  "I  wonder 
that  this  thing  has  so  happened."  Any 
while.  Most  critics  take  this  in  the 
sense  of  a  long  or  considerable  time  past. 
But  the  word  in  the  original  is  used 
also  of  time  just  past,  which  is  un- 
doubtedly its  sense  here.  Pilate's  won- 
der was  not  that  he  had  been  a  long 
time  dead — a  thing  neither  true  nor 
announced  to  him — but  that  he  was 
already  dead.  It  was  very  unusual 
for  one  to  expire  so  soon  after  being 
suspended  on  the  cross,  and  as  Pilate 
was  alive  to  every  incident  connected 
with  a  trial  and  execution,  which  had 
given  him  so  much  concern,  his  wonder 
was  greatly  excited  at  the  suddenness 
of  Jesus'  death. 

45.  Gave  the  body ;  literally,  made  a 
gift  of  the  body.  The  form  of  expres- 
sion indicates  the  courtesy  of  Pilate, 
and  his  willingness  to  do  Joseph  a 
favor.  He  was  far  from  being  at  ease 
in  reference  to  this  day's  proceedings, 
and  he  was  willing  to  gratify  the  friends 
of  Jesus,  and  make  thereby  some  slight 
amends  for  his  injustice  and  want  of 
firmness,  in  giving  him  up  to  be  cruci- 
fied. 

46,4*7.  In  a  sepulchre.  The  word  in  in- 
stead of  into,  is  here  used  to  denote,  not 
the  mere  act  of  putting  the  body  into 
the  tomb,  but  its  rest  in  the  place. 
See  N.  on  Matt.  3 :  6.  This  was  Joseph's 


47  And  Mary  Magdalene  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  Joses  beheld 
where  he  was  laid. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

AND  "when  the  sabbath  was 
past,  Mary  Magdalene,  aud 
Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and 
Salome,  *  had  bought  sweet  spices, 
that  they  might  come  and  anoint 
him. 

2  '  And  very  early  in  the  morn- 

6  Lu.  23  :  56.     c  Lu.  24  : 1 ;  Jn.  20  : 1. 

own  new  tomb  (Matthew  27  :  60).  Be- 
held where  he  was  laid.  They  had  re- 
mained at  the  cross  after  he  was  dead,  to 
see  what  disposition  would  be  made  of 
his  body. 

CHAP.  XVI. 

1.  And  when  the  sabbath  was  past, 
i.  e.  at  sunset  of  what  we  should  call 
the  preceding  day.  It  appears  from 
Luke  23  :  55,  that  they  prepared  the 
spices  the  evening  preceding  the  sab- 
bath. They  seem,  however,  to  have 
perfected  their  preparations,  on  the 
evening  in  which  the  sabbath  closed, 
so  as  to  be  in  readiness  to  proceed 
early  the  next  morning  to  the  tomb. 
Mary  the  mother  of  James.  The  same 
Mary  spoken  of  in  15  :  47.  See  15  :  40. 
Sweet  spices,  i.  e.  aromatics.  A7id 
anoint  him.  Joseph  and  Nicodemus  had 
anointed  the  body  only  in  a  partial  and 
hurried  manner,  and  of  this  even  these 
women  may  have  been  ignorant. 

2-4.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  18 :  1 ;  Luke 
24:  1-3;  John  20:  1,  2. 

2.  At  the  rising  of  the  sun.  There 
is  no  discrepancy  between  this  and  the 
words  of  Matthew,  "  as  it  began  to 
dawn ;"  and  of  John,  "  when  it  was  yet 
dark."  Mark  agrees  with  them  all, 
that  it  was  "  very  early  in  the  morning." 
By  his  additional  words,  at  the  rising  of 
the  sun,  we  cannot  suppose,  as  Dr. 
Robinson  with  his  usual  good  judgment 
remarks,  that  he  means  to  contradict 
himself,  and  he  must  therefore  have 
used  it  in  a  general  aud  popular  sense, 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


497 


ing,  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
they  came  unto  the  sepulchre  at 
the  rising  of  the  sun. 

3  And  they  said  among  them- 
selves, Who  shall  roll  us  away  the 
stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre ? 

4  And  when  they  looked,  they 
saw  that  the  stone  was  rolled 
away  :  for  it  was  very  great. 

5  **  And  entering  into  the  sepul- 
chre, they  saw  a  young  man  sit- 
ting on  the  right  side,  clothed  in 
a  long  white  garment ;  and  they 
were  affrighted. 

<ZLu.24:S;  Jn.  20:11, 12. 

of  the  rising  and  increasingly  bright 
rays  of  the  sun,  which  usher  in  his 
actual  appearance,  and  cause  the  dark- 
ness to  gradually  disappear.  The  me- 
thod of  removing  this  difficulty,  by 
supposing  with  Bloomfield  two  parties 
of  women,  is  untenable. 

3.  Who  shall  roll,  &c.  This  ques- 
tion was  proposed  on  their  way  to  the 
sepulchre,  before  they  were  near  enough 
to  see,  as  they  did  shortly  afterwards, 
that  the  stone  had  been  already  rolled 
away. 

4.  When  they  looked;  literally,  looked 
up.  In  the  dim  morning  twilight,  their 
eyes  were  upon  the  ground,  watching 
the  path  they  were  treading.  As  they 
drew  near  to  the  sepulchre,  they  na- 
turally raised  their  eyes  to  discern  it 
in  the  distance.  For  it  was  very  great. 
There  is  some  doubt,  as  to  which  of  the 
preceding  clauses,  if  either,  this  refers. 
Alford  refers  the  words  in  question  to 
the  latter  clause,  as  a  reason  drawn  from 
the  size  of  the  stone,  why  they  could 
see  that  it  was  rolled  away  on  looking 
up,  possibly  at  some  distance.  But 
this  seems  puerile.  Bloomfield  supposes 
an  omitted  clause  :  '  and  well  might 
they  say,  who  will  roll  the  stone  away, 
and  beheld,  doubtless  with  surprise, 
that  it  was  removed,  for  it  was  great.' 
This  appears  to  be  the  true  solution, 
making  it  explanatory  of  all  which 
precedes. 


6  *  And  he  saith  unto  them.  Be 
not  affrighted  :  ye  seek  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  which  was  crucified  : 
he  is  risen ;  he  is  not  here  :  behold 
the  place  where  they  laid  him. 

7  But  go  your  way,  tell  his  dis- 
ciples and  Peter  that  he  goeth 
before  you  into  Galilee  :  there 
shall  ye  see  him,  ^  as  he  said  unto 
you. 

8  And  they  went  out  quickly, 
and  fled  from  the  sepulchre ;  for 
they  trembled  and  were  amazed  : 
^neither  said  they  any  thing   to 

e  Mat.  28  :  5,  6,  7.   /  Mat.  26  :  32. 
g  See  Mat.  2S :  8. 

6-1.  See  Ns.  on  Matt.  18  :  5-7  ;  Luke 
24 :  4-8. 

5.  A  young  man.  Matthew,  "  aa 
angel."  This  we  are  left  in  Mark  to 
infer,  from  the  description  of  him.  In 
a  long  white  gannent.  See  N.  on  Matt. 
28 :  3.  T7iey  were  affrighted,  as  was 
natural,  at  sight  of  so  resplendent  a 
personage.  The  guard,  at  sight  of  this 
angel  and  his  companion  (Luke  24 :  4), 
"  did  shake  and  become  as  dead  men." 

7.  Atid  Peter.  While  we  cannot 
help  recurring,  at  this  first  mention  of 
Peter  after  his  denial  of  Christ  and  his 
bitter  tears  of  repentance,  to  the  won- 
drous grace  and  compassion,  which 
rendered  him  worthy  of  being  reas- 
sured and  cheered  by  this  special  mes- 
sage, yet  the  particular  mention  of  his 
name  must  be  attributed,  in  part  at 
least,  to  his  being  the  oldest  and  lead- 
ing apostle. 

8.  Neither  said  they  any  thing  to  any 
man,  whom  they  might  meet  on  their 
way  to  the  city.  The  gates  were  by 
this  time  thronged  with  persons,  going 
forth  on  their  daily  routine  of  business, 
yet  to  none  of  these  did  the  women 
divulge  the  strange  things,  which  they 
had  seen  and  heard.  Their  message 
was  to  "the  disciples  and  Peter,"  and 
they  dared  not  to  disobey.  This  is 
better  than  to  suppose,  with  Alford  and 
others,  that  they  did  not  deliver  the 
message  to  the  disciples,  at  that  time, 


498 


MARK. 


[A.  D.  33. 


any  man ;  for  they  were  afraid. 
9  "TI  Now  when  Jesus  was  risen 
early  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
*  he  appeared  first  to  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, '  out  of  whom  he  had  cast 
seven  devils. 

h  Jn.  20 :  14.     i  Lu.  8 :  2. 

because  they  were  afraid,  and  that  the 
narrative  is  here  broken  off,  because  no 
more  information  about  these  women 
was  in  possession  of  Mark.  It  was  not 
the  design  of  each  Evangehst  to  write 
all  the  particulars  of  every  transaction, 
but  only  so  much  as  they  deemed  ne- 
cessary. In  this  instance,  Matthew 
(28  :  8)  continues  the  narration  of  these 
women,  and  to  him  Mark  leaves  the 
further  recital  of  their  history.  The 
words,  theif  were  afraid,  are  to  be  re- 
ferred to  their  state  of  mind,  under  the 
dread  vision  which  their  eyes  had  be- 
held, and  which  impelled  them  to 
silence  respecting  an  event,  which 
otherwise  they  would  have  proclaimed 
to  every  one  they  met. 

9-20.  There  is  here  an  abruptness 
which  has  led  some  to  believe,  that 
what  follows  is  a  kind  of  supple- 
mentary compendium  from  some  other 
hand.  There  is,  however,  only  one 
MS.  and  one  version,  where  it  is  not 
found ;  and  the  authority  of  these 
even  is  weakened  by  the  great  liber- 
tics  taken  with  the  text.  There  can 
be  no  doubt,  that  it  is  genuine,  and 
rightly  attributed  to  Mark. 

9.  Was  risen  early.  We  have  no 
means  of  knowing  the  precise  hour  in 
which  our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead.  It 
must  have  been  long  enough  before  the 
visit  of  the  women,  to  give  time  for  the 
guard  to  recover  from  their  swoon  of 
terror  and  leave  for  the  city.  Tlie first 
daii  of  the  week ;  literally,  ^irsi  (day)  of 
the  sabbath.  See  N.  on  Matt.  28  :  1. 
I<'irst  to  Mary  Magdalene.  On  the  order 
of  our  Lord's  appearances,  see  N.  on 
Matt.  28  :  9.  The  second  and  third 
appearances,  noted  by  Mark,  are  found 
in  Matt.  28  :  12-1-i.  Out  of  whom  he 
had  cast,  &c.  See  Luke  8:2.  As  it 
regards    the    stale    objection    against 


10  ''And  she  went  and  told 
them  that  had  been  with  him,  as 
they  mourned  and  wept. 

11  '  And  they,  when  they  had 
heard  that  he  was  alive,  and  had 

A Lu.  24:10.    «Lu.24:ll. 

her  being  possessed  of  seven  devils,  it 
has  no  more  validity  than  though  ad- 
vanced against  the  possibiUty  of  her 
being  possessed  by  one.  For  aught  we 
know,  a  legion  of  devils,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  demoniac  of  Gadara,  may  as 
easily  take  possession  of  a  man  as  one 
only.  As  it  regards  the  notion  enter- 
tained by  some,  that  Mary  of  Magdala 
was  a  courtesan,  and  that  her  refor- 
mation under  the  preaching  of  Jesus,  is 
all  that  is  meant  by  the  ejection  of  se- 
ven demons,  it  is  a  figment  of  the  imagi- 
nation, having  no  foundation  whatever 
in  the  sacred  narration.  Great  injustice 
is  done  this  woman,  in  the  employment 
of  her  patrial  name  Magdalene,  to  desig- 
nate the  unfortunate  class  of  females, 
who  have  been  reformed  by  the  efforts 
of  Christian  benevolence. 

10.  Them  that  had  been  with  Mm,  i.  e. 
his  disciples.  As  they  mourned  and 
wept.  This  shows  how  overwhelm- 
ing was  their  grief  at  their  Lord's 
death.  It  was  quite  early  in  the 
morning,  when  Mary  brought  them  this 
report,  yet  they  had  come  together, 
to  mingle  their  tears,  and  deplore  the 
extinction  of  all  their  hopes  for  the 
redemption  of  Israel. 

11.  Was  alive.  Reference  is  had  to 
the  rcanimation  or  resurrection  of  the 
body,  as  the  continued  existence  and 
hfe  of  the  soul,  was  not  doubted  by 
the  apostles.  Believed  not.  They  had 
treated  as  idle  tales  the  report  of  the 
other  women  (see  Luke  24  :  9-11,  and 
also  N.  on  Matt.  28  :  9),  and  were  so 
plunged  in  gi-ief  that,  although  it  was 
confirmed  by  Mary  Magdalene,  they  still 
remained  incredulous  to  such  marvellous 
intelligence.  Nothing  but  the  evidence 
of  their  own  senses,  could  convince 
them  of  the  resurrection  of  their  Lord. 

12.  After  that,  i.  e.  after  the  occur- 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


499 


been  seen  of  her,  believed  not. 

12  After  that  he  appeared 
in  another  form  "'  unto  two  of 
them,  as  they  walked,  and  went 
into  the  country. 

13  And  they  went  and  told  it 

wLu.  24:13. 

rences  just  mentioned.  The  plural  is 
used  in  the  original.  In  another  form. 
Tliis  refers  to  the  walk  to  Emmaus 
(Luke  24 :  13-35),  and  gives  the  reason 
■why  the  disciples  did  not  know  him  on 
that  occasion.  Some  think  that  the 
change  of  appearance  referred  only  to 
his  dress.  But  it  is  hardly  credible, 
that  a  mere  change  of  dress  would 
have  prevented  his  being  recognized  by 
his  voice,  manner  of  speech,  gait, 
countenance,  and  the  like.  The  origi- 
nal expression  points  unmistakably,  in 
its  signification,  to  form  or  shape,  and 
it  is  better,  therefore,  to  refer  this 
change  to  his  visage  or  general  appear- 
ance. Some  infer,  however,  from  the 
words  in  Luke  (24 :  15),  "  Jesus  himself 
drew  near,"  which  seem  to  imply  his 
usual  appearance,  that  the  eyes  of  the 
disciples  were  supernaturally  holden,  so 
that  to  them  he  seemed  another  person. 
But  the  expression  "Jesus  himself,"  is 
employed  because  they  were  then  talk- 
ing about  him,  when  he  became  present 
to  them,  not  as  the  subject  of  conver- 
sation, but  in  his  real,  physical  form. 

13.  The  residue,  i.  e.  the  other  disci- 
ples. Neither  believed  they  them.  The 
slowness  of  the  disciples  to  believe 
these  reiterated  declarations  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  Jesus  appears  strange, 
unless  we  take  into  account  the  depth 
of  their  distress,  which  shut  out  all 
hope,  and  also  the  incredible  nature  of 
the  report.  Jesus  had  indeed  foretold 
expressly  his  own  resurrection,  but  they 
seem  to  have  forgotten  it  altogether,  or 
attached  to  it  some  mystic  sense ;  or, 
what  is  perhaps  a  still  better  solution, 
in  their  despair,  they  were  impervious 
to  any  ray  of  comfort,  and  obstinately 
refused  to  believe  the  glad  intelligence 
of  his  reappearance. 

14-22.  Luke  24  :  36-49  ;  John   20  : 


unto  the  residue :  neither  believed 
they  them. 

14  "  Afterward  he  appeared 
unto  the  eleven  as  they  sat  at 
meat,  and  upbraided  them  with 
their    unbelief   and   hardness  of 

wLu.  24:86;  1  Co.  15:5. 


19-23.  Alford  well  remarks  on  the 
following  narration  of  Mark,  that  al- 
though evidently  intended  by  its  author, 
to  represent  what  took  place  at  one  and 
the  same  time,  it  joins  together  in  one, 
at  least  four  appearances  of  our  Lord : 
(1)  that  related  in  this  verse  and  Luke 
24  :  36-49  ;  (2)  that  on  the  mountain  in 
Galilee,  where  the  words  in  v.  15  were 
spoken  ;  (3)  some  unrecorded  appear- 
ance, when  the  rest  of  these  words 
(vs.  16-18)  were  spoken,  unless  we 
consider  the  whole  to  have  been  uttered 
on  the  mountain  in  Galilee ;  and  (4)  the 
appearance,  which  terminated  with  the 
ascension. 

14.  Upbraided  them,  &c.  They  had 
been  credibly  informed  several  times  of 
his  appearance,  and  even  now,  accord- 
ing to  the  parallel  passage  in  Luke  24  : 
87,  they  did  not  think  that  it  was  Jesus 
in  bodily  form  who  addressed  them,  but 
''  were  terrified,  and  affrighted,  and 
supposed  that  they  had  seen  a  spirit." 
Their  slowness  to  admit  this  truth 
proves,  that  they  did  not  afterwards 
preach  a  resurrection  which  they  them- 
selves after  much  hesitation  had  not 
been  compelled  fully  to  believe.  Un- 
belief in  respect  to  our  Lord's  re- 
peated declaration  that  he  should  rise 
from  the  dead.  See  Matt.  16 :  21  ; 
Mark  9:9-31;  10  :  34.  Hardness  of 
heart,  i.  e.  stubborness  in  rejecting  evi- 
dence of  his  resurrection,  and  dulness 
in  comprehending  the  great  truths 
which  he  bad  announced  in  reference 
thereto. 

15.  Go  ye  into  all  the  world.  See  N. 
on  Matt.  28  :  19.  All  the  world.  The 
whole  habitable  world,  contrasted  here 
with  the  Jewish  nation,  to  which  their 
labors  had  been  restricted  in  their  first 
commission.  See  Matt.  10  :  5,  6.  Preach 
the  gospel.     Proclaim  the  glad  news  of 


500 


MARK. 


[A.  D,  33. 


heart,  because  ttey  believed  not 
them  which  had  seen  him  after  he 
•was  risen. 

15  °  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  ^  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture. 

o  Mat.  2S  :  19 ;  Jn.  15  :  16.    p  Col.  1 :  2-3.  q  Jn. 
.3:18,36;  Ac.  2:33;  Eo.  10:9;  1  Pe.  3  :  21. 


salvation  through  Christ.  To  every  crea- 
ture. No  one  was  to  be  overlooked. 
To  all  of  every  age  and  nation,  pardon 
for  sin  was  to  be  offered,  on  condition 
of  their  repentance  and  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ.  "By  these  words  the 
missionary  office  is  bound  upon  the 
Church  through  all  ages,  till  every  part 
of  the  earth  shall  have  been  evange- 
lized." Alford.  The  word  creature,  in 
its  literal  use,  has  a  very  extensive  sig- 
nification. It  is  here  taken  figuratively 
for  mankind,  as  those  only  for  whom 
the  gospel  has  been  provided,  or  who 
can  intelligently  receive  it,  yet  even 
the  brute  creation  are  incidentally 
benefited  by  it,  in  the  superior  kind- 
ness of  their  treatment  in  Christian 
lands. 

16.  He  that  helieveth,  &c.  This  has 
reference  to  those  who  hear  the 
preached  gospel.  All  others  are  to  be 
judged  in  accordance  with  the  principle 
laid  down  in  Rom.  2  :  12.  The  belief 
here  required  as  essential  to  salvation, 
has  special  reference  to  Christ  as  the 
Savior  and  Redeemer  of  men,  but  em- 
braces all  the  declarations  of  God's 
word  which  lie  around  this  great  cen- 
tral truth,  such  as  human  depravity, 
the  extent  and  spirituality  of  the  di- 
vine law,  the  need  of  regeneration 
through  the  Spirit,  the  retributions  of 
eternity  and  the  lilvc.  And  is  baptized. 
Baptism  is  the  seal  of  the  covenant 
obligation  of  the  believer,  to  love  and 
serve  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
walk  in  all  his  ordinances  and  com- 
mands. It  is  not  a  saving  rite,  although 
a  duty  incumbent  on  every  believing 
adult,  who  has  not  been  thus  pledged  to 
Christ  by  believing  parents.  Shall  be 
saved  from  the  effects  of  sin,  viz.  the 
wrath  to  come.     £ut  he  that  believeth 


16  I' He  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved  ;  '  but  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned. 

17  And  these  signs  shall  fol- 
low them  that  believe ;  '  In  my 
name  shall  they  cast  out  devils ; 

rJn.  12:48.    «Lu.  10:1T:  A.c.  5:16. 


not,  &c.  Unbelief  is  here  declared  to 
be  the  ground  of  condemnation.  It  is 
worthy  of  note,  that  the  words,  is  not 
baptized,  are  not  found  in  this  second 
clause,  as  would  have  been  the  case, 
had  it  been  a  saving  rite,  or  essential  to 
salvation.  Whether  baptized  or  un- 
baptized,  a  man  who  has  not  the  saving 
faith  of  the  gospel  will  be  lost.  Shall 
be  datnned.  This  is  the  opposite  of  the 
salvation  spoken  of  in  the  preceding 
clause.  As  that  is  eternal  salvation, 
this  must  be  eternal  misery,  everlasting 
banishment  from  God's  presence. 

17.  These  signs  shall  follow,  i.  e.  shall 
accompany  the  presentation  of  the  gos- 
pel. The  miracles  here  referred  to 
were  all  performed,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  in  the  apostolical  age  of  the 
church.  In  my  name.  Our  Lord  in 
his  own  name  and  authority  cast  out 
devils,  but  the  power  of  the  apostles  to 
do  this  resided  not  in  themselves,  but 
was  derived  from  him.  That  members 
of  the  primitive  church  possessed  power 
to  cast  out  devils,  is  proved  from  the 
early  Fathers.  See  also  Acts  5  :  1 6  ;  8 : 
1 ;  16  :  18.  Shall  speak  with  new 
tongues.  This  refers  to  the  gift  of 
tongues  conferred  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, and  also  possessed  by  the  churches 
planted  by  the  apostles.  Compare  Acts 
2  :  4;  1  Cor.  12  :  10,  28  ;  14  :  2,  4,  5, 
13,  22,  39.  These  references  show  the 
extent  and  design  of  this  gift  of 
tongues.  Shall  take  up  serpents.  See 
Acts  28  :  3,  6.  Other  instances  are  re- 
recorded in  the  Fathers.  If  they  drink 
any  deadly  thing.  The  art  of  mixing 
subtle  and  deadly  poisons,  was  carried 
by  the  Orientals  to  great  perfection. 
The  enemies  of  the  church,  doubtless, 
resorted  often  to  this  mode  of  getting 
rid  of  prominent  Christians.     But  the 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


501 


'  they     shall     speak    with     new 
tongues ; 

18  "They  shall  take  up  ser- 
pents ;  and  if  they  drink  any 
deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt 
them ;  ^  they  shall  lay  hands  on 
the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover. 

19  ^1  So  then,  ^  after  the  Lord 

«  Ac.  2:4;  1  Co.  12  :  10,  28.    u  Lu.  10  :  19;  Ac. 
28:5.      xAc.5:15, 16;  Ja.  5:14,15. 


promise  protected  thera  from  this  evil, 
and  we  have  no  doubt  that  in  many 
instances  it  was  verified.  TTiey  shall 
lay  hands,  &c.  Compare  Acts  3  :  6,  7  ; 
5  :  15;  James  5  :  14.  It  is  not  to  be 
supposed,  that  every  member  of  the 
primitive  church  possessed  these  mi- 
raculous gifts,  or  that  those  who  did, 
were  endowed  with  all  of  them.  It  ap- 
pears from  1  Cor.  12  :  9-11,  that 
these  gifts  were  diversely  bestowed, 
although  by  the  same  Spirit.  They  were 
given,  as  the  credentials  of  the  divine 
mission  of  the  apostles  and  early  teach- 
ers of  Christianity  (see  1  Cor.  14 :  22). 
They  ceased  with  the  necessity  for  their 
exercise,  or  in  ether  words,  when 
Christianity  was  generally  professed. 

19.  After  the  Lord,  &c.  This  verse  is 
very  compendious,  and  evidently  in- 
cludes all  the  words  spoken  by  our  Lord, 
previous  to  his  ascension.  This  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fact,  that  he  did  not 
ascend  from  the  place  where  they  were 
then  assembled  (v.  14),  as  would  ap- 
pear from  these  words  of  Mark,  but 
from  the  Mount  of  Olives  (Acts  1  :  9). 
All  his  sayings  are  then  compressed 
into  this  portion  of  Mark's  gospel.  In 
an  expanded  form,  the  narrative  would 


had  spoken  unto  them,  he  was  '  re- 
ceived up  into  heaven,  and  "  sat 
on  the  right  hand  of  God. 

20  And  they  went  forth,  and 
preached  every  where,  the  Lord 
working  with  them,  *  and  confirm- 
ing the  word  with  signs  following. 
Amen. 

yAc.  1:2,  3.    sLu.  24:51.    «  Ps.  110 : 1 ;  Ac. 
7:55.    b  Ac.5:12;  1  Co.2:4,5;  He.2:4. 


be :  After  our  Lord  had  spoken  unto 
them  this  and  divers  other  things  con- 
nected with  their  mission,  and  had 
made  his  appearance  to  them  several 
times,  he  finally  ascended  from  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  and  was  received  up 
into  heaven  and  sat  on  the  right  hand  of 
God  (Ps.  110:  1  ;  1  Pet.  3  :  22;  Rev. 
3  :  21). 

20.  They  went  forth  into  the  world, 
preaching  the  gospel  according  to  their 
Lord's  direction.  Every  where.  It  is 
the  concurrent  testimony  of  the  early 
writers  of  the  church,  that  the  apostles 
(including  Paul,  who  was  added  to  their 
number),  and  their  fellow  laborers, 
preached  the  gospel  throughout  the 
habitable  world,  at  least  that  portion  of 
it  which  was  then  known  and  accessible. 
The  apostles  remained  in  Judea,  until 
the  divine  opening  of  the  door  to  the 
Gentiles  (Acts.  10  :  1-48;  11  :  17,  18), 
and  their  dispersion  into  other  lands 
resulting  from  Jewish  persecutions. 
Working  with  tliem.  This  refers  to  the 
promise  in  Matthew  28  :  20,  "  Lo  I  am 
with  you  always,"  &c.  Signs  following 
or  attending  their  ministry.  This  refers 
to  the  miracles  and  gifts,  mentioned  in 
vs.  17,  18. 


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